Cocteau Twins - Cherry-coloured funk - 1990 (Lyrics - Remastered - 4AD - Ethereal Wave - Dream Pop)

Here it is. One of the fan favorites from the Twins. This song had some very interesting lyrics that I really worked hard on getting together. It helped greatly to hear Liz recite a good part of these on a radio interview she did for the HoLV album release here on KZbin. I remastered this song from my original CD I had bought 26 years ago. I prefer the sound it has better than the newer releases. Liz seems to have been in a funk, and it's Cherry-coloured.

[@SpellboundG2]

A note on the first part of the lyrics... Quote from an interview with Robin Guthrie. "In the 80s, Liz and I were very mollycoddled, looked after. Gas bills? Someone else paid them, no worries. We went through our entire 20s in a little bubble, a little cotton wool world, where everybody looked after us and we had never grown up and never paid our own gas bill or done any of the other things which people do as they grow up."

[@rashedulkabir6227]

What are the gothic rock songs of CT?

[@rashedulkabir6227]

@@christiandorn6182 Goth roots means gothic rock?

[@tonyortiz8582]

...

[@zenbudhism]

Garlands lp

[@zeusmedusa7942]

2:06 Jesus wore thongs

[@thew6rst216]

I genuinely believe that this is the best song of all time

[@pixeliien]

you might be right

[@polarvesqueeee9341]

Honestly cherry colored funk is such a beautiful song that will never get old to me, but Pink Orange Red by Cocteau Twins in my opinion is the most beautiful song of all time it’s insane because they have so many songs that can fit under that narrative they’re so unique.

[@soka227]

it's up there

[@platoniclovers9157]

THIS AND SEA SWALLOW ME as soon as I hear the intro I start crying

[@platoniclovers9157]

@@polarvesqueeee9341WOW PINK ORANGE RED IS SO BEAUTIFUL WOWW It’s kinda mysterious and so unique thank you for mentioning it. Definitely in my top 3 now

[@noprofile]

this song makes me burst out in fucking tears

[@theofieles2589]

Me too *hugs* 🥲

[@bennemeth382]

does for me every time. Im now 52 and keep coming back for a look back on my life ..this song helps me remember alot .. good and bad ..all of it is makes me tear up ..the tears mix with good tears and bad tears ..Thats the Coctuea Twins

[@emsn1845]

I know!!!! I shed a few tears when I saw them live in 90'!!! My favourite album!!!

[@SamplingPercussion]

Oh of course it does, new jack. Keep posing. Your whole generation says goofy crap like this all day long. Keep posing, poser. lol

[@offbeat65]

This song makes me use unnecessary swearwords and generally show the world what a bombastic little prefab person I am.

[@blacktrollfather]

I prefer not to learn Cocteau Twins's lyrics for two reasons: the first one is 'cause Liz wanted her voice to add melody to their music as another instrument to join the whole harmony, as the innovational band they were, they crafted their songs to create an oniric experience, in a dream everything is blurry and fuzzy like Liz's singing. The way not to officially share lyrics is a strong statement around these thoughts, although all the lyrics out there are just estimations. Her voice, the speculation around her lyrics, all this together correspond to be the distinctive mark of the band. The second one is that I enjoy creating my own lyrics and finding my own meanings of them.

[@lukestrong7569]

Nice

[@Neurozumim]

Yeah these lyrics are not fully right. I am sure it's "burled lips" and at some point "excellent blues" (not aches and blues) but Liz would often deform the phonetics of the words she would sing so that lyrics are hard to pin down, though they often exist (even the most abstract songs are often list of weird words from scientific books or foreign language).

[@stairway11]

Nice one. Woke up with this melody in my head one morning. It then took the preening of over 100 playlists and 40 days to find Cocteau Twins. Any lyrics I originally thought were part of the song were useless in my quest to find this band. Now I understand why 😂

[@020baby]

Yea like “CAN MY NUTS HANG😩😩😩😩” can’t unhear it

[@arammartinez3251]

Its good aproximate it phonetic when you take a shower jajaja

[@giselaswaragita1326]

love the fact that liz fraser's lyrics sound so deep and thoughtful while actually she just sang gobbledegook from random dictionary entries

[@oijkop1194]

when you're writing an essay and trying to hit that minimum word count

[@rilentles2432]

Untrue

[@WinstonGuitar]

That's wrong. Liz does sing words, real ideas. Mostly, they're about Robin blowing her off.

