The Island Where I Come From
Visions of Kokovoko: Enigmatic Tales and Whispers
Lyrics
Let me tell you a story about Kokovoko
Introducing the narrative about Kokovoko.
The island where I come from
Identifying Kokovoko as the speaker's place of origin.
The beaches are littered with rotten coconuts
Describing beaches with decayed coconuts.
And there are pieces of old skulls lying all around
Mentioning scattered old skulls on the beaches.
Jewels and sand and rising water
Referring to a mix of precious jewels, sand, and rising water.
Visions I've seen and cries I've heard
Expressing having witnessed visions and heard cries.
I can't put these things into words
Difficulty in articulating or expressing those experiences in words.
Might as well put some beans
Suggesting futility by likening it to shaking beans in a hollow gourd.
In a hollow gourd and shake it, shake it
Continuation of the metaphor of shaking a hollow gourd.
I've floated on an icecap with a white polar bear
Narrating an experience of floating on an icecap with a polar bear.
I've floated up and down the golden stairs
Describing a journey up and down golden stairs.
I've seen whales and caught in sails all twiskeetwee
Encountering whales and experiencing tangled sails (twiskeetwee).
But me? I don't say much
Characterizing oneself as not talkative.
Jewels and sand and rising water
Reiteration of the mix of jewels, sand, and rising water.
Visions I've seen and cries I've heard
Reiterating visions and cries without clear expression.
I can't put these things into words
Continued difficulty in verbalizing experiences.
Might as well put some beans
Revisiting the metaphor of shaking beans in a hollow gourd.
In a hollow gourd
Repetition of the futile act of shaking beans in a hollow gourd.
There are lots of people who talk just to hear the sound
Observing people who talk merely for the sake of hearing themselves.
The sound, the sound of their own voices
Highlighting the self-indulgent nature of some individuals.
But take an empty shell and put it up to your ear
Suggesting listening to the ocean in an empty shell for a genuine experience.
You can hear the ocean rumbling around in there
Illustrating the ability to hear the ocean in an empty shell.
Oh the greasy wheel it goes round
Metaphorically referring to the cyclical nature of life.
The humming of the breeze it makes a whishing
Describing the audible effects of the breeze.
And whirring sound
Depicting the wind's whishing and whirring sounds.
The sudden silence when the burning sun goes down
Emphasizing the sudden silence at sunset.
Jewels and sand and rising water
Recurrence of the mix of jewels, sand, and rising water.
Visions I've seen and cries I've heard
Reiteration of having witnessed visions and heard cries.
I can't put these things into words
Continued struggle to articulate experiences in words.
Might as well put some beans
Repetition of the futile act of shaking beans in a hollow gourd.
In a hollow gourd and shake it, shake it
Final repetition of the metaphor of shaking beans in a hollow gourd.
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