Glaspy boasts a diverse of musical background from competitive fiddle to marching band trombone and influences ranging from Joni Mitchell to Elliott Smith. She focuses her talents in fiercely raw, guitar-driven pop songs. She cut her debut album at Sear Sound with Shawn Everett (Alabama Shakes, Lucius, Har Mar Superstar) in New York City.
Discography - Solo
Homeschool EP (2012, self-Released)
If & When EP (2013, self-Released)
You and I b/w Somebody to Anybody 7-inch (2016, ATO Records)
Emotions and Math (2016, ATO Records)
Born Yesterday EP (2018, ATO Records)
Devotion (2020, ATO Records)
Echo the Diamond (2023, ATO Records)
With The Fundies
The Fundies EP (2012 self-Released)
Black is Blue
Margaret Glaspy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I'm an adult
There's a baby crying
And it's my fault
I'm colorblind
Yes, I just found out
Black is blue
Still talks down to me
My little girl
She can see right through me
I worry about my health
I talk to myself
I keep saying
Black is blue
I thought I was
I thought I was
Doing fine
'Til I knew
Black was blue
There'll be no time
There's been no time
To be broken-hearted
Soon as we stopped
Little girl started
They're talking again
I got no friends
And black is blue
Black is blue
In "Black Is Blue", Margaret Glaspy appears to be grappling with an existential crisis, feeling disorientated and confused about her place in the world. The opening lines of the song set the tone for Glaspy's internal turmoil as she admits, "My shoes are untied and I'm an adult. There's a baby crying and it's my fault". The juxtaposition of these two statements suggests a struggle to reconcile the responsibilities of adulthood with the vulnerability and helplessness embodied by a crying baby. The line "I'm colorblind, yes, I just found out, black is blue" takes the confusion a step further and highlights the unreliability of perception. The colorblindness metaphor could be read as a comment on identity and how one's sense of self can be challenged by new revelations and experiences.
Throughout the rest of the song, Glaspy continues to reflect on her inadequacies, particularly in relation to her family. She refers to her mother and how she "still talks down to me", suggesting a sense of being trapped in familial patterns and unable to break free. The line "my little girl she can see right through me" hints at a fear of being exposed or found out, perhaps highlighting Glaspy's insecurity or imposter syndrome. The chorus repeats the phrase "black is blue", indicating a persistent feeling of confusion or disbelief in the face of reality.
Line by Line Meaning
My shoes are untied
I am not attentive to the little things in life.
And I'm an adult
Despite being a grown-up, I still make silly mistakes.
There's a baby crying
There is something I am responsible for that is not going as planned.
And it's my fault
I am the reason behind the current problem.
I'm colorblind
I am unable to perceive certain things as they are.
Yes, I just found out
It was only recently that I discovered this flaw.
Black is blue
The reality of the situation is different than what I previously thought it was.
My mother, she
My relationship with my mother has not improved even as I grow older.
Still talks down to me
She still treats me like a child instead of an adult.
My little girl
My daughter has the ability to see past my facade.
She can see right through me
She is aware of my innermost insecurities and fears.
I worry about my health
My physical and mental well-being is a constant source of anxiety.
I talk to myself
I constantly have to remind myself of certain things.
I keep saying
I am trying to reinforce a certain belief in myself.
I thought I was
I had convinced myself that things were different than what they truly were.
Doing fine
I had convinced myself that I was handling things well.
'Til I knew
But then the reality of the situation became apparent to me.
Black was blue
I realized that what I thought was true was in fact false.
There'll be no time
I will not have the opportunity to fix things in the future.
There's been no time
I should have addressed the issue earlier, but now it's too late.
To be broken-hearted
I am not allowing myself to be emotionally affected by the situation.
Soon as we stopped
As soon as we paused, things started to fall apart.
Little girl started
The problem began again, and it is now out of my hands.
They're talking again
The voices in my head have returned and are causing me distress.
I got no friends
I feel isolated and alone in dealing with my problems.
And black is blue
The reality of the situation is more painful than I had originally anticipated.
Contributed by Alaina A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Robert Ricketts
on Who Said
Who said I was on my own tonight,
What made you think that I,
Was on my own, cause i'm not,
I've got a better waiting for me,
Who said i was on my own tonight,
Your words, not mine,
You thought but I’m not,
He’s got both hands about my body,
You rang and I let you in,
And now you’re wondering,
Where and when we’ll meet again,
Well I’m not free to let you be the death of me,