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.
Braille
Regina Spektor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She hadn't been a virgin and he hadn't been a god
So she named the baby Elvis
To make up for the royalty he lacked
And from then on it was turpentine and patches
From then on it was cold Campbell's from the can
And they were just two jerks playing with matches
And it was raining cats and dogs out side of her window
And she knew they were destined to become
Sacred road kill on the way
And she was listening to the sound of heavens shaking
Thinking about puddles ah, puddles and mistakes
'Cause it's been turpentine and patches
It's been cold, cold Campbell's from the can
And they were just two jerks playing with matches
'Cause that's all they knew how to play
Elvis never could carry a tune
And she thought about this irony as she stared back at the moon
She was tracing her years with her fingers on her skin
Saying well why don't I begin again?
With turpentine and patches
With cold, cold Campbell's from the can
After all I'm still a jerk playing with matches
It's just that he's not around to play along yeah
I'm still an ass hole playing with candles
Blowing out wishes blowing out dreams
Just sitting here and trying to decipher
What's written in Braille upon my skin oh oh ah
All this skin
She was lying on the floor and counting stretch
She was lying on the floor and counting stretch
She was lying on the floor, l-l-lying, l-l-lying
And a-counting stretch
In Regina Spektor's song Braille, she tells the story of a woman who is reflecting on her life and the mistakes she has made. The woman is lying on the floor and counting stretch marks, something that is often seen as a flaw in a person's body but which she seems to be embracing as a marker of the changes and experiences she has gone through. She had a child with a man who wasn't a god and who lacked the royalty she may have imagined for herself, but she named the baby Elvis instead to give him a sense of greatness.
The song then takes a melancholy turn as the woman reflects on the reality of her life. From then on, the couple's life was filled with turpentine and patches, representing the difficult times they faced and the makeshift solutions they found to their problems. They were just two jerks playing with matches, which could represent the reckless behavior they engaged in as a coping mechanism. Despite their struggles, the woman believed they were destined for more, only to realize they were headed towards becoming "sacred road kill on the way."
The chorus repeats several times, emphasizing the monotonous and unfulfilling nature of her life, before concluding with the woman acknowledging she is still a jerk playing with matches, despite her regrets. The final verse has a sense of resignation as she acknowledges the irony of Elvis not being able to carry a tune despite his namesake. She traces her years on her skin and contemplates beginning again, but ultimately concludes that she is still the same person, playing with matches and blowing out wishes and dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
She was lying on the floor and counting stretch marks
She was feeling insecure and self-conscious, examining her flaws
She hadn't been a virgin and he hadn't been a god
Neither of them were perfect, but they still made a life together
So she named the baby Elvis
To make up for the royalty he lacked
She wanted to give her child a name that had meaning and significance
And from then on it was turpentine and patches
From then on it was cold Campbell's from the can
And they were just two jerks playing with matches
'Cause that's all they knew how to play
Their life became a struggle, and they made poor choices out of desperation
And it was raining cats and dogs out side of her window
And she knew they were destined to become
Sacred road kill on the way
And she was listening to the sound of heavens shaking
Thinking about puddles ah, puddles and mistakes
She felt helpless and doomed, realizing the consequences of their actions
'Cause it's been turpentine and patches
It's been cold, cold Campbell's from the can
And they were just two jerks playing with matches
'Cause that's all they knew how to play
Their struggle had become a constant pattern, and they continued making poor choices
Elvis never could carry a tune
And she thought about this irony as she stared back at the moon
She was tracing her years with her fingers on her skin
Saying well why don't I begin again?
She reflected on the irony of her decision to name her child after a famous singer, and contemplated starting over
With turpentine and patches
With cold, cold Campbell's from the can
After all I'm still a jerk playing with matches
It's just that he's not around to play along yeah
I'm still an ass hole playing with candles
Blowing out wishes blowing out dreams
She continued making poor choices even after he was gone, trying to find meaning in the chaos
Just sitting here and trying to decipher
What's written in Braille upon my skin oh oh ah
All this skin
She struggled to understand the markings on her skin, symbolizing her life experiences and hardships
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: REGINA SPEKTOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
AlexGolem
I love this so much ❤️ One of the most bittersweetly beautiful songs ever written! ❤️🔥😭
Cynthia Lohnes
Forever my favorite Regina Spektor song ❤️❤️❤️
Ken Turner
My absolute favorite song in the world.
Any time the thoughts get dark, this always brings me back.
SG12 Dolo
Hope those times are a little brighter!
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I discovered Regina clicking around the late 90's. Got hooked...couldn't find enough to feed my desire....So pure, honest and beautiful. The addiction has long passed but I'll always visit her works from time to time....Thx for all the posts people...and thanks for all the passion Regina S.
Affnafee Rahman
Braille hits a different nerve within me, 11:11 is one of Regina's most heartfelt albums and I am happy she is reuploading these songs on YouTube again!
m0zarts
My favorite song by Regina, it’s amazing to me that she wrote this when she was so young ❤️
lupi Fino
that's another song with the typical "Reginaspector sound" a wonderful piece to dream away, thank you very much I love and enjoy it.
Elmira Adili
One of my favorites!
KeepThoseEyesOpen
Best song in the album!