Friday's Music: The Moon Asked the Crow - CocoRosie

So every Friday, I’m going to be choosing a song that reminds me of a certain scene/character from the Dustlands, or of the story in general. It'll be a mix of obscure and popular artists, with as much variation as possible.

The link to the song is here.

It might seem obvious why I picked this song, but it was for much more than that. Both the music and the lyrics brought about the underlying themes of destiny and fate that put a real twist on this story. The lyrics are like a short tale, the beginning reminding me of the wastelands and the forgotten past:

 I caught a glimpse out the window, A Polish graveyard filled with widows, I coddle a bottle of warm beer, I see a pool of liquid tears, Glimmering so sweet and mellow, A sea of lilting wilting willow, A secret book of forgotten wishes, Drown in ponds with broken dishes

This verse paints a sad, reminiscent image of the past, especially the references to the graveyard, the wilting willow and the books of forgotten wishes. (page 100 of Blood Red Road, where Rooster Pinch shows Saba a book for the first time in her life – that scene ALWAYS comes up in my head, it’s one of my favourite!).

The moon asked the crow, For a little show, In the hazy milk of twilight, No one had to know, The moon asked the crow, For a little show, In the hazy milk of twilight, No one had to know

The chorus is like a little tribute to Nero, and it makes me think of all those times Nero disappeared from Saba’s side for longer than usual. Where was he, and who was he with?  ‘’He’s always got an opinion does Nero, an he’s real smart too’’ – page 8. It also reminds me of De Malo and his relationship with Saba, how it's ‘hazy’ and mysterious.

this artwork was inspired by this song

Angel brother I miss your hair, Careless nature gentle stare, You fell like rain in the dark abysses ,  Kissed the lips of bloody twinsis, Sung to you a slew of sirens, Tricky mermaids and evil pirates,

Saba’s determination to find Lugh, no matter what comes in her way, screams out to me in this verse. And the particular mention of hair too, reminds me of their contrasting hair colours, and how she says ''My golden heart is gone'' when Lugh is taken by the riders.

You watched the sky, With kaleidoscopic eyes, Howling out right, To the blasphemous night, A wolf in the garden, Why do you linger so, Like a silky snail soul, The moon asked the crow

This verse always leaves me conflicted, bringing me a mix of memories and emotions from the story – is it about Saba’s father, his star reading and the way he’s so resigned about everything that’s happening? Or is it about Lugh and his blue eyes, and his hate for their Pa being a ‘star reader’? The mention of howling also strangely reminds me of the scene in pages 27 to the beginning of 30, where their Pa is shot down by the riders, and how Saba feels the red hot rage rise up inside her for the first time. (I still get chills when reading this part). This song certainly deals with the enigmatic fate business in the story, or I think so anyway!

CocoRosie are two sisters that believe in fairies, with unique voices and music. I would definitely recommend them to anyone who enjoys quaint but meaningful music!

~Bushra