St. Vincent
A pseudonym of Annie Clark (b. 28 Sept 1982), a USA multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter. She was a member of The Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens' touring band. Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, she began playing the guitar at the age of 12 and as a teenager worked as the tour manager for her uncle's band Tuck & Patti. She grew up in Dallas and attended Lake Highlands High School, graduating in 2001. Following this, she went on to attend Berklee College of Music, dropping out 3 years later. Read Full BioA pseudonym of Annie Clark (b. 28 Sept 1982), a USA multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter. She was a member of The Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens' touring band. Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, she began playing the guitar at the age of 12 and as a teenager worked as the tour manager for her uncle's band Tuck & Patti. She grew up in Dallas and attended Lake Highlands High School, graduating in 2001. Following this, she went on to attend Berklee College of Music, dropping out 3 years later. Soon after this, she joined The Polyphonic Spree. In 2003, during her time at Berklee, she released an EP with fellow students, entitled Ratsliveonnoevilstar.
Clark joined Sufjan Stevens' touring band in 2006, bringing with her a tour EP entitled Paris Is Burning. It contains three tracks, including a cover version of Jackson Browne's These Days.
Clark released her début album, Marry Me, 10 July 2007 on Beggars Banquet Records. Named after a line from the cult-hit television show Arrested Development, the LP features appearances from drummer Brian Teasley (Man or Astro-man?, The Polyphonic Spree), Mike Garson (David Bowie's longtime pianist), and horn player Louis Schwadron (The Polyphonic Spree).
In 2008 Clark was nominated for three PLUG Independent Music Awards: New Artist of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, and Music Video of the Year, and on 6 March 2008, she won the Female Artist of the Year award.
Her second album for 4AD, entitled Actor, was released on 5 May 2009. It was written entirely by Clark and produced by Clark and John Congleton of The Paper Chase.
The Strange Mercy Songfacts reports that Clark wrote her third album in Seattle. She decamped to the Northwestern city to escape from the information overload she was experiencing at home and recorded Strange Mercy in a studio provided by Death Cab For Cutie drummer Jason McGerr. The album was released by 4AD on September 12, 2011 and peaked at #19 on the Billboard 200, making it her first Top 20 LP.
2) A pseudonym of singer-songwriter Vincent Bernardy, who has written and recorded music since 1980. see also St. Vincent Folk
3) A singer/songwriter from Victoria, Australia.
Clark joined Sufjan Stevens' touring band in 2006, bringing with her a tour EP entitled Paris Is Burning. It contains three tracks, including a cover version of Jackson Browne's These Days.
Clark released her début album, Marry Me, 10 July 2007 on Beggars Banquet Records. Named after a line from the cult-hit television show Arrested Development, the LP features appearances from drummer Brian Teasley (Man or Astro-man?, The Polyphonic Spree), Mike Garson (David Bowie's longtime pianist), and horn player Louis Schwadron (The Polyphonic Spree).
In 2008 Clark was nominated for three PLUG Independent Music Awards: New Artist of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, and Music Video of the Year, and on 6 March 2008, she won the Female Artist of the Year award.
Her second album for 4AD, entitled Actor, was released on 5 May 2009. It was written entirely by Clark and produced by Clark and John Congleton of The Paper Chase.
The Strange Mercy Songfacts reports that Clark wrote her third album in Seattle. She decamped to the Northwestern city to escape from the information overload she was experiencing at home and recorded Strange Mercy in a studio provided by Death Cab For Cutie drummer Jason McGerr. The album was released by 4AD on September 12, 2011 and peaked at #19 on the Billboard 200, making it her first Top 20 LP.
2) A pseudonym of singer-songwriter Vincent Bernardy, who has written and recorded music since 1980. see also St. Vincent Folk
3) A singer/songwriter from Victoria, Australia.
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Cruel
St. Vincent Lyrics
Bodies, can't you see what everybody wants from you?
Forgive the kids, for they don't know how to live
Run the alleys casually cruel
Cruel, oh
Bodies, can't you see what everybody wants from you?
For you could want that, too
They could take or leave you
So they took you, and they left you
How could they be casually cruel?
Cruel, oh
Cruel, cruel, oh
Bodies, can't you see what everybody wants from you?
If you could want that too, then you'll be happy
You were the one waving flares in the air so they could see you
And they were a zephyr, blowing past ya
Blowing fastly so they can't see ya
Cruel, cruel, oh
Cruel, cruel, oh
Cruel, cruel, oh
Cruel, cruel, oh
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Anne Clark
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
Nom Chelvan
Bodies, can't you see what everybody wants from you?
Forgive the kids, for they don't know how to live
Run the alleys casually cruel
Cruel
Bodies, can't you see what everybody wants from you?
For you could want that, too
They could take or leave you
So they took you, and they left you
How could they be casually cruel?
Cruel, oh
Cruel, cruel, oh
Bodies, can't you see what everybody wants from you?
If you could want that, too, then you'll be happy
You were the one waving flares in the air
So they could see you
And they were as laughter, blowing past ya,
Blowing fastly so they can see ya
Cruel, cruel, oh
Cruel, cruel, oh
Cruel, cruel, oh
Cruel, cruel, oh
Sansa Beaches
Bodies, can't you see what everybody wants from you?
Forgive the kids, for they don't know how to live
Run the alleys casually cruel
Cruel, cruel
Bodies, can't you see what everybody wants from you?
For you could want that, too
They could take or leave you
So they took you, and they left you
How could they be casually cruel?
Cruel, cruel, oh
Cruel, cruel, oh
Bodies, can't you see what everybody wants from you?
If you could want that, too, then you'll be happy
You were the one waving flares in the air so they could see you
And they were a zephyr, blowing past ya, blowing fastly so they can see ya
Cruel, cruel, oh
Cruel, cruel, oh
Danielle Fechtel
I was abused as a child, and the line "they could take or leave you, so they took you, and they left you." Always makes me cry. I understand that verse so much.
Anna Bagwell
All my love! I get it...
snavel
♥️
F O’Hanlon
I love you kid. Stay strong 💗💗💗💗
emomu
sorry to hear that :(
Marcio Couto
sinto muito por isso, querida. fique bem.
Mydessia Barnett
While going through the worst time imaginable last year (4 deaths and caring for my step dad with cancer), I discovered Annie at the day for night festival. I fell instantly in love with her music.
This song helped me to deal with my broken self while faced with so many pressures from my family members. I was just spread so thin and falling apart inside. I didnt have anything left of myself to give but everybody needed me for something while paying little attention to the fact that I was unraveling.
I felt like Annie in this video being buried alive. Listening to her music daily is what got me through. Especially this song.
Thank you Annie you are truly amazing.
akr01364
I love how this song and video is a metaphor for being psychologically trapped or restrained by society only for it to have been a waste of time and yourself. By falling prey to the family here and being brainwashed over time only to not meet their demands, she was thrown away by it.
The point is that it is cruel to not let people be who they are.
akr01364
@Isaac Sherman exactly
Isaac Sherman
Thank you, I knew it was beyond "Is girl so oppression" no I thought it was deeper than that and I think all the characters in the video represent that. The whole family is being forced into a role they feel expected to play and the "father" even took drastic measures to fill the "mother" role for his kids and "husband" role for himself. But then they all adapt and shuffle into it, even the kids (the daughter) is judging the mother's performance of her role. They are all the victim of the roles they play.