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.
Pretender
Black Marble Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How many times must we fall?
Living in lost memory
You just recalled
Working on the sound of the band
Trying to get the music right
Two go out working
[Chorus:]
That's when she said she was pretending
Like she knew the plan
That's when I knew she was pretending
Pretending to understand
Pretending, pretending
Pretending, pretending
Satisfied but lost in love
Situations change
You're never who you used to think you are
How strange
[Chorus]
[Bridge:]
I get lost in alibis
Sadness can't prevail
Everybody knows strong love
Can't fail
Don't be pretending about how you feel
Don't be pretending that your love is real
Don't be pretending about how you feel
Don't be pretending that your love is real
[Bridge]
The lyrics to Black Marble's song "Pretender" focus on the theme of deception in a relationship. The opening lines, "How many times must we tell the tale? How many times must we fall? Living in lost memory, you just recalled," suggest that this is a recurring issue in the relationship. The second verse describes the band working on their music, with some members going out to perform while others stay home. This could be a metaphor for the different approaches the couple may take in the relationship--some may be more committed than others, or perhaps one partner is putting in more effort than the other.
The chorus repeats the phrase "Pretending to understand" several times, emphasizing the idea that one partner is not being honest about their feelings or level of commitment in the relationship. The second verse further explores this theme, with lyrics such as "Satisfied but lost in love, situations change, You're never who you used to think you are," suggesting that the relationship may have lost its true essence, or that one partner is trying to pretend that everything is okay when it is not.
The bridge acknowledges the sadness that can result from this type of deception, but also reminds the listener that true love cannot fail. The repeated refrain of "Don't be pretending about how you feel, Don't be pretending that your love is real" brings the song's message home--honesty and authenticity are key in any relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
How many times must we tell the tale?
Wondering about the number of times a particular story should be retold.
How many times must we fall?
Questioning how many times one should experience defeat or disappointment.
Living in lost memory
You just recalled
Recalling something that was forgotten or misplaced.
Working on the sound of the band
Trying to get the music right
Two go out working
Three stay home at night
The efforts go in fine-tuning the musical sounds where two people work on improving the music quality while three stay back to rest.
That's when she said she was pretending
Like she knew the plan
That's when I knew she was pretending
Pretending to understand
When she pretended to be knowledgeable about a plan, he realized she didn't actually comprehend it.
Pretending, pretending
Pretending, pretending
Frequent pretending.
Satisfied but lost in love
Situations change
You're never who you used to think you are
How strange
Being content yet in love with uncertainty, situations change and we're not always who we believed ourselves to be.
I get lost in alibis
Sadness can't prevail
Everybody knows strong love
Can't fail
Finding oneself in a situation where people are giving false excuses, yet love never fails.
Don't be pretending about how you feel
Don't be pretending that your love is real
Don't be pretending about how you feel
Don't be pretending that your love is real
Emphasizing that people shouldn't pretend about their emotions and whether their love is actual or contrived.
[Bridge]
A connection between the chorus and the main theme of the song.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: JERRY LYNN WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@brrritcold552
Remember us.
Shedding weight to hear your name.
Playing games, waiting for the day you claim.
Carolina my love, I'm alive.
Carolina your name, the same as mine.
Hear your voice, hear you walking on the floor.
Always pass. Never stopping at the door.
Carolina my love, I'm alive.
Carolina my love, I don't mind
@hudsondevlin
End of 2021 and this track is still fire.
@roochmartinez102
Mid 2022 and this smacks still
@importedtv
A little over mid of 2022 and still poppin
@dougmasters1908
Fa sho sho lil homie
@bjj1028
🤌🏼
@erikawwad7653
almost 2024, where has the time gone
@anjolif7069
I have been obsessed with this song for weeks and it's still holding up! It's perfect combination of dark wave/electro/goth/pop! Droooooooooool....
@gabrielamendoza8985
same!!! and i just heard it today!!
@grizzleg8729
I love them! But I keep company my back to this song. I get to see them in June in SD. I can’t wait
@joestrummer.
San Diego?!