A pseudonym of Annie Clark (b. 28 Sept 1982), a USA multi-instrumentalist s… Read Full Bio ↴A pseudonym of Annie Clark (b. 28 Sept 1982), a USA multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter. She was a member of The Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens' touring band. Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, she began playing the guitar at the age of 12 and as a teenager worked as the tour manager for her uncle's band Tuck & Patti. She grew up in Dallas and attended Lake Highlands High School, graduating in 2001. Following this, she went on to attend Berklee College of Music, dropping out 3 years later. Soon after this, she joined The Polyphonic Spree. In 2003, during her time at Berklee, she released an EP with fellow students, entitled Ratsliveonnoevilstar.

Clark joined Sufjan Stevens' touring band in 2006, bringing with her a tour EP entitled Paris Is Burning. It contains three tracks, including a cover version of Jackson Browne's These Days.

Clark released her début album, Marry Me, 10 July 2007 on Beggars Banquet Records. Named after a line from the cult-hit television show Arrested Development, the LP features appearances from drummer Brian Teasley (Man or Astro-man?, The Polyphonic Spree), Mike Garson (David Bowie's longtime pianist), and horn player Louis Schwadron (The Polyphonic Spree).

In 2008 Clark was nominated for three PLUG Independent Music Awards: New Artist of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, and Music Video of the Year, and on 6 March 2008, she won the Female Artist of the Year award.

Her second album for 4AD, entitled Actor, was released on 5 May 2009. It was written entirely by Clark and produced by Clark and John Congleton of The Paper Chase.

The Strange Mercy Songfacts reports that Clark wrote her third album in Seattle. She decamped to the Northwestern city to escape from the information overload she was experiencing at home and recorded Strange Mercy in a studio provided by Death Cab For Cutie drummer Jason McGerr. The album was released by 4AD on September 12, 2011 and peaked at #19 on the Billboard 200, making it her first Top 20 LP.

2) A pseudonym of singer-songwriter Vincent Bernardy, who has written and recorded music since 1980. see also St. Vincent Folk

3) A singer/songwriter from Victoria, Australia.

Breathe
St. Vincent Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Crazy times
Crazy days
The world has changed
Since yesterday
Up is down
Left is right
Fires burn
We're locked down tight

War
War
Cops killed a man
On TV
Public execution
And I can't breathe
War
War
Cops killed a man
On TV
Public execution
I can't breathe
Crazy times
Crazy days
Watch our freedom
Fade away
Hide your face
Keep your space
The doctor's needle
Will make you safe
War
War
For the elite
Slaves to breed
That's not freedom
And I can't breathe
War
War
For the elite
Slaves to breed

That's not freedom
I can't breathe

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to St. Vincent's song "Breathe" offer a poignant and critical reflection on the current state of the world. The opening lines, "Crazy times, Crazy days, The world has changed since yesterday," sets the tone for the song, highlighting the chaotic and ever-evolving nature of our society. The subsequent lines, "Up is down, Left is right, Fires burn, We're locked down tight," express a sense of confusion and disorientation, emphasizing the uncertainty and turmoil that have become characteristic of our times.

The lyrics then take a dramatic turn as they address the issue of police brutality and the killing of a man, which is televised for the world to witness. The repetition of the phrase "Cops killed a man on TV, Public execution, And I can't breathe" draws attention to the systemic violence and injustice prevalent in society, referencing the tragic death of George Floyd and the subsequent protests that erupted globally. The phrase "I can't breathe" serves as a powerful refrain throughout the song, representing both the literal suffocation experienced by victims of police brutality and the metaphorical suffocation felt in a society that restricts freedom.

The song then shifts its focus to address themes of control and oppression. Lines such as "The doctor's needle will make you safe" allude to the idea of conformity and submission to authority, suggesting that individuals are pressured to comply with societal norms and suppress their own autonomy. This notion is further reinforced with the lines "War for the elite, Slaves to breed, That's not freedom," highlighting the exploitation and inequality that exist within a system that favors the privileged few.

Overall, "Breathe" serves as a potent social commentary on the state of the world, touching on themes of chaos, injustice, control, and the erosion of freedom. It prompts listeners to reflect on the current state of society, urging them to question and challenge the systems that perpetuate inequality and restrict individual agency.

Line by Line Meaning

Crazy times
These are turbulent and chaotic times.

Crazy days
These days are filled with madness and confusion.

The world has changed
The world has undergone a significant transformation.

Since yesterday
Since the previous day, things have drastically shifted.

Up is down
The established norms and expectations have been inverted.

Left is right
What was once considered wrong is now embraced as right.

Fires burn
There are intense conflicts and unrest.

We're locked down tight
We are confined and restricted with little freedom.

War
There is a state of warfare or conflict.

Cops killed a man
Law enforcement officers took someone's life.

On TV
It was broadcasted on television for all to see.