[@littleferrhis]

I feel like Beach House based their entire discography off of this song.

[@summers232]

how the notes of this line "Still being cried and laughed at from behind me" contrast to the main lyric is such a genius sound

[@leequanl.-scott6238]

If a person listens to this, without looking at the lyrics, it is a bit hard to realize what they are singing, cause it's not American English music. So, that makes it a bit more posh, a bit more chic, ha ha.

[@SpellboundG2]

Very true. I never really knew most of what she was singing until I heard Liz say it out plainly in an interview. Even with the lyrics, it is a song of deep personal meaning, so we don't fully get a clear narrative. I think that makes it still kind of posh! The mystery of it..

[@cyrusjulian187]

I’ll never forget the first time I read some of Liz’s lyrics and was blown away by how deep they were when I thought she had just been howling some random yet obviously cool melodies out.

[@SpellboundG2]

@@cyrusjulian187 Yeah its fascinating to begin to understand the songs that do have lyrical meaning to them. Through interviews, you can also get a real feeling for what she is expressing. It's been a very cool lyrical journey so far. Or course, the musical and vocal journey they put us on has always been amazing.

[@tristanthemccoy8944]

In 2018, I saw the eiffel tower for the first time.. As I stood in the park and looked up at it's magnificence, I suddenly realized that I was standing somewhere that many would never stand.. That I have been privileged enough to have the opportunity. A puppy ran up to me and started licking my leg and the whole time I was listening to this song. I shed tears and cried.. This to this day remains my favorite song of all time.

[@angelogomez6355]

Beautiful

[@shareefhassan2935]

sounds amazing🔥

[@oakquercus]

this did not happen lol

[@joaoaugustodv]

What was going on on my mind "beetles and eggs and blues and bells" 🤣 love them

[@Imonalotofaderall]

Me too omg

[@ann_jee]

Spotify actually shows those lyrics 🤣🤣

[@somnuswaltz5586]

Beetles and eggs lol

[@gdcat777]

I wish it were the first time I heard this in 1990. The things I could fix.

[@Hanmura_]

first time hearing it yesterday….

[@NymphTheDanube]

I swear... this song opens portals to another dimension❤

[@iulian0_o485]

Knowing that The Weeknd sampled this on The Knowing, makes me love them both

[@mompvti2408]

Wow i didnt know that, and the knowing is one of my favorite song from Abel. Thank you for this information

[@salehalmasri3823]

If I could play one song on the world's biggest speaker I'd play this

[@syadrinarachmaparamita9345]

all this time ive been singing beetles and eggs and blues and pour little everything else,,, tysm

[@jamesheron8163]

These same lyrics have been heard and written down elsewhere by quite a few others so you're not the only one! Maybe they're wrong, maybe they're right? Liz could be laughing reading this 😂

[@syadrinarachmaparamita9345]

@@jamesheron8163 i've heard somewhere that she's actually singing in glossolalia!

[@jamesheron8163]

@@syadrinarachmaparamita9345 She also sang in "Elvish" on Lord Of The Rings so anything is believable really XD

[@ordinaryjoe6209]

此时此刻我觉得这是世界上最好听的歌

[@drizzle617]

ive just heard this band for the first time, god who was singing like this in 1990? its so ahead of its time

[@lisanolan2382]

we listened to CT in the 80s certain clubs would play them and its was amazing to hear on that type of system. Never knew the words

[@RS-zt5zj]

I dont understand comments like these. Who makes songs like this now? Other than maybe Beach House. Its not like music is getting better, its getting less imaginative.

[@drizzle617]

@@RS-zt5zj yah fair enough the phrase is overused and i wasnt around in 1990. i just meant the singing sounds more modern than 1990 to me. 'is it cold in the water' by sophie has similar singing

[@RS-zt5zj]

@@drizzle617 Oh i see. That makes sense! I thought you meant the shoegaze/dream pop vibe. But you are right

[@dearmavis610]

god, i wish i could listen to this song for the first time again

[@glolikejaaay]

It’s actually my first time and omg I’ve been having it on repeat all day 😂🥲 idk how this is the first time but wow

[@rogeriomiranda779]

i think those songs don't last enough. it's fun finding out the lyrics, but the real deal is to mumble trying to keep up, otherwise, there's no way you can sound so close to this divinity either way. a master class of music, man.

