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.
Piece of Me
St. Vincent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the head from all the back and forth
And maybe i just wanna get some silence
With you by my side of course
Lately i've been a little worried
About what's in front of me
And lately i can't shake this feeling that you're haunting me, baby
I've been passing through
And i swear you saw me, you saw me
I've been feeling out of tune
And i know you're missing me
Yeah
I'm going crazy i'm going crazy i'm goin crazy
Crazy for your love
And baby it's driving me, it's driving me
Dizzy for your love
And it's killing me slowly, slowly
Soak up these feelings and lock it in my head
Yeah I'm feeling free
There's always something that's gonna be said
So here's a piece of me
Lately i can't seem to get it past me
Memories of the year before
And lately it's been crawling through my head
Like a spider going back a forth
So maybe this time i'll choose to look at
What's in front of me
Maybe ill stop getting this feeling
That you're watching me
I've been passing through
I know you saw me, you saw me
I've been feeling out of tune
I know you're missing me, you're missing me
You're fucking crazy you're fucking crazy you're fucking crazy
Crazy for my love
And baby its haunting me, it's haunting me
Holding onto what once was
You choose the ending, now end this
I've soaked up those feelings now i lock it in my head
Yeah i'm feeling so free
And there's always something
That's gotta be said, so here's a piece of me
The lyrics of St. Vincent's song "Piece of Me" delve into the complexities of love, longing, and haunting memories. The singer expresses a sense of inner turmoil and weariness, feeling "tattered in the head" from the constant internal struggles and uncertainties. The desire for peace and quiet is juxtaposed with the need for companionship and solace, symbolized by wanting to have someone "by my side." This reflects a yearning for emotional stability amidst inner chaos.
The lyrics also touch upon the theme of being haunted by past experiences and memories, unable to shake off the feeling of being pursued by them. The repetition of feeling "crazy" and "out of tune" suggests a sense of disorientation and emotional imbalance caused by lingering past encounters. The singer acknowledges that these memories are like a relentless spider, continuously weaving back and forth through their mind, creating a sense of unease and discomfort.
There is a palpable sense of yearning and longing throughout the song, as the singer grapples with the weight of nostalgia and the struggle to move forward. The mention of being "driving me dizzy" and "killing me slowly" highlights the emotional toll of holding onto past love and memories, even as they try to break free and find solace in the present moment. The internal conflict between holding on and letting go is a recurring theme, mirroring the push and pull of emotional attachment and detachment.
Ultimately, the lyrics convey a sense of catharsis and release as the singer decides to confront their inner turmoil and feelings head-on. By choosing to face "what's in front of them" and metaphorically locking away their emotions, they find a sense of freedom and liberation. The act of offering "a piece of me" signifies a willingness to share their vulnerabilities and truths with others, despite the complexities and uncertainties that love and memory may bring. In this emotional journey, the singer confronts their past, embraces their present, and looks towards a future where they can find closure and peace.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe i'm just a little bit tattered
Perhaps I am a bit worn out and damaged
In the head from all the back and forth
Mentally exhausted from constant conflicts
And maybe i just wanna get some silence
And perhaps I simply desire some peace and quiet
With you by my side of course
When you are around, naturally
Lately i've been a little worried
Recently, I've been feeling anxious
About what's in front of me
Concerned about what lies ahead
And lately i can't shake this feeling that you're haunting me, baby
And I can't get rid of this sensation that you are lingering in my thoughts, my dear
I've been passing through
I've been moving along
And i swear you saw me, you saw me
And I believe you noticed me, you noticed me
I've been feeling out of tune
I've been feeling disconnected
And i know you're missing me
And I am aware that you long for me
I'm going crazy i'm going crazy i'm goin crazy
I am losing my mind, I am truly going insane
Crazy for your love
Absolutely infatuated with your affection
And baby it's driving me, it's driving me
And my love for you is consuming me, it's consuming me
Dizzy for your love
Feeling dizzy from the intensity of your love
And it's killing me slowly, slowly
And it's slowly wearing me down
Soak up these feelings and lock it in my head
Absorb these emotions and engrave them in my mind
Yeah I'm feeling free
Yes, I am experiencing a sense of liberation
There's always something that's gonna be said
There will always be something that needs to be expressed
So here's a piece of me
So, here is a part of myself for you
Maybe i can't seem to get it past me
Perhaps I am struggling to move beyond it
Memories of the year before
Recollections of the previous year
And lately it's been crawling through my head
And recently, it has been creeping around my mind
Like a spider going back a forth
Similar to a spider moving back and forth
So maybe this time i'll choose to look at
Perhaps this time I will decide to examine
What's in front of me
What is ahead of me
Maybe ill stop getting this feeling
Perhaps I will no longer experience this sensation
That you're watching me
That you are monitoring me
You're fucking crazy you're fucking crazy you're fucking crazy
You are absolutely insane, you are absolutely insane, you are absolutely insane
Crazy for my love
Obsessed with my love
And baby its haunting me, it's haunting me
And my affection for you is troubling me, it's troubling me
Holding onto what once was
Clutching onto the past
You choose the ending, now end this
You decide how it concludes, now bring this to an end
You're missing me, you're missing me
You long for me, you long for me
I've soaked up those feelings now i lock it in my head
I have absorbed those emotions and now retain them in my mind
And there's always something
And there is constantly something
That's gotta be said, so here's a piece of me
That needs to be communicated, so here is a part of myself
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Sophie St James
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind