Elizabeth Fraser talks about her lyrics 

Even when she's not singing , I could listen to that voice all day. She's one sweet lady

Liz certainly has one of the most charming speaking voices I've ever heard.

Her voice is unbelievably sublime, in my opinion her music is simply about having an emotional impact on the listener and its beautifully done.

LET HER FUCKING SPEAK

She is a very shy and not very confident person and as a radio programme the interviewer has to keep things flowing so I can understand how it seems he is interrupting but he can sense when she is faltering and so tries to keep the momentum going. He did a good job and got a lot out of her which we have not heard before. Fascinating interview.

Elizabeth Fraser is an angel and I want her to sing me to heaven.

This wouldn't make sense to me if anybody else were saying it. But, like everybody who loves her, I understand perfectly.

i sense her childhood has a deep impact on her personality and music.

I heard once that Elizabeth Fraser was abused as a child, at about the age of 8, & that her mind forced itself to consciously forget the memories, burying them deep into her subconscious. Years later after the Cocteau Twins had started their career, the emotional pain of having been abused was still there, and closer to the conscious part of her mind than the memories were, and that this trauma displayed itself in a passive-aggressive sort of way, in her lyrics. So, that when she sang she heard the words, she heard herself singing the lyrics just fine; but, no one else could necessarily understand them. At some point, one of her band-mates, I believe it was Simon Raymond, was asked in an interview about, while the singing is still beautiful, the lyrics not making sense. This caused a rift in the band that some believe did lead to their break up; but, it did cause her to seek professional psychological help, to help her to work through any trauma that was causing her to singing in a way that was not exactly decipherable.

I love this. Now I can prove to my doubting friends that the words published on some sites is false. Perfect

OH MY GOD i could listening her voice all day!!

I agree with all of the other commenters. Let her talk. If you pause before asking another question, most likely the interviewee will most likely say more and reveal things that they might not have if immediately asked another question

Cocteau's music speaks for itself, doesn't have to be explained, their music is timeless and awesome in its existence, they were a creative force , ethereal, emotive beautiful and surreal, ye this guy ir=s a little annoying . .

Such a beautiful speaking voice, never mind her singing. Gives me chills!

Damn i love her laugh... so much.

Una de las voces mas angelicales de la historia de la musica. No solo por los rangos y las texturas alcanzadas sino tambien por la singularidad de las mismas. Liz eres unica, magica e irrepetible.🌠

its like listening to nessun dorma - you dont understand a word of it but you somehow get the emotion and meaning from the way she sings. gives you the odd clue from a couple of discernable words and leaves the rest up to your own emotional imagination. great band.

She is... a Beautiful and Unique Human... but she's not of this planet (also her lyrics & voice) Cocteau Twins it's an other planet music

They made music that will always remain as the most beautiful and most mysterious music that I've ever heard of, i believe that will not change.

Note to interviewers: Ask a question and then shut up and listen to the answer. Don't fill in the pauses with your answers because you're uncomfortable with reflection and thought.

Don't she sound so young. Words from another world. So original aswell 😇

I recently found the great music offered by this band, and like many fell in love with her. I agree with Youri Carma that lyrics in general are pretty dull, especially in pop love songs, it becomes so much drivel one feels like editing them out. I love her for what the music, with her voice as the foundation does to me. It is certainly synasthesia, her songs are filled with mystery and joy. Music is so much more than just words and sounds.

1:48 My attempt at transcribing what she sings for "Whales Tails"! "Chin keu makilata luxeulumi yeux vule vule koku lupsiluni naeg"

Its like Tim Buckley said in one of his songs: "I talk in tongues..." unbelievable to what spherers this can take and surley just a few, not the many. "Its only mine to sing a song...." (ebd.) - Buckley had it and the CT had it.

Thanks again for posting this. She's absolutely divine! :)

DUDE HER ACCENT IS INSANE. DAMN I WANT A GIRL WITH THIS VOICE

Her ingenious method is not a far cry from the cut-up technique but w/ a sonic component

It just gives us an insight to the genius that is Liz and quite possibly the best band of the indie scene, ever!!! Could someone please tell me when this interview aired? Thanks for posting this important interview.

A bug for words - love it!!

she's amazing I love her

How many times must I have to listen to these songs to be able to sing along without knowing Word #1 of the songs (and not wanting to know) AND the harmonies too-- even the one that turns out to be butterfly species in Latin -- anticipating the next chord change, purely enthralled? Wonderful

To Dale Rothenberger - it's been said, possibly on this website, that while Liz* has retained all her notebooks of raw material (without which the 2012 concert would have been very different), she will never publish them. Which is completely understandable, but when you stop and think about it, it's a bit of a tragedy. SIMON SAID THIS: "Liz sang plenty of decipherable lyrics - like poetry it is. She has the most unusual phrasing of any singer , and this is what can cause this theory that she’s singing gibberish. More often than not, she’s …..um ….not. Yes there were times when Liz did not want to be understood, quoted, analysed, studied etc and her way of dealing with that was to use words as play, as new language, to create with sound, to start from scratch, new slate etc…funnily enough it had the reverse effect and more people than ever wanted to know what she was singing! That was only a brief period, and it irks me somewhat that CT will mostly be remembered as a band with a singer who just made noises..." (* still calling her Liz out of habit, yes, I do know that she definitely prefers the full name nowadays)

The interviewer is talking to much...

He never lets her finish a sentence!!!

Thank you so much for sharing this video!!! I'm a huge fan since the 80's

Been a fan since "Loves easy Tears" dropped on MTV's 120 minutes show. The look the sound really blew my mind. As a huge car audio nut i can assure you their music sounds amazing at earblasting volumes!

one word.........................................'HEAVENLY'

Thank you so much for posting this treasure. Too bad the interviewer keeps interupting Liz (!!) but there are some great insights in hearing her speaking voice and comments on lyrics. Thanks.

A voice as sweet as her songs. Interviewer needs to LEARN HOW TO LISTEN..... Please! You sound like some of us fookin' americans! Cheers from Minnesota, Jon

I understand what she's saying. When I was younger my brain worked in a similar way - getting hooked on sounds, the way they flow and stick. I would wake up with words, non words and beats in my brain that I couldn't shake. I would write them all down and they would turn in to poetry or whatever. I suppose if I had a good voice and muso friends they would have been lyrics.

BEAUTIFUL VOICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

incredible voice

Her own light language ♥️ Also that interviewer needs to actually listen

not pleasure in proving people wrong but before internet fans interpreted twins lyrics its v personal & meaningful her voice as primarily an instrument but there are occasional words which are decipherable bt she doesnt really speak english it is gobbledygook if you wish but beautiful ethereal ephemeral music made through her voice & the instrumentation in the studio & not just liz fra her partner in the cocteau twins is a genius for anybody whos unfamiliar heaven or Las vegas is considered the 'most commercial ' bt its also onev my favourites mayb afew words you can interperate as real words Treasure I love & anybody who likes movies Alice from Treasure hs bn used on many films

I love this!!!

Listening to this is so aggravating! The interviewer keeps interrupting everything she tries to say, what a jerk! At least we get a little insight from Ms. Fraser, but how much of it is just agreeing with him to shut him up (and be polite, as she obviously is)?

It's a great blessing that she did away with English lyrics and made up her own words (through a collection of many languages); because, this allowed her voice to be used as a complete instrument in it's own right. Her voice is so beautiful that in CTs early music, for me, it was good that I didn't need to know what she meant or what she was singing about. Actually, her emotions were carried out in her voice; that I could understand sometimes what she was singing about (through her energy).

Very insightful. Thank you for posting!

You are so right. I came across Bluebeard over a year ago after promising myself for ages that I'd research the CT. I listened to it a dozen times trying to make out some of the words in the 'verses'! I learned decades ago that I was pretty poor at making out and/or understanding lyrics so it is usually the combination of words and music that attracts me to a song. My most profound lyrics that I love and do understand are from Cut Here by The Cure - written about Billy M from The Associates. Sad

She’s speaking Elvish! 🥰

Thanks for sharing this!

thanks for posting this

@ordnajelAoneuB - just what I was thinking! Its not just her voice its th kind mixed English/Scottish accent.

This was recorded for Radio Manchester, England on the 6th October 1994. I think the interviewer is Simon Armitage but don't quote me on that.

She is to me as Niles was to Daphne in the show Frasier. So mindblowingly charming, seductive, alluring, with a healthy dose of mysteriousness, simply too good to be of this world

Poor Simon Armitage (our poet laureate) getting it in the neck for not shutting up. But because he’s a wonderful poet, it’s obvious Elizabeth Fraser is comfortable talking to him (which is not the norm). So it’s either him interrupting EF or EF not saying anything. Take your choice. P.S. you can slow down the audio on youtube

Could he just let her speak??

That is the question, how does she remember that? She just does!

This is like asking an artist to list all the colours in a painting. Totally meaningless until they're placed on to the canvas to be transformed into something beautiful.

Podrian hacer una traduccion para nosotros los fanaticos Latinos! :( Saludos desde Argentina! Es fantastica esta banda! LOS GRANDES COCTEAU TWINS!!!

The voice of an angel.

@weather4hotmail - 'Whales Tails' from Victorialand

I just want to bring her some Scottish ale and sandwiches and listen to her recite Shakepseare.How's that for cheesy/stalker?

She exists in the material dimension, incredible! I thought she lived in hyperuranium...

i would love her to be my high school girlfriend and talk to her on the phone all the time ,she's got a very sweet voice talking and singing, beutiful music guys thank you.

I wish, the two remaining Cocteau Twins come together and make more records.

@Cassyan No, that girls voice is Charlotte Gainsburg from a sampled speech in 'The Cement Garden'.

KLASA KLASA KLASA MASZ GLOS KLASA KLASA JAK WYKWITE DONIE PYSZNE I SMACZNE PERFEKT KLASA ZESPOL ZAWSZE MVZA BEDZIE KOJAZYLA Z SWIETNA SZKOLA I FAJNYMI LUDZM KTORYCH POZNALEM WIELKI SZACVN I KLASA I C.T.

Fantastic!

As soon as she starts answering his question he puts words in her mouth or asks her a different question.

No art school party in the late 80's would never have CT playing in the background

It would be funny if no one could understand what she was saying when she talked.

This is sped up/higher in pitch. But yes, her voice is cute nonetheless. :)

Lots of Interruptions but The Vibe Was still Energetic

I wish he would've let her speak

Better and more soothing than ASMR

well said!!!

si el bruto no le deja explcarlo todo .... affff le corta todo el tiempo

she has such a sweet a voice

I have no idea what she says at 1:48 but it sounds freaking siiiick

Do you know around what year is this interview from?

Wow , what a shame. The interviewer doesn’t give Liz a chance to answer most of the questions

WHERE THE REST OF THE INTERVIEW AT THO

I…think I have a crush on Liz Fraser after this?

This interview was a Disaster...!!! It pisses me off, the guy speaking, won't stop interrupting Liz..!!! Plus, Liz was so tired of answering the same questions about her lyrics, so, she said anything to pacify the moment - you can literally hear her hesitation and pause as she speaks. Liz has written before, "It's my secret, I write it down and then I tell it..." and the lyrics, Liz specified, are to Victorialand which everyone already knew was not decipherable; but, their other albums have real lyrics. In a different interview Robin Guthrie and Simon Raymond say even they don't ask about Liz's lyrics because, "...her lyrics are personal, it would interfere with her creative process and it would betray her confidence..." So, anybody, who takes this interview as the ghosple truth, believing it applies to all their music, is only fooling themselves - read their earlier interviews.

when the interviewer has lived and had children and grandchildren and lived through good times and bad times........ he will know what the songs mean, and know why albums like "four calender cafe" make grown men cry.

Does he actually know what the Cocteaus lyrics sound like? Like Sigur Ros, her lyrics are largely nonsensical, because her voice is an instrument. A fucking astonishingly beautiful instrument at that!

I have to agree, i would probably be the same, lucky guy ;) - Also the interview does sound like its on fast speed.

WHEN was this interview??

Really? Literally gibberish? 😮 amazing

I've always said that her lyrics were words that sounded good together, whether they made sense or not. And they usually didn't.

where is the other part?

So what was the name of the song they were gonna play at the end?

The best. Ever. This atheist thanks God for the Cocteau Twins every day.

Jesus Christ the interviewer god let her speak-

Imitada pero jamás igualada!!!

When I first heard Cocteau Twins, I was sure Elizabeth was singing made-up words because I couldn't understand anything. I guess I wasn't too far off.

True, they shouldn't be such an issue . . . but a piano doesn't speak words.

The audio here is slightly pitched up.. Liz sounds English here..her Scottish accent has lessened.To ask her to describe her lyrics is to like asking a blind man to describe the sun ..she used phonetics until Heaven or las Vegas on much of her work.

She's just magical. She is. I would love to sit down and have tea and cookies with her and just talk to her. She is not of this world.