Born in London but Greek Cypriot by origin, Helena Costas studied violin from ages 7 to 13, then taught herself guitar and keyboards. As she became an adult, her mission came into focus. She wrote songs relentlessly, learned the art of production, and gained confidence as a performer as she played gigs around London.
Like a cryptic, symbolic dream, the music of Joker’s Daughter feeds on a range of conscious and unconscious influences, from classical violin training to Arthurian legend to a certain fascination with food. The result is haunting, infectious and playful, a rich harvest from a broad psychic landscape.
In 2003, she began sending her home recordings to artist/producer Danger Mouse, a correspondence that continued as his career grew. The two artists discovered a natural affinity, and launched a collaboration, which they dubbed Joker’s Daughter after one of Helena’s many shifting personae.
Joker’s Daughter is a character who gives voice to the darkness and redemption in Helena’s psyche, often with a mischievous flair. Always evolving as a musician and performer, Helena has recently taken up the bouzouki, a traditional instrument played by the muses in ancient Greek myth.
Danger Mouse is a full collaborator at every stage. His verdant production and instrumentation compliments the full spectrum of emotion in Helena’s music, from grief to celebration to happy ambiguity. Together, they make music both timeless and fresh from a strange, uncharted world.
The project also features the horns of Neutral Milk Hotel’s Scott Spillane and the string arrangements of frequent Danger Mouse collaborator Daniele Luppi.
Joker's Daughter is proud to announce the release of her long awaited second album!
THE SINGLE 'MIND OF GOLD' WILL BE RELEASED ON 3rd OCTOBER 2011, and will include the b-side tracks, 'Handful of Nothing' and Iron Maiden cover 'Infinite Dreams.'
THE ALBUM 'MAY CAUSE SIDE EFFECTS' WILL BE RELEASED ON 7th NOVEMBER 2011.
Both released on DIGITAL ONLY, but cds will be available at gigs so make sure you get to one if you want the lovely artwork, created by bass player and graphic designer Steve Rodgers. (www.sjrodgers.com)
This new album, 'May Cause Side Effects', is the next chapter from this exciting narrative artist. This time, she encapsulates Greek myths, dreams, folklore, storytelling, creature parties, gossiping, a strange fascination with Commodore 64 games, and UFOs... all with her usual ghostly sense of humour. However, songs such as Mind of Gold, and Follow touch on her more sensitive nature of the wonderings of life. Her Greek influences shine through even more so than the first, as her bouzouki is present in most of the songs. The single 'Mind of Gold' and album track 'Bubbles' were produced by Mike Lindsay of Tunng. Giving them an almost euphoric feel, he compliments the songs in more ways than one, with his unpredictable arrangements and the enforcement of unusual instruments!
Helena has been rehearsing with band members, Mark Robson and Steve Rodgers to form an acoustic interpretation of the songs so be prepared for some intimate surprises!"
Worm's Head
Joker's Daughter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He threw it away from his shoe and it grew
The horses turn into cows
And sheep lie on the edge of the road
The seas float across this island wind that carries through
The years of all the wandering souls walking on the black mountaintops
Eagles hover low above the sea
The vevers only grow at night
And mend to more for size in the dark
The seas float across this island wind that carries through
The years of all the wandering souls walking on the black mountaintops
Now the place that you see may not be
All they seem or the one home
The ancient forest still stands tall
Their roots that lie beneath reach the shore
The seas float across this island wind that carries through
The years of all the wandering souls walking on the black mountaintops
The lyrics to Joker's Daughter's song Worm's Head describe the mystical and magical beauty of nature. The opening line "A blanket of green split came of this stone" paints a vivid picture of a rock splitting open and becoming covered in lush green foliage. The next line "He threw it away from his shoe and it grew" implies that the growth was accidental and unexpected. Similarly, the following lines "The horses turn into cows, and sheep lie on the edge of the road" suggest a surreal and dreamlike atmosphere, where the laws of physics and nature are suspended.
The chorus "The seas float across this island wind that carries through the years of all the wandering souls walking on the black mountaintops" conjures images of vast open spaces and a sense of infinite time. The imagery of wandering souls walking on black mountaintops creates a haunting and ethereal feeling. The following verses continue with the same theme, describing the flight of birds, the growth of vegetation, and the enduring presence of ancient forests. The closing line "Their roots that lie beneath reach the shore" suggests a connection between the land and the sea, and between the present and the past. Overall, the lyrics to Worm's Head showcase the beauty and mystery of nature, and its enduring power over time.
Line by Line Meaning
A blanket of green split came of this stone
From this stone emerged a layer of lush greenery.
He threw it away from his shoe and it grew
When he discarded it from his shoe, it began to grow.
The horses turn into cows
The horses have transformed into cows.
And sheep lie on the edge of the road
The sheep are laying on the roadside.
The seas float across this island wind that carries through
The ocean currents drift throughout the island, carried aloft by the winds.
The years of all the wandering souls walking on the black mountaintops
The many years of wandering souls who have traversed the dark mountain peaks.
A flock of crows head towards the rocks
A group of crows are flying towards the craggy stones.
Eagles hover low above the sea
The eagles are soaring low over the ocean.
The vevers only grow at night
The vevers only grow after the sun has set.
And mend to more for size in the dark
They also grow larger in the darkness of night.
Now the place that you see may not be
This location may not appear as it seems.
All they seem or the one home
It may not appear to be one's true home.
The ancient forest still stands tall
The ancient forest remains standing tall.
Their roots that lie beneath reach the shore
Its roots stretch out from beneath the earth, extending to the water's edge.
The seas float across this island wind that carries through
The sea continues to drift across this island, carried by the wind.
The years of all the wandering souls walking on the black mountaintops
The black mountaintops has been traversed by countless wandering souls across the years.
Contributed by Blake D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
TheRedScare
I really love this song... Danger Mouse is a musical GENIUS and it' nice see him further prove that by doing something really different than what he normally does!!!
valenecia
listened to the whole CD, and i have to say that it is highly recommended! Almost all of the songs are on the short side, but you don't want them to be, they're so good! Don't base your impressions on this one song, please!!
Tony Siragusano
Its a catchty tune and its still catchy to this day ten years on.
Stephen Erickson
not to downplay helena's contribution, but i've just heard of this duo today and i must say everything that danger mouse touches turns to gold.
particlesandwaves
What a beautiful song.
JenBsweet
That video is so awsome. I totally just sat there and actually watched the whole thing. I love it.
Ivan Igniter
I love the song so much.. so emotional background music and feel like am in a lonely journey. Amazing.. I always play this songs every time I feel boring and lonely.
Julie Varela
i love this song, AWESOME!
banshee beat
I loved it.
jimjambalam
Very good!