This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Just A Little Lovin'
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I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Ruby suns and ruddy Cups of pearly-dewdrops' drops Weeks in our company Cups of pearly-dewdrops' drops
Ruby suns and ruddy Cups of pearly-dewdrops' drops Weeks in our company Cups of pearly-dewdrops' drops
Ruby suns and ruddy cups Cups of pearly-dewdrops' drops Ruby suns and ruddy cups Cups of pearly-dewdrops' drops
And as he jumps the puddle To try to turn to loving this Where still I am not strong So when he turned around he saw
And as he jumps the puddle To try to turn to loving this Where still I am not strong So when he turned around he saw
Ruby suns and ruddycups Cups of pearly-dewdrops' drops Ruby suns and ruddy cups Cups of pearly-dewdrops' drops
Ruby suns and ruddy Suns and ruddy
@Slarti so much closer, THANK YOU. It's been 20+ years since Liz Fraser herself said the oft-quoted lyrics were weirder than whatever she had in mind.<br /> <br /> But watch the official video: at least twice, she clearly says 'ruddy columns' - you can see her lips. The other times it sounds like 'cups', but the vocals are doubled and the other word is 'drops'... it sounds a bit like 'cups', but it might be 'columns' there too.<br /> <br /> Either way: your lyrics are the closest I have seen, so thanks.
Everyone has different lyrics and we are suppose to make our own conclusions about their meaning; however, "Pearly-Dewdrops' Drops" does have a real meaning, with a true history behind it's creation. All three members realized a simple psychology involved, if people are left to create their own wording, they'll defend and advocate a song, because now your fully invested in "your version". It's a simple idea, but that's not why Elizabeth Fraser sings the way she did back then.
Most people always sarcastically ask me, "How do you know?" I was very, very fortunate to edit the move manuscript for the Cocteau Twins movie. Later on, Elizabeth would back-out of the project and without Elizabeth's blessing there would be no movie, saying "It's to painful to revisit the past". I offered my edited and revised script to Robin, who said "Just keep it, but never reveal it to the public", so please don't ask me if you can read it. It's been locked away in a bank vault, along with all band memorabilia and I'd never hurt Elizabeth by betraying her trust, but I can clarify the bits-and-pieces together so people have a better understanding of just how exceptional these three artist's have been and still do... !!!
What people don't know is the history behind this song. Ivo Watts-Russell the head of 4AD Label, rented a live/work loft space for Elizabeth, Robin, and Simon to live in the bucolic Scottish countryside to focus on making music. Elizabeth was finding it very difficult to sing in front of people who she didn't implicitly trust and Robin was evermore a pain-in-the-ass, with his necrotic need for perfection, so he was extremely insistent and was famous for throwing the recording engineer's out of the editing booth. Robin's famous "grouchy attitude" came from correcting other peoples mistakes, so he was constantly inside the sound studio pestering the sound engineer's to make the proper adjustments throughout every step. People also forget this was before computers became so prevalent in the music industry, who can almost make anybody sound good, but it was extremely difficult to align those cascading reverberations with analogue equipment. So, Ivo decided he needed to do something that was rather radical, concerning the three of them.
He needed to rally them together and focus, so this rented loft space had everything they would need, including a specially built recording studio with its own recording booth. Each member had the freedom to come and go as they pleased to either work together as a band, or independently from one another; yet, each could tweak and perfect everything round the clock. For example: If an idea struck any member at 3:12 AM or whenever inspiration struck them the studio was nearby to go into and record, which this process hammered what would eventually become the Treasure album.
Since Ivo was footing the bill on this live/work studio arrangement, but he needed something to promote the bands groundbreaking sound and he was getting tired of hearing, "We're working on it". So, Ivo told them he was sending somebody there to drive from London to pick-up a completed song. Ivo's "muscle" was a very tall, heavy-set, a large domineering man named -- you guessed it -- "Roddy". They had the time it took for Roddy to drive from London to outside Edinburgh to make something completely ready for delivery. Much had already been done, but Elizabeth was stumped for more lyrics other than phrasing, the "Pearly Dewdrops' Drops". Amazingly she was inspired by watched the morning dew gather onto a spiders web outside, which caught the morning sunlight -- glistening, as she took one of her morning walks. The rarest vinyl records have a photograph of that exact web. Simply genius, as she tends to be, she channeled the anxiety of the moment into, "Oh's the Pearly Dewdrops', Drops", continued into the phrasing "We'll Be Sold, When Roddy Comes [into a double meaning, interswitching a correlation] -- Ruby Sun's, When Roddy Comes" had became so emblematic in the phrasing of the pressing moment. So, "Ruby Sun's, When Roddy comes" is referring to the end of the day at sunset.
