After self-releasing her first three records and gaining popularity in New York City's independent music scenes, particularly the anti-folk scene centered on New York City's East Village, Spektor signed with Sire Records in 2004 and began achieving greater mainstream recognition. After giving her third album a major label re-release, Sire released Spektor's fourth album, Begin to Hope, which achieved a Gold certification by the RIAA. Her following two albums, Far and What We Saw from the Cheap Seats, each debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200. 2016's Remember Us to Life peaked at 23 on the Billboard 200.
Mayor Bill de Blasio proclaimed June 11, 2019, Regina Spektor Day in New York City. Spektor was also inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame on May 18, 2019, by Borough President Rubén Díaz Jr.
AB
Regina Spektor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't know how to fall down the stairs without hurting myself
I don't know how to fall down the stairs
Without skinning my knees and bruising my elbows
Twisting my ankles and bending my
Wrists back
Da-da-dum
Da-da-dum
And I don't know how to fall down the stairs
I don't know how to fall down the stairs, even if I don't want
I don't know how to fall down the stairs
But something inside me lets go of the banister
Tumbling, I tumble down towards the corridor
People rush in, clasping their mouths real tight
In case of emergency contact, my
Blood type is
AB
AB
AB
My blood type's AB, and AB it'll be for a while
My blood type's AB, and AB it'll be for a while
My blood type's AB, and AB it'll be
For a while
But I don't know how to fall down the stairs
Without breaking the wall
I don't know how to fall down the stairs
Without breaking the wall with my fall
I don't know without breaking the wall
'Cause my head rolls so quickly and with such precision
I can't help but making a big round incision
Left near the bookshelf by that book on division
And in case of emergency, contact my parents; my blood type is
AB
AB
AB
AB
AB
AB
AB
My blood type's AB, and AB it'll be for a while
My blood type's AB, and AB it'll be for a while
My blood type's AB, and AB it'll be for a while
My blood type's AB, and AB it'll be for a while
My blood type's AB, and AB it'll be for a while
My blood type's AB and
AB it has been, and
AB it'll stay for a while, for a while
My blood type's AB and
AB it has been, and
AB it'll stay for a while, for a while
My blood type's AB and
AB it has been, and
AB it'll stay for a while, for a while
My blood type's AB
And in case of emergency
Smile
Regina Spektor's song "AB" describes the artist's struggle with falling down the stairs. She explains that she cannot fall down the stairs without hurting herself, even if she tries not to. She goes on to describe her experience of tumbling down the stairs to the corridor, with people coming to her aid quickly. Despite this, she still manages to break the wall with her fall due to the quick, precise movements of her head. Regina concludes the song by letting us know that her blood type is AB and leaves us with a lighthearted line of "smile" in case of an emergency.
The lyrics of "AB" may be interpreted in a few different ways. One interpretation is that Regina is using the concept of falling down the stairs as a metaphor for the ups and downs of life. She may be describing how hard she finds it to navigate the difficult moments in life without hurting herself, despite her best efforts. The line about her blood type may be seen as a reminder to take care of oneself and always be prepared for an emergency.
Another interpretation is that the song could be exploring the theme of control. Regina may feel that she does not have control over her life and is constantly falling down, both literally and figuratively. She struggles to keep herself from getting hurt, but something inside of her always lets go and causes her to tumble down. The mention of her blood type could be seen as an attempt to regain control over her body and her life, as it is one thing she does have control over.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know how to fall down the stairs
The singer doesn't know how to handle difficult situations.
I don't know how to fall down the stairs without hurting myself
The singer has not figured out how to get through tough situations unharmed.
Without skinning my knees and bruising my elbows
Even small struggles can cause the singer pain and discomfort.
Twisting my ankles and bending my wrists back
The artist struggles to control their movements when things get tough.
I don't know how to fall down the stairs, even if I don't want
The artist can't always prevent difficulty and pain, even if they try.
But something inside me lets go of the banister
The singer admits to losing control in tough situations.
Tumbling, I tumble down towards the corridor
The singer feels helpless when facing adversity.
People rush in, clasping their mouths real tight
Others are often shocked and dismayed at seeing the artist struggle.
In case of emergency contact, my blood type is AB
The artist is offering useful information in a moment of crisis.
AB it'll be for a while
The artist's blood type is not going away or changing anytime soon.
But I don't know how to fall down the stairs without breaking the wall
The singer fears that their difficulties will cause harm to others or result in property damage.
With my fall
The artist is worried that their problems will cause collateral damage, not just to themselves.
My head rolls so quickly and with such precision
The singer's difficulties and chaos in difficult times can have unforeseen results.
I can't help but making a big round incision left near the bookshelf by that book on division
Small struggles can cause big damage.
And in case of emergency, contact my parents; my blood type is AB
The singer is offering useful information in a moment of crisis, and demonstrating a reliance on their loved ones.
My blood type's AB
The artist is emphasizing their blood type, to ensure help in moments of crisis.
And in case of emergency, smile
In moments of difficulty, the artist recognizes that a positive attitude can help.
Contributed by Amelia O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Straßenbahn
she's a really unic story teller....I'm so intrigued - always have been...such vivid observations...human behavior is really seen by Regina, the tragedy of it all.
Daniela Magali Barrera
tantas hermosas canciones sin grabar en un estudio, esto es oro! saludos desde argentina acá también la amamos mucho!!
Victor M
>and in case of emergency, smile that's just too good
Funny Little Frog
💗
j
Is this the only performance of AB taped?
TheSpektography
I think so yes.
joe4490
I sometimes wonder how many of the views are me.
TheSpektography
Most of them are me. Reginitus.
Phie Kimber
joe4490 i wonder this
elebunny45
AB eh? Are you positive? Lol, sorry, someone had to say it.