[@jacquiallison4098]

I so agree. I would die if i didnt hear this sonng everyday

[@RoughTimba]

i only knew this song existed as from yesterday when i heard it on radio......man i hooked, absolutely love it !

[@ianparknyc]

We all should be hugged more often enough

[@mariamman]

There’s something so uniquely feminine about this band and that something is so beautiful, god I’m obsessed

[@averageskyfatherworshipper9342]

Yes! Absolutely

[@jaegerreed1272]

This is stunning probably my favorite vocals all around ever are hers

[@yousfiabdelali]

This feels just like 6 pm when you've eaten too much cake and you're sitting in the living room having a sugar crash. It feels like the guilt you get from eating too much sugar

[@lisanolan2382]

it feels like Ketamine and floating in space

[@Mutantman02]

2:03 best part

[@mithluinluis]

Agree!

[@sarahl9398]

Endlessly dreamy....

[@mymtaal]

The Symbolist poets nodding their heads to this

[@kirbystar9390]

thank you so much, I love this song♡

[@michaelgodoy4237]

I m From São Paulo, Brazil and i listining CT with my parents and uncles since i was a child...and its sounds magic to me into this days !

[@RootedHat]

Shii I been looking since yesterday for this Once it's in your head it stays especially her voice

[@SLABONECHD]

mañana empiezo la dieta y dejo de tomar alcohol jaja solamente peso 83 kilos estoy aceptable para pelear

[@jaegerreed1272]

Any women who would tell me this is her favorite song reminds me of a dream I had

[@fairy5668]

but what does it all mEAN?

[@Am2_lo]

from birth to death you can love and be loved...or not.

[@Ennui.]

Absolutely nothing, more or less. She took random words from dictionaries and put them together for most of their songs.

[@andythief]

There is an a cappella version of this tune elsewhere here on KZbin. It's very revealing. kzbin.info/www/bejne/q4DSmpaHoa2sqLc Load it into a daw and do some magic with eq and multi band decompressor and you can hear all the phonetics with extreme clarity. The text I transcribed from the a cappella version is an explicit no holds barred report on Robin's character defects: Ddrug addiction, affinity for smut, physical abuse and egomania. As this tune was obviously a hit and headed to U.S: college radio, my guess is the group would want to mask the lyrics. Not only does almost every line have a direct reference to a narcotic, the text was probably too private to be opaquely audible. Liz's vocals were extremely compressed on the version here and, you cannot hear her consonants clearly at all. I entreat you all to give the a capella rip a listen against the text below. Trigger warning. Don't read and listen if you wanna keep a pristine version of the band in your head. And again, the compression which you hear in this version blurs all the consonants so the text below won't read so well against the singing in the version above.. We can't fact check this, but just use your ears with the vocal version. Sorry to be erudite. As a lyricist I have seen my lyrics extremely falsely transcribed and then gobbled up by AI and promoted as truth. I listen to my tunes on Spotify from time to time, and they are way off. I am not 100 percent on with the text below, but I believe it is quite close. Thanks for your attention in the matter. - A bells and begs and bruising for a little everything else be still-er in-stable eyes in glass don’t get pissed off through my bird’s lips as good and new still me high and dry while laughed at from knee-high though I’m feeling pretty high did his fat-ness bat an eye? bells and dings and blues and bells and eggs then glued bells and bings and blues and call it anything else the stinger in stable eyes in glass not get pissed off through my bird’s lips as good and new (NEXT TWO LINES SUNG IN UNISON) you hand out hash smack and always deny you hang double high black and dull as the nile the asian cousin stop-in is your gig of speed shoot on me surely hug your kim magazine to be cried and laughed at from wine to blue and should i be hugged and tugged down through this tiger’s marks? and should i be sung and unbroken : i’m not sane can i not say? you hurt the hearts black and dull as the knast behaviour laughing stocking is your biggest feast should i resell me for your kick by my side? i can cut down through this tiger’s masque for cream

[@dejanmalcic6252]

No need to "know" their lyrics

[@longlongtran]

in response to the guy who played "Cbat" by hudson mowhawk during s€x, id like to nominate this album as being 10/10 smash music

[@ve1vet_undergr0und]

I second this

[@longlongtran]

@@ve1vet_undergr0und hell yea

[@gloverelaxis]

imo this is too melancholic and bittersweet for fucking. very romantic though

[@mrlevinielsen]

@@gloverelaxisthats the funny

[@Amber90988]

SCOTLAAAAND 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@sammy9062]

I missed this the first time around. But now that I'm in the afterlife I quite enjoy it. Hell's not so bad. I'll save you a seat.

[@misterdisco28]

If you REALLY want to know what Liz is singing on this song you can hear her speak the lyrics alongside this song for 32 seconds. (See link below). Robin participated in a wonderful interview/retrospective about Heaven or Las Vegas that was originally broadcast on Scottish radio. He tells the story of how they created September Sound (their 24 track studio on the bank of the Thames in Richmond). He gives a lot of insight into how HOLV was built layer by layer. He talks about Liz’s lyrics and how they have used lyrics from one song as a song title for another song. Most of the songs from HOLV are played at least in part, if not in their entirety, sometimes in the background during commentary. Cherry-coloured funk begins around the 17 min mark of the interview. At 18:11 mark you will suddenly hear Liz clearly speaking the lyrics of the song as the song plays and she sings in the background. It’s only 30 seconds and just the chorus and refrain. She does not announce herself. She simply starts speaking the lyrics. When I first heard this interview I was confused. The DJ is talking about some of the crazy lyric interpretations by fans online and then all the sudden you hear this woman speaking lyrics with a heavy Scottish accent. Then I realized it was Liz. Of course it is. If you have ever heard her speak when she was younger (on bootlegs between songs) then you will have the aha moment. This is a very serious discussion of the album many consider to be their masterpiece. Liz opens the door just a little bit more with her ‘almost anonymous’ ‘translation’. The entire interview is 27 mins long and simply wonderful from start to finish. The 32 seconds beginning at 18:11 will rock your world. Enjoy. ☺️🩵🙏 kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5i1Y6ahi9N2lacsi=dLwObv6xhXlQwO3C

[@tinadias6881]

Elizabeth Fraser ♡

[@muwaffaqm2402]

xotwod

[@imbonniefox]

ughh that "ahh Ah ahh" thank u for this magical song

[@seanmaher2987]

Prince fell into this album

[@nonna-non]

Your lyrics are way off ... I saw them many times live back in the day and these lyric suggestions never came up!

[@rodolfodonaldovasquezmoren6940]

This is like Luna roja of Soda Stereo, change my mind

[@maggie7131]

maal

[@elementosholistica9359]

Te amo Cocteau twins ❤️

[@RyanMcCarthy826]

I play this song on repeat. Join me.

[@AngelaTitmuss-hd3vv]

Bills and aches and blues and poor little everything else. I just love that.

[@user-slavaukraine347]

i love your music, it's fantastic

[@ANDR3alfaro]

Cocteau Twins is the closest I'll get to hearing what English sounds like to non-english people.

[@karllieck9064]

Beautiful music. But in the end, a song's words do matter to the majority of humans. They want to connect to the words as well as with the music. I think if the lyrics were clearer Cocteau Twins would have easily doubled or tripled their fan base.

[@fathalan3047]

xoland

[@angelogomez6355]

I actually cover a couple of CT songs...but with my own flair and with my own interpretation of vowel sounds and consonants.

[@Loud2013]

Is this the original mumble music?? 😬🧐☹️😂

[@babsywoman4212]

I love the high pitched thrilling quiver in her voice at 0:41 anyone know what this technique is called?

[@aegisreflector1239]

Vibrato 🤷

[@babymonkeymind]

Could you please possibly link the radio interview she did for the HoLV album release where she recites some of these lyrics? Looked through many interviews and could not find it. Thank you

[@SpellboundG2]

The interview on youtube is called - Cocteau Twins Interview and promotion of Heaven or Las Vegas - and it is at the 18 minute mark.

[@babymonkeymind]

@@SpellboundG2 heyyyy thanks !!

[@oaxacachaka]

Even her speaking voice is mesmerizing

[@tom6655]

What genre is this? Are there any songs like this that anyone could recommend? Thanks.

[@remindmesometime1855]

Dream pop. Idk any bands quite like cocteau twins though

[@jackjoiner440]

Try beach house

[@santiagoprietov.4493]

Dream pop, others exponents are Beach House, Slowdive, etc

[@connieonrecord]

id say shoegaze genre aswell

[@johnpanicker7590]

It's called dreampop , shoegaze is just influenced by the same post punk sound. The closest bands to Cocteau Twins are Mazzy Star and Pale Saints

[@leonas9843]

This song grew in me and became my favorite before I even knew it😊

[@xenosiah1299]

Ik I'm WAAAAY late saying this but The Weeknd had brought me here from 'The Knowing' anybody else... ?

[@chloejasen1777]

Really love this song so much

[@insufferableconceit]

Caring about lyrics in a CT track is the definition of missing the point

[@kharis3573]

Anyone who takes advice from Biggdawg92 about how they should enjoy the Cocteau Twins’ music is the definition of missing the point.

[@sharifahlovesmeecurry]

I rlly hope that this song wont reach tiktok

[@RootedHat]

when you sing in hieroglyphics

[@yellowkie]

Was I the only one who thought few of the verses are in Chinese 😂

[@תמראוטמזגין]

its good that you put the lyrics. I couldn't understand a damn word without it!

[@jaczlzlnx]

the instrumental is so dreamy

[@KanwarAnand]

This is where yellow by coldplay was birthed.

[@28lorela]

This song makes me believe that I am capable of everything because I am everything

[@BongDonky]

I get heavy Kate Bush vibes from this song. Her vocals are reminiscent of Kate Bush in my opinion. Kewl!

[@jaegerreed1272]

Whatsup best voice there could ever be 😏

[@bobnunnemin1273]

There would be no beach house, no au revoir Simone without Cocteau twins

[@lebronjames2161]

hypnotizing album i can not get myself to stop listening to it on repeat been at it for a month and a half now so serious what is in this album i need more of it i need it implanted on a chip in my brain i can listen to this for hours with no other form of stimuli it’s that mesmerizing

[@SondraStellaria]

I was recently shocked to see on Amazon music, that Cherry-Coloured Funk has been reimagined by several artists and they all use what I’m confident are incorrect lyrics. Some don’t even credit Elizabeth, Robin and Simon. In my humble opinion, not a single rendition is even a a shadowy shell of CT. For the truly curious fan, here are the artist that I discovered on AM. Lee Triffin and Roy Regev Artic Lake Meberg Alles Club Greasy Neale Charlotte Martin This Must Be Love The Yves Lagos Chris Kaufman Eggeater Siril Malmedal Hauge & Kjetil Mulelid La Mere

[@omarquadri7297]

how many of y'all came after hearing this from rogue agent 😂

[@hevenmulatu606]

100%😂 that movie was crazy

[@skylerk126]

tf is that

[@jasmyneleo9527]

i think these lyrics are incorrect

[@everythingnothing2978]

this song is so good wth

[@SLABONECHD]

aun puedo pelear asi este medio fuera de forma

[@azzahraaljannah5873]

Can anyone recommend me song or even a band that have the same sound like this song?

[@KolithaHiran]

Listen to other Cocteau twin's songs

[@bedwarsk6905]

I love it 😘😘

[@domiti9481]

Wait this song used to remind me of the sunrise and morning now your telling me it’s a depressing sad song

[@danabrahams7892]

Every good boy loves Lizzie

[@killerbrando]

REAL LYRICS >>>> Beetles and eggs and blues and pour a little everything else You steam a lens stable eyes and glass Not get pissed off through my bird lips as good news Still we can find our love down from behind Down far behind this fabulous, my turn rules Beetles and eggs and blues and bells and eggs and then blued Beetles and eggs and blues and pour a little everything else You steam a lens stable eyes and glass Not get pissed off through my bird lips as good news You'll hang the hearts black and dull as the night We hanged your pass and start being as you in ecstasy Still being cried and laughed at before Should I be sewn in hugged I can by not saying Still being cried and laughed at from light to blue And should I be hugged and tugged down through this tiger's masque And should I be sung and unbroken by not saying You mind not saying He'll hang that heart's black and dull as the night Still being cried and laughed at from behind me We hanged your pass and star being as you in ecstasy (from gains) Still being cried and laughed at from behind me Should I be sung and unbroken by not saying (from gains) Still being cried and laughed at from behind me Hugged and tugged down through this tiger's masque for key (from gains)

