Love Cocoon (1997)

Song Meaning

The lyrics to "Love Cocoon" dive headfirst into a torrent of raw, uninhibited desire. The opening lines are a visceral declaration, a speaker eager to "attack your flesh with glad abandon" and "dive right in" to physical intimacy. It's a bold, almost primal expression of lust, brimming with immediate, intense sensation. Yet, this wild passion is immediately complicated by the central image of the "love cocoon." The speaker identifies as a "moth when I fly / To the light of my doom," suggesting an irresistible, almost self-destructive pull towards the beloved. This paradox — a love that is both a protective "cocoon" and a perilous "light of my doom" — creates a compelling tension, hinting at both surrender and potential entrapment. The lyrics further explore this complexity through a series of striking contrasts. Verse 2 questions the very nature of this experience: "Is it weak and tender? Is it rough and ready?" The speaker grapples with the multifaceted reality of their connection, acknowledging its dualities. Later, the commitment is cemented with a "wedding band," yet the speaker promises to be both a sensitive "poet" and a formidable "gunslinger," embodying both vulnerability and fierce protection. Ultimately, the lyrics elevate this intense, often contradictory love to something sacred. Dismissing the transient "scenery" of the outside world, the speaker proposes to "build a tabernacle" with their partner. This transformation of physical desire into "holy flesh and holy mirth" suggests a profound, all-encompassing devotion, making the "love cocoon" not just a place of passion, but a hallowed space where all aspects of connection are embraced.