Coo Coo
Janis Joplin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But she never hollers cuckoo till the fourth day of July.
Said Jack o'Diamonds, well Jack o'Diamonds, well I know you of old,
Honey you robbed me of my silver and out of all my gold,
All of my gold, all of my gold.
Well, Jack o'Diamonds, oh Jack o'Diamonds, oh I know you of old,
Said the cuckoo, she's a cruel bird, and she warbles when she flies
And every time that she passes, my true love says good-bye,
Well, says good-bye, well says good-bye,
Ooh, ooh, ooh, whoo, ooh ...
The opening lines of Janis Joplin's song "Coo Coo" paint a picture of the cuckoo bird, describing it as a pretty bird that sings as it flies. However, it is also noted that the bird does not sing its famous "cuckoo" call until the fourth day of July, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for delayed gratification or for waiting for the right moment to act. This could be symbolic of the singer's own actions or desires, waiting for the right opportunity to make a move or perhaps even waiting for someone else to make a move.
The next section of the song features a conversation between two characters: Jack o'Diamonds and the singer. Jack o'Diamonds is accused of stealing the singer's silver and gold, with the singer addressing him directly and accusing him of being a thief. This section may be seen as a confrontation or a reckoning of sorts, with the singer potentially seeking some sort of justice or restitution for what has been taken from them.
Finally, the song returns to the image of the cuckoo bird, which is now portrayed as a cruel bird that causes the singer's true love to say goodbye every time it passes. This could be interpreted as a symbol of loss or sadness, with the cuckoo bird representing negative emotions or experiences that repeatedly come and go from the singer's life.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, the cuckoo, she's a pretty bird, and she warbles when she flies
The cuckoo bird is beautiful and makes a beautiful sound while flying around.
But she never hollers cuckoo till the fourth day of July.
The cuckoo bird never makes its signature sound until a specific day- Fourth of July.
Said Jack o'Diamonds, well Jack o'Diamonds, well I know you of old,
The singer addresses Jack o'Diamonds, someone who he has known for a long time.
Honey you robbed me of my silver and out of all my gold,
Jack o'Diamonds has stolen all of the artist's precious metals including silver and gold.
All of my gold, all of my gold.
The repetition of this line emphasizes the vast quantity of gold that Jack o'Diamonds has stolen.
Said the cuckoo, she's a cruel bird, and she warbles when she flies
The cuckoo bird is now being referred to as cruel by the same person who once praised its beauty.
And every time that she passes, my true love says good-bye,
Whenever the cuckoo bird flies by, the singer's true love has to leave.
Well, says good-bye, well says good-bye,
The repetition of this line emphasizes the sadness and frustration caused by the cuckoo bird.
Ooh, ooh, ooh, whoo, ooh ...
This line seems to be a continuation of the previous one, expressing the artist's sadness and despair.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: PETER ALBIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@soniadamiraycomenta7011
Oh, the cuckoo, she's a pretty bird, and she warbles when she flies
Oh, la cuclilla, es una ave hermosa, y canta cuando está volando.
But she never hollers cuckoo till the fourth day of July
Pero ella nunca grita "cucú" hasta el cuarto día de Julio.
Said Jack o'Diamonds, well Jack o'Diamonds, oh I know you of old
Dijo Jack o'Diamonds, sí, Jack o Diamonds: "Oh, te conozco de tiempo.
Honey you robbed me of my silver and out of all my gold
Querida, tú me robaste mi plata y todo mi oro.
All of my gold, all of my gold
Todo mi oro, todo mi oro".
Well, Jack o'Diamonds, well Jack o'Diamonds, oh I know you of old
Bueno, Jack o'Diamonds, sí, Jack o Diamonds: "Oh, te conozco de tiempo.
Honey you robbed me of my silver and out of all my gold
Querida, tú me robaste mi plata y todo mi oro".
Said the cuckoo, she's a cruel bird, and she warbles when she flies
Dijo que la cuclilla es una ave cruel, y canta cuando está volando.
And every time that she passes, my true love says good-bye
Y todo el tiempo en el que ella pasa, mi verdadero amor dice adiós.
Well, says good-bye, well says good-bye
Bueno, dice adiós, bien, dice adiós.
Oh, oh...
Oh, oh...
@pierre-qq1hu
Vivre libre ou mourir ! Merci ma Janis ta force et ta souffrance nous donne la force à nous autres t'es rien!(Terriens)
@CarolinneChaves6
Conheci a Janis através da minha irmã, e desde que ouvi me maravilhei e não parei mais de escutar.
@ruthdixon7807
she shrieked, she screeched, she moaned, she sang the psychedelic-soul rock blues with the ear-shattering intensity of no other singer before or since.
@CarolinneChaves6
Essa é de longe uma das músicas que eu mais gosto!
@SergeBlake1973
This woman is a pure phenomenon.
@newlyfree1123
There are two kinds of singers: Janis Joplin and everyone else.
@johnboys4697
Newly Free you are so right !
@jadeshannon5583
true
@mustangmckelvey3334
U can't forget her "psuedo-son", the ONE AND ONLY SHANNON HOOON
@randymiller7432
@Mustang Mckelveyain't DAT the truth.....In Hoon I TRUST.