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.
Lulliby
Regina Spektor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Here
I know that you are not mine
Now
Looking out the window
At another window
I see toenails changing colors
Like the leaves of Fall
If you often smile
But often don't
Smile
Which do you do more often
Smile, or not?
I dreamt a hydrant
Was covered in snow
A white light glowing below...
I know that you cannot be
Here
I know that you are not mine
Now
Looking out the window
At another window
I see toenails changing colors
Like the leaves of Fall
Regina Spektor's song "Lulliby" is a haunting and introspective exploration of loss, memory, and perception. With its sparse instrumentation and sparse, melancholy vocals, the song creates a sense of isolation and detachment, as the singer struggles to come to terms with the absence of a loved one.
The opening stanza sets the tone for the rest of the song, with the singer acknowledging that the person they are thinking of cannot be with them in the present moment. The repetition of the lines "I know that you cannot be here / I know that you are not mine now" underscores the finality of the loss and the singer's acceptance of it.
The second stanza introduces a series of surreal images, including toenails changing colors like fall leaves and a hydrant covered in snow with a white light glowing underneath. These images suggest the passage of time and the inevitability of change, which the singer struggles to reconcile with the memory of their loved one.
Overall, "Lulliby" is a poignant and thought-provoking exploration of the complexities of grief and memory, and the ways in which we try to make sense of loss and change.
Line by Line Meaning
I know that you cannot be
Here
The singer is aware that the person they want to be with is not physically present.
I know that you are not mine
Now
The singer acknowledges that the person is not in a romantic relationship with them at the moment.
Looking out the window
At another window
The singer is observing someone else and their surroundings from afar.
I see toenails changing colors
Like the leaves of Fall
The artist witnesses changes in someone's appearance or life, similar to the changing of the seasons.
If you often smile
But often don't
Smile
The artist questions if a person who smiles often truly feels happy or is just pretending.
Which do you do more often
Smile, or not?
The singer is curious about the frequency of a person's smile to determine if it is genuine or not.
I dreamt a hydrant
Was covered in snow
A white light glowing below...
The singer had a dream about an ordinary object being transformed into something magical, symbolizing hope and imagination.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: REGINA SPEKTOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Seraph
I know that you cannot be
Here
I know that you are not mine
Now
Looking out the window
At another window
I see toenails changing colors
Like the leaves of Fall
If you often smile
But often don't
Smile
Which do you do more often
Smile, or not?
I dreamt a hydrant
Was covered in snow
A white light glowing below...
I know that you cannot be
Here
I know that you are not mine
Now
Looking out the window
At another window
I see toenails changing colors
Like the leaves of Fall
* Jesse *
Songs is probably my favourite album of hers. It just has a totally different feel from the rest.
Jorech
I wish she recorded another album like this one
Countrycowboy08
She recorded all of the songs in one take.
* Jesse *
@Countrycowboy08 I don’t know that! I can definitely tell now that you say it thanks for letting me know :))
Aicha
I can't believe this has been here for almost 10 years and I've just discovered it now. Having been a big Regina Spektor lover since a long time ago... Ah.
EmmaJ.K.88
And this album came out back in 2002, I’ve been a fan of her’s for about that long. WAY before she went more mainstream.
Lizzi Trumbore
I've been a huge Regina fan for about a year and for the longest time I knew this song but I wasn't sure which Regina song it was. I kept searching and searching, and I looked through all the 100 top tracks and naturally this was the last one on the playlist. It's worth the wait :)
Seraph
I know that you cannot be
Here
I know that you are not mine
Now
Looking out the window
At another window
I see toenails changing colors
Like the leaves of Fall
If you often smile
But often don't
Smile
Which do you do more often
Smile, or not?
I dreamt a hydrant
Was covered in snow
A white light glowing below...
I know that you cannot be
Here
I know that you are not mine
Now
Looking out the window
At another window
I see toenails changing colors
Like the leaves of Fall
thank you have a nice day
this is one of the songs that’s echoed around in my subconscious for years. glad it’s streaming somewhere 🌱
itsmeolga
I just love her music so much...