Robin added more floating rifts, but Simon had already saved the day with his base guitar. Usually, base guitar backs the lead guitar. Simon was originally invited in because of his multitalented flexibility, but not necessarily for guitar playing, but he adapted the his base-guitar to carry everything. Most bases guitar players, play one string at a time, instead Simon uses two and even three strings simultaneously, switching offsetting keys in 1/3's and 1/5's, like someone who would be playing a Japanese "Koto". I know this sounds highly technical, but these weren't ordinary musician's by any means. If you take away Simon's base-guitar, then you take way the scaffolding of the entire song. And, contrary to the awful speculations' that Elizabeth has no lyrics, this idea is absolutely ridiculous and it's insulting to Elizabeth Fraser's intelligence.
In an early interview, Elizabeth said, "How stupid can people be about me ?"
Eventhough this song was rushed, it doesn't sound anything like it, but there's a sleighted mawkishness towards Ivo, in the phrase, " T 'is a Lucky, Lucky, Penny, Penny, Penny --- Watch the Pearly Dew Drip, Those". Why? They felt Ivo was forcing out their creativity over money, so it's the metaphor of money dropping into 4AD's bank account. They were still very young and their naivete quickly burned off, after they were done recording the Treasure album. Still it's interesting to know, that it was Ivo who rushed them and made a mad dash into making a video, but later all three members would express their disappointed with the video's outcome, much later, after they dropped the 4AD Record Label. All-in-all, it wasn't anything they had imagined in their collective minds and it was another opportunity they felt helpless to control.
Occasionally, I've released the true lyrics on various YouTube channel's who have the best audio. It was only to prove that Elizabeth had real lyrics and providing the real lyrics, would quiet the awful speculations that she was "Just making pleasant sound's".
I hope this reaches the people who truly loves the Cocteau Twins and especially this special song, that has been featured in more movies than any other. Following quickly behind is "Song of the Siren".
Thank you for your time and attention.
@SpinglassHydra My god, this is so interesting. I was just listening to this song for the millionth time and wondering for the millionth time whether these are all words. And it turns out they're kind of what they sound like but you'd never be sure unless you knew what was going on in Liz's life at the time - when you can hear words they don't seem philosophical or "about" anything much... Cherry cola and stuff, so I long ago stopped trying to make sense of anything. But this all makes sense. What's my point? not sure but amazing to read all this. Thanks!
@SpinglassHydra My god, this is so interesting. I was just listening to this song for the millionth time and wondering for the millionth time whether these are all words. And it turns out they're kind of what they sound like but you'd never be sure unless you knew what was going on in Liz's life at the time - when you can hear words they don't seem philosophical or "about" anything much... Cherry cola and stuff, so I long ago stopped trying to make sense of anything. But this all makes sense. What's my point? not sure but amazing to read all this. Thanks!<br /> <br /> Also, Robin may have been a walking disaster and a nightmare to work with but he did constantly create a consistent, unique sound and that's probably down to him? I'm imagining a ton of pedals? Would love to hear more memories...
who on earth knows what it's about, but it's fantadtic
Sometimes I think it sounds like "ruby sucks, and roddy comes"
fits with the name "pearly dewdrops' drops"...
I'm gonna have to agree with you Nic, part of me hates going on these websites because i love making my own lyrics to the songs. This is especially good with the Cocteau Twins dont you think?:)
I think your guess is good as the guy who put these up......am i right revontulet? first line is,"Well i darn my socks in the darkly..... haven't worked out the rest yet
I've always had the feeling that the song is about hooking up with some serious opiate type drug, most likely china white H, hence the "pearly dewdrops drops" that are injected. First off, the feeling of the melody is so trance-like, like you're floating down a rabbit hole, but with this deep, distorted, heavy bass and guitar line using minors and inverted 4ths to reflect a shadow side - like that tunnel scene in Willy Wonka, punctuated by high trills (during "lucky..."). I think the lyrics suggest a drug theme too. "Roddy" may be a friend that stayed for a few weeks and has "the lucky lucky penny penny penny (that) Buys the pearly dew drips soaks" that get them all "soaked and ruddy"
I don't know, what do others think?
It's about orgasm, but in a religious sense.
Its about my summer in 1987, being in love with one and dating another... dating the other just to be near to your love.... staying in a house watching your love slowly move away from you and you were powerless to change the tide of growth...
i too have always heard 'ruby suns' and then....erotic cups...or raw tea-cups...and it evokes this psychedelic cup of ruby citrusy tea....and pearly dew drops for me have been liquid LSD. what a hypnotic, epic soaring song. back in 84, i used to play the EP over and over on a turntable!!!!