The Strangers
St. Vincent Lyrics

The lyrics to "The Strangers" by St. Vincent explore themes of love, vulnerability, and secrecy. The song follows a narrative of a tumultuous relationship in which the singer is willing to go to great lengths to maintain the romance despite the obvious red flags. The repeated refrain of "paint the black hole blacker" suggests that the singer is willing to overlook the negative aspects of the relationship in order to keep the love alive, even if it means creating an illusion of something that is not there. The line "what do I share? what do I keep from all the strangers who sleep where I sleep" implies that the singer is hiding something from the world around them, perhaps the true nature of their relationship or the details of their partner's questionable behavior.

The verse about throwing flowers in the partner's face on their sister's wedding day suggests a volatile and abusive relationship, while the lines about playboys under the mattress imply infidelity. The phrase "desperate don't look good on you, neither does your virtue" suggests that the singer is aware of their partner's flaws but is still willing to accept them in order to keep the relationship alive. The final verse about the partner showing up with a black eye looking to finish a fight suggests that the relationship has reached a breaking point, and the singer is left questioning whether or not it's worth continuing to try and hold onto it.

Overall, "The Strangers" is a hauntingly beautiful exploration of the complexities of love and the lengths we're willing to go to in order to maintain it, even when it's not in our best interest.