| CocoRosie – R.I.P. Burn Face Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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I adore this song - but I hope my dark interpretation of it doesn't spoil it for anyone else. I take it to be about the terrible punishments and "honour killings" that take place in Islamic communities all over the world when women don't behave as the men around them would wish; when they show too much independence or date outside of Islam or just don't behave like Muslim doormats.(She's the one who made you wild/ She made you question all your answers) These women end up with acid thrown in their faces (Acid burnt face/Clowny tear smile) to destroy their looks, confidence and sight (Baby girl, don't cry/Mama's gonna buy you a glass eye) or else they 'disappear' altogether; presumably into a river or shallow grave. (The graveyard's in the backyard Where the meadow used to be... Mom'll find me by the river) The parts in Farsi talking about tears, about sight, about God etc. only bolster this meaning for me: (I swear to God I don't see my family anymore)It's an extremely controversial subject but one CocoRosie as women wanted to tackle somehow - how female power is feared and punished by Islam. In her mourning, in her grief Don't you miss the way That she brushed her heavy hair Oh and la la la la la So in this part the singer is addressing the man who mutilated and killed the woman, presumably his wife, or perhaps daughter, 'don't you miss the beautiful woman you destroyed?' Acid burnt face Clowny tear smile She's the one who made you wild She made you question all your answers Made you beg for her forgiveness So here is what he's done to her and the reasons for it - the acid has burned her face away leaving a melted, grotesque clowny-looking face - perhaps the lips are burned away so it looks like a crying, clowny smile (I told you this is a really dark, horrible interpretation - but I'm pretty certain it's correct - CocoRosie have a way of taking the most ugly things and taking them beautiful which I really admire.) And he did this to her because she made him question his beliefs - perhaps his faith - and basically she didn't behave right for him and it made him wild, angry, crazy - but now he is perhaps begging for her forgiveness inside because he has done this awful thing but realises it is wrong and misses the memory of her beautiful hair burned away. Baby girl, don't cry Mama's gonna buy you a glass eye And it will glimmer like starlight In these acid attacks the eyes are usually destroyed, hence needing glass eyes - I'm guessing perhaps she survived the acid and tried to live on but was too upset by her disfigurement to continue with life, although her mother is trying to comfort her here, I feel. She's got no reservations And got no place to be The graveyard's in the backyard Where the meadow used to be Now in this part I think either the burned girl is ready to die rather than live with her disfigurement or perhaps more likely the man who burned her is consumed with guilt when he looks at what he has done to her and decides to kill her (That earlier line,"Made you beg for her forgiveness" suggests he feels some kind of shame or remorse at what he's done). Because of her disfigurement or because of her lifelong oppression, "She's got no reservations/And got no place to be", no one will miss her so he can safely dispose of her, "The graveyard's in the backyard". I also think saying that she has no reservations also refers to what she is being punished for - not showing a proper degree of reservation in her behavior, in her modesty - perhaps she dared to go out with her beautiful hair uncovered? Lord knows my destination Lord hears my inner prayer Mom'll find me by the river Soaking with her party balloons Here are further references to religion, to God, and that this Mother figure who has been present in the background throughout this song knows where her daughter's body is - but will most likely not be telling anybody lest she meet the same kind of fate. These terrible events are hidden within the family and even other women are too scared or too conditioned to come out and protect or report the murders of their daughters, and in that sense are implicated in the crimes. If you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem. So, a nasty story but told beautifully - and in such a way that hopefully CocoRosie will not be kidnapped and murdered for speaking up. One has to be so careful these days! |
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