Cuckoo
Kristin Hersh Lyrics


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Oh the cuckoo she's a pretty bird
She wobbles when she flies
She don't ever hire a cuckoo
Till the fourth day of July
Jack of diamonds
Jack of diamonds
I know you of old
You rob my poor pockets of silver and gold

Oh the cuckoo she's a pretty bird
I wish that she was mine
She don't ever drink water
She only drinks wine

Gonna build me a log cabin
On a mountain so high
So I can see Willy
When he goes on by

Oh the cuckoo she's a pretty bird
She wobbles when she flies




She don't ever hire a cuckoo
Till the fourth day of July

Overall Meaning

Kristin Hersh's song "Cuckoo" is a cover of a traditional folk song that has been interpreted by different musicians such as Lead Belly, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, and Janis Joplin. The song’s lyrics tell a peculiar story about a person's admiration for the cuckoo bird, with its peculiar flying style and quirky habits. The song starts by describing the cuckoo bird's physical appearance, stating that it wobbles when it flies, which is unusual for a bird. The lyrics then move on to its symbolic value, as the person expresses their desire to have the cuckoo bird as a possession, saying they wish it was theirs.


As the lyrics continue to describe the cuckoo bird, the song takes an unexpected turn, talking about Jack of Diamonds. Jack of Diamonds is a notorious gambler that the person knows of old and who the lyrics accuse of robbing their pockets of silver and gold. The mention of Jack of Diamonds seems to be a metaphor for bad luck, drawing attention to the idea that the person will never possess the cuckoo bird.


The final stanza of the song talks about the person's dream to build a log cabin on a mountain high enough so that they can see Willy, presumably a person or a passing traveler. Overall, the lyrics of "Cuckoo" are a simple and poetic reflection on the person's admiration for a bird and their desires for longings that may never come to fruition, such as owning a cuckoo bird or good luck.


Line by Line Meaning

Oh the cuckoo she's a pretty bird
The singer admires the cuckoo bird's beauty


She wobbles when she flies
The singer notices that the cuckoo bird is unsteady in flight


She don't ever hire a cuckoo
The singer acknowledges that cuckoo birds are not commonly kept as pets


Till the fourth day of July
The cuckoo bird is never hired until the fourth day of July, possibly due to seasonal changes


Jack of diamonds
The singer addresses someone known as Jack of diamonds


Jack of diamonds
The singer repeats the name Jack of diamonds


I know you of old
The singer claims to have known Jack of diamonds for a long time


You rob my poor pockets of silver and gold
The singer accuses Jack of diamonds of stealing their money


Oh the cuckoo she's a pretty bird
The singer again praises the beauty of the cuckoo bird


I wish that she was mine
The singer expresses a desire to own the cuckoo bird


She don't ever drink water
The singer notes that cuckoo birds do not drink water


She only drinks wine
The singer uses a humorous exaggeration to emphasize the abnormality of the cuckoo bird


Gonna build me a log cabin
The singer plans to construct a cabin


On a mountain so high
The singer specifies the location of the cabin


So I can see Willy
The singer desires to have a better view of someone named Willy


When he goes on by
The singer hopes to observe Willy as he passes by the mountain




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TAJ MAHAL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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