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.
It's Conditional
Black Marble Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lime and red in your painted room
Your first cameo, find a reason
I'll let you know, keep these things in mind
Funny how your labor's love is a waste of time
Another so-called starlet can't leave her apartment
Find a reason, irrefutable, obviously right
Find a reason, unconditional and obviously right
You'll find a reason, I don't know
Lying in bed, sing your favorite tune
(You put a dime in the water)
Your telepathic stereo knows your feelings
(To be a model daughter)
Under the snow, hide the thing you like
(You put a dime in the water)
Tell me how the waking world is a waste of time
(To be a model daughter)
You put a dime in the water to be a model daughter
Find a reason, irrefutable, obviously right
You'll find a reason, I don't know
Find a reason, unconditional and obviously right
You'll find a reason, I don't know
The song "It's Conditional" by Black Marble takes listeners on a journey through the complexities of relationships and the struggle to find meaning and purpose in life. The opening lines describe a painted room, lime and red, and a first cameo, searching for a reason. The singer then reminds the listener to keep these things in mind, as he grapples with the idea that love is a waste of time. The reference to a "so-called starlet" who cannot leave her apartment suggests that the singer is disillusioned with the superficiality of fame and the people who pursue it.
As the song continues, the listener is transported to a scene where someone is lying in bed, singing their favorite tune, and their telepathic stereo knows their feelings. The lyrics describe hiding something you like under the snow, and how the waking world is a waste of time. The final line, "You put a dime in the water to be a model daughter," suggests that the person lying in bed may be struggling to impress someone, whether it is a parent or a lover.
Line by Line Meaning
Lime and red in your painted room
You have colored your room with lively shades of lime green and red
Your first cameo, find a reason
You have made your debut, find a reason to continue pursuing your passion in the spotlight
I'll let you know, keep these things in mind
I'll inform you of something important, remember what I'm about to say
Funny how your labor's love is a waste of time
It's strange how the hard work you put into what you love is not appreciated by others
Another so-called starlet can't leave her apartment
Another celebrity who is not actually talented is confined to their home
Find a reason, irrefutable, obviously right
Discover an undeniable and clearly correct motive
You'll find a reason, I don't know
You'll find a motive, but I'm not certain of what it might be
Lying in bed, sing your favorite tune
As you lie in bed, sing the song that makes you happy
(You put a dime in the water)
You added a coin to the bowl of water
Your telepathic stereo knows your feelings
Your stereo seems to understand your emotions without you having to express them
(To be a model daughter)
You hope to be the ideal daughter
Under the snow, hide the thing you like
Underneath the snow, you conceal something you enjoy
Tell me how the waking world is a waste of time
Explain to me why living in reality is pointless
You put a dime in the water to be a model daughter
You add coins to the bowl of water in hopes of becoming the perfect daughter
Find a reason, irrefutable, obviously right
Discover an undeniable and clearly correct motive
You'll find a reason, I don't know
You'll find a motive, but I'm not certain of what it might be
Find a reason, unconditional and obviously right
Discover an undeniable and obviously correct motive, without conditions
You'll find a reason, I don't know
You'll find a motive, but I'm not certain of what it might be
Contributed by Nathaniel A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Mandark.mp4
Lime and red in your painted room
Your first cameo, find a reason
I'll let you know, keep these things in mind
Funny how your labor's love is a waste of time
Another so-called starlet can't leave her apartment
[Chorus]
Find a reason, irrefutable, obviously right
You'll find a reason, I don't know
Find a reason, unconditional and obviously right
You'll find a reason, I don't know
[Verse 2]
Lying in bed, sing your favorite tune
(You put a dime in the water)
Your telepathic stereo knows your feelings
(To be a model daughter)
Under the snow, hide the thing you like
(You put a dime in the water)
Tell me how the waking world is a waste of time
(To be a model daughter)
You put a dime in the water to be a model daughter
[Chorus]
Find a reason, irrefutable, obviously right
You'll find a reason, I don't know
Find a reason, unconditional and obviously right
You'll find a reason, I don't know
@jaishajansena4553
this is a new favorite of mine. perfect sound for early dark mornings
@originalg6644
Jaisha Jansena YES !!! Early morning jogs or for a hike
@jj-by6rs
absolutely obsessed with this song. just fantastic
@slug_girl9104
i was addicted to heroin in a big city alone and nobody knew, i used to sit on my bed in my apartment and put this song on with one of those portable stereos and just stare at the album photo and maybe cry
im doing much better but man if this song doesn't send me right back
@ZombieBobSponge
So they really used marbles for the intro. That's dedication
@awisecar9540
Those coldwave synths tho
@ree6260
this song makes my life feel like a movie.
@xXGodofTecknoXx
this real estate agent lady go hard
@originalg6644
Charlie lmfao dead
@nicoleavery7238
It’s a kid