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.
Dinner For Two
St. Vincent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ooh, already it was dark outside
Tables set with china dishes
We're welcomed in with tiny kisses
What's her name; I don't remember
Isn't that the famous author
Harry's gonna get some appetizers
Well, he's keeping out of range of small arms fire
Now she's crawling on the floor, across the kitchen
Something I should tell you,
But we are never alone
Tanks outside the bedroom window
We'll be okay with the curtain closed
The guests are fine behind the sofa
It's much too late, they should not go home
Something I should tell you,
But we are never alone
Up by dawn, already morning
I ask myself what is going on
Some tender words and sidelong glances
Are you okay, have you lived here long?
Underneath the stairway,
Somebody's changing her clothes
Sweaters and a t-shirt,
Silk dresses cover the floor
Sit down by my side
Take my overcoat
When will we get out
Maybe we will soon
Some of us losing it
Some of us breaking down
Some of us speaking out
Used to it now
Something I should tell you,
But we are never alone
There's something I should tell you,
And I've been waiting so long
When it's over with, going our separate ways
How about you and me;
Dinner for two
The lyrics in St. Vincent/David Byrne's song, Dinner For Two, paints a surreal picture of a dinner party that is best described as unconventional. The song begins with the guests arriving late in the evening with the tables already set with china dishes. The singer welcomes the guests with tiny kisses but cannot remember the name of one of them. The lyrics, "What's her name; I don't remember/Isn't that the famous author," are suggestive of a tension or unease that is present in the atmosphere of the party.
The lyrics continue with Harry retrieving appetizers, and Dina crawling on the floor, fixing a phone. Meanwhile, the guests are fine hiding behind the sofa. At this point, the lyrics depict a bizarre scenario, tanks outside the bedroom window, but the situation seems sensibly contained by the dark curtains. As dawn breaks, the singer contemplates the events of the evening and reflects on what is going on. The guests seem to be enjoying themselves, with the occasional sidelong glance and tender words exchanged.
The song's chorus repeats the lyrics, "Something I should tell you, but we are never alone," and again, "There's something I should tell you, and I've been waiting so long," which could suggest that the singer is harboring a secret. The lyrics build up to the song's climax, where the singer asks, "When it's over with, going our separate ways How about you and me; Dinner for two," bringing the surreal dinner party to a close.
Line by Line Meaning
By the time the guests arrive
The guests were due to arrive very soon
Ooh, already it was dark outside
The time was evening and the sky had turned dark
Tables set with china dishes
The tables had been prepared with ceramic dishes
We're welcomed in with tiny kisses
The guests were greeted with small kisses
What's her name; I don't remember
The host couldn't recall the name of a guest
Isn't that the famous author
The host believes that one of the guests was a popular writer
Harry's gonna get some appetizers
Harry had been tasked with fetching some starters
Well, he's keeping out of range of small arms fire
Harry is avoiding a minor conflict
Dina has a phone; she says it's working
Dina confirms the phone's functionality to others
Now she's crawling on the floor, across the kitchen
Dina gets down on her hands and knees to do something in the kitchen
Something I should tell you,
The singer feels that they need to reveal something significant
But we are never alone
The artist's words cannot be kept private
Tanks outside the bedroom window
There are tanks situated outside the room's window
We'll be okay with the curtain closed
The singer feels they will be fine with the curtains closed
The guests are fine behind the sofa
The guests hiding behind the sofa seem safe
It's much too late, they should not go home
The guests shouldn't leave due to the situation's precariousness
Up by dawn, already morning
As day breaks, morning arrives
I ask myself what is going on
The singer queries the unfolding circumstances
Some tender words and sidelong glances
The guests exchange affectionate words and looks
Are you okay, have you lived here long?
The guests inquire about how each other are doing and how long they've resided there
Underneath the stairway,
A person is located beneath the staircase
Somebody's changing her clothes
A female guest is changing her attire
Sweaters and a t-shirt,
She's changing into casual wear
Silk dresses cover the floor
Silken dresses are strewn on the floor
Sit down by my side
The singer asks someone to sit by their side
Take my overcoat
The singer offers their coat to someone
When will we get out
The guests are curious about leaving the place
Maybe we will soon
There's a possibility of them departing soon
Some of us losing it
Some of them are losing their grip on the situation
Some of us breaking down
Some of them are succumbing to pressure and emotions
Some of us speaking out
Some of them are voicing their thoughts and feelings
Used to it now
They are accustomed to the turmoil around them
There's something I should tell you,
The artist really feels the need to say something important
And I've been waiting so long
The artist has kept it inside for some time now
When it's over with, going our separate ways
When the situation is resolved, and they'll begin to depart
How about you and me; Dinner for two
The artist invites someone for dinner after they leave
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANNIE CLARK, DAVID BYRNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind