Black Rainbow
Andrew Bird/St. Vincent Lyrics
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Match the curtains and the floor
I think I'm glass I think I'm breaking it
Wrecking ball outside the door
Let the children act like furniture
For the ladies of the lawn
But I can't see them, I can't see at all.
Here it's nighttime, all the time
Bird outside the kitchen, fightin' his reflection
Tell him I got nothin' for him
Bird outside the kitchen, fightin' his reflection
What's he gonna win when he wins?
The unkissed boys and girls of paradise
Are lining up around the block
Back pockets full of dynamite
While neighbors talk and talk and talk
Bird outside the kitchen fightin' his reflection
Tell him I got nothin' for him
Bird outside the kitchen fightin' his reflection
What's he gonna win when he wins?
Throw
the phone out the window
If you want the neighbors woke
You'll have to shout out loud and set the bell and slow
If you want the neighbors woke
You'll have to shout even louder
The lyrics to Andrew Bird/St. Vincent's song Black Rainbow describe a sense of discomfort and unease in one's own home, represented through the imagery of a black rainbow above the house. The matching of the curtains and the floor implies a sense of stagnation or lack of growth, as if everything is too perfectly in its place. The feeling of being trapped is heightened by the wrecking ball outside the door, which seems to be both a threat and a symbol of the outside world intruding upon the home.
The second verse introduces a sense of detachment from the outside world, as the singer cannot see the children playing on the lawn. This detachment is also reflected in the bird fighting its reflection, unable to perceive what is actually happening around it. This lack of connection is juxtaposed with the line "Here it's nighttime, all the time," implying that the singer is trapped in a state of darkness and isolation.
The final verse brings in a sense of danger, as the "unkissed boys and girls of paradise" are mentioned, carrying dynamite in their back pockets. This imagery suggests that even in this seemingly perfect, static world, there is something dangerous lurking beneath the surface. Overall, the lyrics paint a picture of a home that is both trapped and dangerous, with a sense of detachment and unease pervading throughout.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a black rainbow above my house
The atmosphere is dark and dreary, and it's affecting my mood.
Match the curtains and the floor
The bleak surroundings are in harmony with each other.
I think I'm glass I think I'm breaking it
I feel fragile and close to breaking down under the strain of this environment.
Wrecking ball outside the door
External forces threaten to destroy everything I've built and hold dear.
Let the children act like furniture
Children are treated as objects without agency or independent thought.
For the ladies of the lawn
The adults in charge of the children are superficial and focused on appearances.
But I can't see them, I can't see at all.
I'm blinded by the darkness and can't see the truth of what's happening around me.
Here it's nighttime, all the time
Metaphor for the overall mood and atmosphere surrounding the artist.
Bird outside the kitchen, fightin' his reflection
The bird is symbolic of the internal struggle and turmoil experienced by the artist.
Tell him I got nothin' for him
The artist has no energy or resources to expend on anything outside of their immediate struggle.
What's he gonna win when he wins?
The singer questions the ultimate cost of victory in their own internal battle.
The unkissed boys and girls of paradise
The young and innocent are on the brink of being destroyed by external forces.
Are lining up around the block
Everyone is trapped in the same cycle of darkness and destruction around the singer.
Back pockets full of dynamite
There's potential for massive destruction if things continue on this path.
While neighbors talk and talk and talk
Despite the severity of the situation, others are content to gossip and have surface-level conversations.
Throw the phone out the window
The artist wants to disconnect from the outside world and its constant noise and distractions.
If you want the neighbors woke
If you want people to pay attention to what's really happening, it's going to take a concerted and deliberate effort.
You'll have to shout out loud and set the bell and slow
Only by making noise and being disruptive can you hope to awaken others to the truth of the situation.
If you want the neighbors woke
Reiteration of the need for others to be roused from their apathy and complacency.
You'll have to shout even louder
It's going to take even more effort and energy to get others to pay attention and take action.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ANNE ERIN CLARK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bloucou
Andrew Bird's face while playing the violin is like "I'm afraid I may hurt everyone in this room with my unbelievably beautiful playing."
@smallatomicbomb
she's a unitarian universalist. annie has said in many interviews that she leaves the meanings of her songs open so that any listener can interpret the lyrics in a way that they so choose. personally, i think this whole album is reflective of someone peering into the windows of their neighbors and seeing what goes on behind closed doors as opposed to how they act in person.
@milanmiric5534
ok this is a great interpretation. and it explains the album title, too.
@chrissscottt
Art at its finest. Plays out like a man attempting to please a woman who he's just met for the first time. So many mistakes and yet, such beautiful chemistry.
@martijn3151
The fire alarm decided that these two were on fire. Amazing performance.
@snarklar
This is still probably the most perfect moment I can think of, musically. Really this whole performance is as amazing as anything gets. But these two, the way they look at each other, how she doesn't want it to end. I don't either.
The way people react to Andrew Bird is great. I mean especially from other artists as they play together.
@LinnyRin
Andrew bird is an improv master
@majorinsomniac9022
Annie Clarke is amazing ..My heart flutters every time I watch her do a live performance
@kurtgruber1743
In profile, Annie looks like a Greek goddess on an Attic vase.
@penny1992
+Kurt Gruber Don't you mean an antique?