Mike has released six studio albums - 2010's Learning, 2012's Put Your Back N 2 It, 2014's Too Bright, 2017's No Shape, 2020's Set My Heart On Fire Immediately and his most recent, 2022's Ugly Season, all of which have received praise from music critics.
Lookout Lookout
Perfume Genius Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All your neighbors know what your mother sells
But you carved out a name; you carved out a name for
Yourself
Look out, look out
Look out, look out
Look out, look out
Look out, look out
There are murders about
Guinea pig hair in a twisted mouth
Through a hole to the railway
And Brian's face down
Keep your wits
He will not be missed
He didn't have a family to begin with
Look out, look out
Look out, look out
Look out, look out
Look out, look out
Look out, look out
There are murders about
The lyrics to Perfume Genius's song Lookout Lookout are cryptic and haunting, but they seem to tell the story of Mary-belle, a girl who is trapped in a bird-cage cell, living in a small, close-knit community where everyone knows each other's business. Her mother sells something scandalous, and because of this, Mary is likely to be ostracized and looked down upon. Despite this, Mary has somehow managed to carve out a name for herself, and the repeated line "you carved out a name for yourself" suggests that her strength and resilience have made her stand out in her community.
The chorus of the song warns us to "look out, look out" because there are murders about. The imagery used to support this warning is unsettling; we hear about guinea pig hair in a twisted mouth, and Brian's face down. The lyrics seem to reference violence and death, and the overall tone of the song is one of unease and foreboding.
Overall, the lyrics to Lookout Lookout are not easy to decipher, but they paint a dark and eerie picture of a small community where secrets abound and danger lurks around every corner.
Line by Line Meaning
Mary, Mary-belle within a bird-cage cell,
A young woman (Mary-belle) is trapped in a confined space like a bird in a cage
All your neighbors know what your mother sells
Mary-belle's neighbors are aware of her mother's profession, which is likely a derogatory secret
But you carved out a name; you carved out a name for yourself
Mary-belle has gained a reputation for herself despite her family's controversial business
Look out, look out
A warning to beware of danger
There are murders about
There is a presence of killers nearby
Guinea pig hair in a twisted mouth
An unsettling image related to the threat of violence
Through a hole to the railway
A possible escape route for Mary-belle
And Brian's face down
A reference to a person named Brian who has potentially been killed or hurt
Keep your wits
A reminder to stay alert
He will not be missed
Brian was not a significant figure, so his absence will not cause alarm
He didn't have a family to begin with
Brian had no family, therefore, no one will be searching for him or inquiring about his absence
Contributed by Sadie O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Daniel Enrique Coronel Cherres
It's 2020 and I can't believe I just found such a masterpiece too late. :(
Penny O'Radical
@tommy findlay What movie? I've loved this track for years even though I'm not really a Perfume Genius fan. I'm just curious what movie also thought it was cool enough to use.
Ophelia
im so happy better late than never
DrBlackSmith :]
Dang. Same 🥲 I’m glad I found it though. ✨
tommy findlay
Movie on Amazon led me here one hour ago <:O)
heliostellar
Just discovered Perfume Genius and I'm VERY impressed :)
LonelyAssassin96
Ah, murder ballads. Got to love them.
Travis Flack
I never comment on videos. but this video lead me to Perfume Genius and Mike's amazing body of work. I think that people get put off by labels because it seems less personal when something is pigeonholed into a genre. That said, genres help define where to look for NEW music. I am indifferent to labels of any kind; I just let my ears decide what I like.
Stom Kr
Это офигенно, невероятно круто.
Nikolas Darby
Great music is seldom bland this appears to stir some very base emotions in ya'll. Don't loose the fire keep meaning every word . Fantastic i was hooked after about 8 bars.