Jill Tracy is a singer, pianist, composer, and performance artist based in … Read Full Bio ↴Jill Tracy is a singer, pianist, composer, and performance artist based in San Francisco. She has been described by the San Francisco Chronicle as “a femme fatale for the thinking man.” NPR "All Things Considered" has called her “utterly intriguing, transporting you into a magical world solely of her creation.” "My goal is to open the trapdoors, transport the listener into that magical place inside my head," Tracy said in an NPR interview with Susan Stamberg. "I call it the Kingdom of the Mind's Eye."

Jill Tracy states that some of her biggest childhood influences were film score composers such as Bernard Herrmann, and classic suspense tales, including Alfred Hitchcock and Fritz Lang films, Ray Bradbury stories, and Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone.

She is listed in San Francisco Magazine’s Top 100 Creative Forces in the Bay Area.

1999's Diabolical Streak is the first studio album featuring her back up ensemble The Malcontent Orchestra. “Evil Night Together” from Diabolical Streak was awarded the SIBL international Grand Prize for songwriting. The album was listed among the "Top 10 Neo-Cabaret albums of all time" in Shift magazine. “The Fine Art of Poisoning,” from Diabolical Streak became an animated short film in 2003, a collaboration with Bay Area animator Bill Domonkos. The film has won over 30 film festival awards and continues to screen internationally.

Jill Tracy and The Malcontent Orchestra’s original score to F.W. Murnau’s 1922 silent vampire classic Nosferatu debuted live at San Francisco’s Foreign Cinema in 1999 and toured Northern California theatres during Halloween season for five consecutive years. This led to the 2002 CD release Into the Land of Phantoms.

Her latest (and fourth) album, The Bittersweet Constrain (2008), explores a heavier, cinematic sonic edge with the addition of instruments such as the sarod, harmonium, and seldom-seen Chapman Stick. The recording also features percussionist Randy Odell, horn player Ralph Carney (Tom Waits/B52's), cellist Erica Mulkey (Rasputina/Unwoman), and violinist Tony Cross (Tarentel).

Produced by Alex Nahas (John Vanderslice/Zoe Keating/LaughingStock), The Bittersweet Constrain has been described by the San Francisco Chronicle as "devastatingly beautiful."

Domonkos served as art director/graphic designer for The Bittersweet Constrain. The CD packaging features Jill Tracy portraiture by Bay Area surrealist photographer Michael Garlington, known for his dreamy macabre imagery shot on vintage film stock.

Room 19
Jill Tracy Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There are stains on the walls that won’t come clean
Mementos of his final scene
The plaster is peeling skin that’s gone grey
The door stays locked to keep Time away

The abandoned spoil of love and despair
Gideon’s Bible and an old black chair
And an object he thought could steer him from harm

But it was written in the stars

And outside they were singing
The lights of Christmas Eve
But he’s lost in the darkness
Dreams are never what they seem
Locked in Room 19

The secrets are buried in this musty cell
Only the whispering curtains and the floorboards tell
No more sorrow in this ill-fated life
His voyage will set sail tonight

And outside they were singing
The lights of Christmas Eve
But he’s lost in the darkness
Dreams are never what they seem
Locked in Room 19

And he’s still waiting for his ship to come in
He’s still longing for what could have been

He’s still waiting
Locked in Room 19

He’s still waiting
He’s still waiting

Overall Meaning

In Jill Tracy’s haunting and melancholic song, Room 19, the listener is transported to a hotel room that has not seen life or love for a long time. The walls are stained and bear witness to a past tragedy that still lingers in the air. Mementos from the final scene are left behind, hinting at a story of love and despair. The plaster is peeling, and the door remains locked, as time is kept at bay.

The singer reveals that the occupant of Room 19 is lost in the darkness, and his dreams are never what they seem. The world outside continues to turn, and the lights of Christmas Eve glow, but they do not reach the room’s inhabitant. The secrets of the past remain buried, whispering through the curtains and floorboards.

Line by Line Meaning

There are stains on the walls that won’t come clean
The walls are marked with stains that won't go away, representing events that cannot be erased.

Mementos of his final scene
Symbolic objects represent the final moments of his life.

The plaster is peeling skin that’s gone grey
The peeling plaster reveals the aged and deteriorating state of the room, much like the skin of a person who has aged and deteriorated.

The door stays locked to keep Time away
The locked door suggests that the occupant of the room wanted to keep the passage of time from affecting him, as if he were trying to freeze a perfect moment in time.

The abandoned spoil of love and despair
The belongings left behind reveal remnants of past relationships that had both positive and negative emotions attached to them, indicating a complicated past.

Gideon’s Bible and an old black chair
Religious symbolism and a traditional piece of furniture both suggest stasis and an attachment to familiarity and stability in a changing world.

And an object he thought could steer him from harm
The occupant of the room held onto something that he believed would protect or guide him through life, despite its potential ineffectiveness.

But it was written in the stars
The object was ultimately useless in the grand scheme of things, predetermined by fate or destiny.

And outside they were singing
The sounds of joy and celebration from outside the room contrast with the dark and melancholic atmosphere inside.

The lights of Christmas Eve
The holiday season symbolizes a time of joy and togetherness, further emphasizing the contrast with the darkness and isolation of the room.

But he’s lost in the darkness
Despite external festivities, the occupant of the room is unable to find happiness or meaning in his life.

Dreams are never what they seem
The occupant of the room may have had hopes and aspirations that were never truly achievable or realistic.

Locked in Room 19
The number 19 may hold personal significance or symbolism to the occupant of the room, further emphasizing his attachment to the space.

The secrets are buried in this musty cell
The room holds hidden memories and emotions that are tied to the occupant's past and identity.

Only the whispering curtains and the floorboards tell
The only sounds in the room that give away any clues to the occupant's identity are the creaking of the floorboards and the rustling of the curtains in the breeze.

No more sorrow in this ill-fated life
The occupant of the room may have viewed his life as doomed or unlucky, and was ultimately resigned to his fate.

His voyage will set sail tonight
The occupant of the room has come to a decision or resolution, and is prepared to make a drastic change in his life.

And he’s still waiting for his ship to come in
Despite his decision, the occupant of the room is still waiting for a sign or opportunity to change his fate.

He’s still longing for what could have been
The occupant of the room may still hold on to regrets or nostalgic emotions regarding missed opportunities or unfulfilled desires.

He’s still waiting
The occupant of the room is still stuck in his current state, unable to move forward until he gets what he's waiting for.

Locked in Room 19
The number and symbolism of the room continue to hold the occupant captive, both physically and mentally.

He’s still waiting
The repetition of this line emphasizes the occupant's inability to move on until he receives what he's waiting for.

Contributed by Alex V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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