Actor Out of Work
St. Vincent Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

You're a supplement, you're a salve
You're a bandage, pull it off
I can quit you cut it out
You're a patient, iron lung

You're a cast signed broken arm
You're an actor out of work
You're a liar and that's the truth
You're an extra, lost in the scene

You're a boxer in the ring
With brass knuckles underneath
You're the curses through my teeth
You're the laughter, you're the obscene

You're a supplement, you're a salve
You're a bandage, pull it off
I think I love you, I think I'm mad

You're a cast signed broken arm
You're an actor out of work
I think I love you, I think I'm mad

You're a boxer in the ring




With brass knuckles underneath
I think I love you, I think I'm mad

Overall Meaning

In St. Vincent's song "Actor Out of Work," the singer is in a tumultuous relationship with someone who is both a source of comfort and pain. The lyrics are full of contradictions; the person is both a supplement and a salve but also a bandage that needs to be pulled off. The singer professes their love but also acknowledges that this person is a liar and lost in the scene, perhaps in reference to the entertainment industry. The chorus repeats the analogy of the person being a cast, signed broken arm, or an actor out of work- both in need of healing and also unable to perform their intended function.


In the second verse, the person is compared to a boxer with brass knuckles, a symbol of violence and aggression, and also the laughter and the obscene. The singer is torn between loving this person and recognizing the toxic dynamic they share. Overall, the song seems to capture the push and pull of a love-hate relationship, where the person who makes you feel alive can also bring you to your knees.


Line by Line Meaning

You're a supplement, you're a salve
You are something that fills a gap and eases the pain in my life


You're a bandage, pull it off
You are a temporary solution that needs to be removed to truly heal


I can quit you cut it out
I have the ability to break away from you, even if it's difficult


You're a patient, iron lung
You are dependent on me to keep you alive, like a machine that forces air into your lungs


You're a cast signed broken arm
You are a visible injury that needs attention and care


You're an actor out of work
You are someone who no longer has a role, a purpose, or a job to do


You're a liar and that's the truth
You deceive me even though I know the reality of the situation


You're an extra, lost in the scene
You are someone who blends in and doesn't stand out, despite being in the midst of everything


You're a boxer in the ring
You are someone who fights for what you want, no matter the cost


With brass knuckles underneath
You are willing to cheat and take shortcuts to get what you want


You're the curses through my teeth
You bring out the worst in me and make me say things I normally wouldn't


You're the laughter, you're the obscene
You are responsible for making me laugh, but also for crossing the line in your actions or words


I think I love you, I think I'm mad
Although you bring both joy and pain into my life, I am unsure if my feelings for you are genuine or crazy




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ANNE ERIN CLARK

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

TheBoss2332

To me she seems like an artists who will evolve throughout time and I wouldn't expect any album exactly like the last.

e928r87fyw

can't believe you said this 11 years ago! how right you were

Loris

Aged like fine wine!

life's not fair reloaded

and u were so right

Berry Picker Squad Captain

This comment aged so beautifully

Christine H. Black

This song - and St. Vincent's work in general - is relentlessly amazing. Can't get it out of my head - in a good way. Am so glad to have found her!

John Butler

AGREE. I'm wondering if "The Nowhere INN" (directed by Carrie Brownstone, "Portlandia"), is relevatory. Or mysterious. Or strange. LOL.

entertainer106

I finally met her tonight after once again, a phenomenal show. (Not my first time seeing her). We chatted for a bit; she thought she knew me...she recognized me.. We got a photograph together. She signed a CD. I cried. Basically, it was the most epic moment of my life thus far.

Vintage Piss

That’s so cool. Lucky!

Mal, A Legendary Mage!

still the most epic moment?

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