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".
road
Cocteau Twins Lyrics
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From those choices that they took
Naked and caught on the Isle de la Cite
Roll of home may be
There's over eleven since she's been
For machine and a feeling I still care
Faulting to mention forms in flight
Flaying on the ground and your infant lives
From out of the bayous
Seen the way is corporeal
The little pants into nowheres
Through Paris breaks soul
From out of the bayous
From must have beige
So we didn't while we seized
Until the fog made me run through that hectic glare
Love won't be forged
And was a fog, was them that cherished
Road, river and rail
"So embarrassed, I'm not sure at all", lies mother's daughter
Truth is she found love
Truth is she found love
Truth is she found love
Road, river and rail
The lyrics to Cocteau Twins' "Road" have a dreamlike quality, with jumbled images and fragmented thoughts. The song seems to be about the experience of traveling, specifically through Paris, and the surreal and disjointed moments that can occur while on a journey. The opening lines suggest a sense of escape, with someone being "flown away" from the choices they've made. The singer also mentions being on the Isle de la Cite, a small island in the Seine River where Notre-Dame Cathedral is located, feeling exposed and vulnerable.
As the song continues, there are references to time passing, with "over eleven since she's been" and "fabulous in dreams of eve." The lyrics also mention a feeling of caring for someone, despite faults and mistakes. The phrase "flaying on the ground and your infant lives" suggests a sense of disorientation or chaos. The singer also mentions the bayous, which are wetlands in the southern United States, adding to the sense of dislocation and travel.
The second half of the song becomes more abstract, with mentions of "corporeal" things and "must have beige." The final lines repeat the phrase "road, river, and rail," which could be interpreted as the different modes of transportation used during the journey. The final lines of the song suggest that the singer has found love, despite feeling embarrassed and unsure.
Line by Line Meaning
He'll be flied away
He will be taken away quickly and easily, possibly by plane or some other form of transportation.
From those choices that they took
He will be removed from the consequences of someone else's decisions.
Naked and caught on the Isle de la Cite
He may be vulnerable and exposed, possibly trapped in a place or situation from which he cannot escape.
Roll of home may be
The possibility of returning home is uncertain and dependent on factors beyond his control.
There's over eleven since she's been
It has been more than eleven units of time since she has been present or involved in a situation.
For machine and a feeling I still care
Despite the presence of technology and a lack of human interaction, there is still a sense of emotional attachment.
Faulting to mention forms in flight
There is a failure to acknowledge or articulate the various ways of leaving or escaping.
Fabulous in dream of eve
The night time or the subconscious state is associated with a sense of wonder or beauty.
Flaying on the ground and your infant lives
The act of falling or losing control may threaten the lives of those who are more vulnerable or dependent.
From out of the bayous
The location from which something or someone is emerging is a swampy, murky area.
Seen the way is corporeal
It is evident that the physical body or form is present or important.
The little pants into nowheres
The small or insignificant things are disappearing into a void or nonexistence.
Through Paris breaks soul
The city of Paris is a source of emotional or spiritual fragmentation.
From must have beige
The origin or source of something is a neutral or plain color.
So we didn't while we seized
Although something was taken or seized, it was not enjoyed or appreciated at the time.
Until the fog made me run through that hectic glare
The presence of fog compelled the artist to move quickly through a harsh or intense environment.
Love won't be forged
It is impossible or unlikely that a romantic relationship will be established.
And was a fog, was them that cherished
The singer's memory of a past relationship is obscured or hazy, but there is a sense of appreciation or fondness for it.
Road, river and rail
Various modes of transportation are referenced as a means of departure or escape.
"So embarrassed, I'm not sure at all", lies mother's daughter
The daughter of a mother who commonly tells lies is unsure and ashamed of her own credibility.
Truth is she found love
Contrary to the mother's falsehoods, the daughter has actually found romantic love.
Truth is she found love
Repeated for emphasis, the daughter wants to emphasize that she has indeed found love.
Truth is she found love
The third repetition of this line further emphasizes the daughter's feelings of love and the falsehoods of her mother.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SIMON PHILIP RAYMONDE, ELIZABETH FRASER, ROBIN A. GUTHRIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind