Xiu Xiu (pronounced "shoo shoo") is an American experimental group, formed … Read Full Bio ↴Xiu Xiu (pronounced "shoo shoo") is an American experimental group, formed in 2002 in San Jose, California by original members Jamie Stewart, Lauren Andrews, Yvonne Chen, and Cory McCulloch. Currently, the line-up consists of Jamie Stewart (the only constant member since formation) and Angela Seo. The group is based out of Los Angeles and New York.

Over the life of the band, their music has taken influence from noise, modern classical, dance, post-punk, minimalism, Asian percussion music, and American folk music. Frequently noted as well are the films of Todd Solondz, Shohei Imamura, David Lynch, and Seijun Suzuki and the books of Elfriede Jelinek, V.S, Naipaul, Yukio Mishima, and Ingeborg Bachmann.

Over both song concepts or music videos, the art of Xiu Xiu is often memorable to a newcomer by its divisive response. The music of Xiu Xiu has been noted for the lead singer's bleakness either contrasting or complementing the chaotic instrumentation, lyrics commonly including references to depression, suicide, family issues, militarized violence, abuse, sexual disaffection, and body dysmorphia. The band's public image has taken a similar tone, including the insertion of a poster into an LP sleeve (for the album "Dear God, I Hate Myself") of photographs of band-related cuts, brands, and tattoos sent by listeners. They have been critically divisive.

To date, they have released well over 50 titles including albums, 7inches, books, film works and dance pieces. They have collaborated with a number of artistic and musical luminaries such as Carla Bozulich, Michael Gira, Merzbow, Dahn Vo, Monika Gryzmala, Grouper, Larsen, These Arches, Deerhoof, John Congleton, Dirty Beaches, Oxbow, and Shearwater.

The name Xiu Xiu is taken from the film "Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl." They currently release albums on Bella Union and Polyvinyl Records.

Jack The Ripper
Xiu Xiu Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I got a woman
She rules my house with an iron fist
I got a woman
She rules my house with an iron fist
She screams out Jack The Ripper
Every time I try to give that girl a kiss

I got a woman

She strikes me down with a fist of lead
I got a woman
She strikes me down with a fist of lead
We bed in a bucket of butcher's knives
A awake with a hatchet hanging over my head

Well you know the story of the viper
It's long and lean with poison tooth
Yeah, you know the story of the viper
It's long and lean with poison tooth
Well they're hissing under the floorboards
Hanging down in bunches from my roof

I got a woman
She just hollers what she wants from where she is
I got a woman
She just hollers what she wants from where she is

She screams out Jack The Ripper
Every time I try to give that girl a kiss

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Xiu Xiu's "Jack the Ripper" are ambiguous but the underlying theme seems to be a power dynamic within a relationship. The opening lines suggest that the singer is dominated by a woman who rules his house with an "iron fist." The following lines introduce the character of Jack the Ripper, a notorious serial killer who terrorized London in the late 19th century. The woman in the song screams out his name whenever the singer tries to give her a kiss, suggesting a violent and sadistic dynamic in their relationship.

The second verse continues to explore this twisted relationship. The woman strikes the singer down with a "fist of lead," and they "bed in a bucket of butcher's knives." The third verse introduces the metaphor of the viper, a snake with a poisonous bite. The singer compares the woman to the viper, suggesting that she is dangerous and unpredictable. The final verse brings the song full circle as the woman continues to scream out Jack the Ripper whenever the singer tries to initiate intimacy.

Line by Line Meaning