The band's early work drew influence from Siouxsie and the Banshees and Joy Division. After signing with the British record label 4AD in 1982, they released their debut album Garlands later that year. The addition of Raymonde in 1983 solidified their final lineup, which produced their biggest hit in the UK, "Pearly-Dewdrops' Drops", peaking at No. 29 on the UK Singles Chart. In 1988, Cocteau Twins signed with Capitol Records in the United States, distributing their fifth album, Blue Bell Knoll, through a major label in the country. After the 1990 release of their most critically acclaimed album, Heaven or Las Vegas, the band left 4AD for Fontana Records, where they released their final two albums.
After nearly 20 years together, the band disbanded in 1997 in part due to issues stemming from the disintegration of Fraser and Guthrie's romantic relationship. In 2005, the band announced that they would reunite to headline Coachella and embark on a world tour but the reunion was cancelled a month later after Fraser refused to perform on stage with Guthrie. In a 2021 interview, Raymonde confirmed that Cocteau Twins "will never reform".
Wax and Wane
Cocteau Twins Lyrics
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Broke my real friend
The devil bite's dirty, we wax and we wane
[Repeat: x4]
The devil bite's dirty, we wax and wane
Licking our wounds
Reckoning we'll taste
We wax and we wane
[Repeat: x4]
The devil bite's dirty, we wax and wane
Caring is a bury gin shot
The devil bite's dirty
Up to the wee wanes
Oh, we laugh in their faces
[Repeat: x8]
The devil bites dirty, we wax and wane
The lyrics to Cocteau Twins' Wax And Wane are enigmatic and open to interpretation. The song speaks about the fluctuations in life - periods of growth and decline, where joy and pain alternate. The line "carrying prose" suggests a burden of words, perhaps a jumble of thoughts and feelings. The phrase "broke my real friend" is somewhat ambiguous but could refer to a betrayal or the ending of a close friendship. The repetition of "the devil bite's dirty, we wax and wane" suggests that these ups and downs are inevitable, and perhaps even influenced by darker forces.
The following lines "licking our wounds, the devil bite's dirty, Reckoning we'll taste" continue this theme of pain and resilience, as the singer acknowledges the wounds inflicted by life but also displays a resilience to endure them. The phrase "we wax and we wane" can also be interpreted metaphorically as a reference to the phases of the moon, further emphasizing the cyclical nature of life.
The final lines "caring is a bury gin shot, the devil bite's dirty, up to the wee wanes, oh we laugh in their faces" suggest that the singer has given up on caring too much and has learned to laugh in the face of adversity. The phrase "bury gin shot" is likely a misheard phrase for a "burying shot," which in hunting is the first non-lethal shot fired at a wounded animal to bring it down. This line could be interpreted as suggesting that caring too much can be a kind of wound, but one that the singer has learned to deal with.
Line by Line Meaning
Carrying prose
We are expressing ourselves with words and language.
Broke my real friend
We lost the trust and support of someone close to us.
The devil bite's dirty, we wax and we wane
Life is unpredictable and challenging, full of ups and downs.
Licking our wounds
We are recovering from our past hurts and mistakes.
Reckoning we'll taste
We are preparing ourselves for the difficulties that lie ahead.
Caring is a bury gin shot
Showing concern can often feel like a painful burden.
Up to the wee wanes
We are rising to meet the smallest and greatest challenges alike.
Oh, we laugh in their faces
We find joy and empowerment in defying our critics and naysayers.
The devil bites dirty, we wax and wane
No matter how many times we stumble or fall, we will keep going.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ELIZABETH FRASER, ROBIN A. GUTHRIE, WILLIAM HEGGIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind