Black Marble's roots go back to the early 2010s, when Stewart began making music on his laptop. When he played his songs for his friends, they liked his songwriting but thought the instrumentation could sound better, so he looked to the scene around him in Brooklyn for inspiration. He found it in Wierd, a dance party that brought in synth-driven acts from around the world (and also spawned the influential label Wierd Records). Stewart was particularly taken with the sound and analog gear of Martial Canterel's Sean McBride (also of Xeno & Oaklander), and started building his own arsenal of vintage synths, including a Juno and a Korg DW-8000. Not long after, he joined up with ex-Team Robespierre member Ty Kube. The duo made their debut in January 2012 with The Weight Against the Door, an EP released by the Seattle label Hardly Art that introduced Black Marble's faithful update of coldwave's stark-yet-murky, bleak-yet-beautiful sound. That September, their first full-length, A Different Arrangement, appeared on the label and presented a slightly warmer and more melodic version of their style.
Following the release of A Different Arrangement, Stewart began to tire of living in New York. He planned a move to Los Angeles, but wanted to finish Black Marble's second album before he left. During this time, Kube departed and Stewart was hospitalized with a serious case of pneumonia. These personal and physical changes were echoed on It's Immaterial, a lighter and clearer-sounding set of songs that Ghostly International released in October 2016. After settling in L.A., Stewart began work on his third album. Moved by the landscapes as well as the sense of community in his new home, he wrote more immediate songs that brought his voice front and center. In October 2019, Sacred Bones released Bigger Than Life. The following August, Black Marble issued I Must Be Living Twice, an EP of songs originally by Wire, Robert Palmer, and Grouper that were favorites at the band's shows. On October 2021's Fast Idol, Stewart incorporated the more impressionistic songwriting of his early albums with the brighter sound of Bigger Than Life.
A Million Billion Stars
Black Marble Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hold the place in the line
Only a matter of time
You can catch me on the sideline saying
"Wanna come home for a while?"
An old game, but a surprise
Hold your hands to my eyes
I know it, I can't stay the night
Waiting for the day that I
Never have to turn around and see you smile
Waving so long
Good night, goodbye
In "A Million Billion Stars" by Black Marble, the lyrics seem to be about a fleeting and possibly unrequited love that the singer is trying to hold onto. The lyrics "Hold the place in the line, only a matter of time" suggest that the singer is waiting for their turn to be noticed by the object of their affection. They then ask if they can come home for a while, perhaps suggesting a desire to escape the world and spend time with the person they love.
The next few lines reference an "old game," which could be a metaphor for the push-and-pull of a romantic relationship. The singer talks about letting their lover cover their eyes and guess a hundred times, but they "know it" and can't stay the night. This could be read as a suggestion that the singer knows their relationship is ultimately doomed, or that they're afraid to pursue it further. The final lines appear to be a farewell - the singer is waiting for the day they don't have to turn around and see their lover's smile as they wave goodbye.
Overall, "A Million Billion Stars" is a song about wanting love but feeling like it's out of reach. The lyrics suggest a desire to be with someone, but an awareness that it might not be possible, at least not right now.
Line by Line Meaning
Hold the place in the line
I am waiting for my turn in life to come.
Only a matter of time
I know my chance will come soon enough.
You can catch me on the sideline saying
I am simply an observer of life, not an active participant.
"Wanna come home for a while?"
I am inviting someone to spend time with me, despite my detachment from the world.
An old game, but a surprise
Life may seem routine, but it always has a way of throwing us a curveball.
Hold your hands to my eyes
Blind me from the future, let me simply exist in the moment.
And let me guess a hundred times
I don't mind being wrong, I just want to keep trying to figure things out.
I know it, I can't stay the night
I understand that not everything is meant to be forever, and I am okay with that.
Waiting for the day that I
I eagerly anticipate a time when my life will feel complete.
Never have to turn around and see you smile
I am ready to let go of the past and move on, without looking back.
Waving so long
Saying goodbye is never easy, but it is necessary.
Good night, goodbye
It's time to say farewell, and I accept that fact without regret.
Contributed by Sophie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Rugby755
bloc party meets LCD soundystem. meets moby for a drink after perhaps. and sees new order at the bar. just incredible
@capnjazz97
It sounds like traveling through time or space and somehow you slipped out, got stuck and there’s no going back. Like a huge “oh fuck” moment
@gatcho
This song is crazy
@GarryShepherdDreamGazePostPunk
Forever absolutely beautiful 💜 had some amazingly stoned stargazing nights to this ☆🌙
Saw BM in Glasgow🔥🔥
🎶Wanna come home for a while🎵
@Faz-Mania
Quite a beautiful music. Remind me when I'm on a long trip watching cloud from my window car.
@Saskidan
cool tune, really captured something beautiful here
@ghostcollege6404
Some real magic in this one
@isaccreyes6843
This song makes me feel like am in a movie . Great indeed ! : )
@icythvnd3rr
it’s nice to see you here 🦇
@jurassicmark5361
Love this track