[@stairway11]

One can still never be too sure with this band…😂

[@tonyortiz8582]

Bills and aches and Blues and poor little everything else but still I'm erased from your eyes unless nothing is passing my bloody lips as good news Still I've been crying I'm left behind Don't fall behind, please I know what to do Still I've been crying I've been tossed behind I supposed that was something that you'd never do Should I be sorry that I know what to say? You should have been hugged and tough right through this jungle's mess We should have been sung and unbroken but not sane Am I not sane?

[@saucemalone]

Bills and dates, and blues and poor little everything else, But still all angsty, your eyes of glass, know you'll blister through my burnt lips, Ask if you knew, still knew, how, imply, you're left from behind, Don't fall behind, please for this matter's blues Bills and dates, and blues and bells, that excellent blue, Bills and dates, and blues and poor little everything else, But still all angsty, your eyes of glass, know you'll blister through my burnt lips, Ask if you knew, you knew 'bout how, like a dull plastic knife, Behind your cars that slow, he knows soon his biggest fear (Still being cried and laughed at for) Shouldn't we be so here, hope but cannot pretend? (Still being cried and laughed at for back to blue) And shouldn't we be hope and talk on through this jungles mess, And shouldn't the song and gone broken man not sing Am I not sane?

[@Nsq-wq2sl]

@@tonyortiz8582 Spot on! She is definitely saying "Should I be sorry?" and that's how I always mumble it to myself. It's clear she's singing about the rough patches and pains in life and a strained relationship.

[@ihaveaname699]

there are no real lyrics you nerd

[@geertmeijer5392]

One of the best songs ever, thank you Elizabeth

[@e.groeneveld5158]

I thought she said “Blues and aches and blues and golds and everything else” 😭

[@lunagem784]

Shared from DemocratNow8/26/22 Share Out

[@ed9ar]

WHAT!! THERES LYRICS?!

[@roofiemcdoofie5465]

All gore no shit

[@SamplingPercussion]

Younger generations need the lyrics spoon fed to them like this. The OG’s who were there when Liz, Robin, and Simon were carving this stuff out at September Sound couldn’t be bothered. These new jack generations need to dissect everything to death and they pretend and pose like they’re the ones who first discovered it. Facts.

[@NverKnown]

Who cares?

[@wilaim8549]

Hurdur young people bad old people good, stfu

[@UltimateWobbleBoss]

Ok Grandpa, let’s get you back to bed

[@SamplingPercussion]

@@UltimateWobbleBoss I was there, poser. Not a recent find for me. Keep posing though. That's what your generation is best at.

[@RebeckaThomas-xc7ml]

I fricking love this song.

[@IsauroGM]

IMHO, a little forced. But hey, my native language is not english. I’ll keep singing my own words 😁

[@karlselm726]

dam so SHE was the one who made the mask?

[@benly32]

This song reminds me about a part of LA, a present to society.

[@benly32]

Pretty and surreal.

[@benly32]

makes me want to g o

[@PEGoth]

宮本🎭武蔵 🍒💔‡💔🍒 ✂️★🎌★✂️

[@PEGoth]

宮本武蔵㊗️。見た目も動作も、スペードの酔った女王♠[黒い♥ローブのトランプ]のようです。ゲームは一見汚くて混沌としているように見えます。紛争の真っ只中に、彼は彼の哲学を発展させ、故意に遅らせ、行方不明にし、そして何が彼の敵を動揺させ、怒らせるかを言います。誤った偽情報の戦術は、大雨の間に深い泥を作ります。

[@zugbug1909]

I love you Cocteau twins

[@anteroparodi9521]

😥

[@1vyy.]

Holy moly

[@vicb0ss237]

Dynamo?

[@soulmates.4L]

WHAT YEAR WAS THIS SONG RELEASED?

[@dhiaalfa]

1990

[@andreamaciel4790]

❤

[@1vyy.]

Love this song