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.

Young Lover
St. Vincent Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

How long has this been going on?
I found you in the bathtub
With your clothing on
Oh, so what?
Your mother did a number
So I get gloves of rubber
To clean up the spill
Yeah

(No I) young lover, begging you please to wake up
Young lover, I wish that I was your drug
(No I) young lover, I miss the taste of your tongue
(No I) young lover, I wish your love was enough, enough

You say you got no room to talk, babe
You're boozin' on a midday
And I don't see no cake
Oh, but these pills
I can't even pronounce them
Your thousand watts of light dimmed
Then you're gone again
Yeah

(No I) young lover, begging you please to wake up
Young lover, I wish that I was your drug
(No I) young lover, I miss the taste of your tongue
(No I) young lover, I wish your love was enough, enough, enough

We were in Paris, the Eiffel was shining
All that I wanted was lyin' on tilin'
I heard the robins and thought they were sirens
Wake up, young lover, I thought you were dyin'

Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, young lover
Ooh, young lover
Ooh
Ooh, young lover
Ooh, young lover
Ooh, young lover
Ooh, young lover
Ooh, young lover
Ooh, young lover
Ooh, young lover

Ooh, young lover
Ooh, young lover

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to St. Vincent's "Young Lover" are a poignant depiction of a tumultuous relationship that is constantly on the brink of falling apart. The opening lines, "How long has this been going on? / I found you in the bathtub / With your clothing on / Oh, so what?" suggest that the singer has been dealing with their partner's destructive behavior for some time, and has become desensitized to it. The reference to the mother having "done a number" hints at possible familial trauma that could be contributing to the partner's struggles.

Despite everything, the singer is still deeply drawn to their partner, as evidenced by the repeated refrain of "Young lover, I wish that I was your drug / Young lover, I miss the taste of your tongue". The song is filled with contrasting imagery, from the "gloves of rubber" used to clean up a mess to the "thousand watts of light" that the partner exudes before suddenly disappearing once again. The bridge, which describes a romantic trip to Paris that ends in dismay, serves to underscore the overall sense of despair and confusion that pervades the song.

At its core, "Young Lover" is a complex portrait of love and addiction, and the difficulties that can arise when the two become intertwined. The singer's plea for their partner to "wake up" is both literal and metaphorical, reflecting the hope that they will one day be able to break free from their destructive cycle.

Line by Line Meaning

How long has this been going on?
I found you in a bathtub with your clothes on. How long have you been struggling with addiction and hiding from your problems?

Oh, so what?
I am trying to remain nonchalant about the situation, even though finding you in this state is distressing.

Your mother did a number. So I get gloves of rubber to clean up the spill. Yeah
Your upbringing has impacted you negatively, and I am left to pick up the pieces, quite literally. But I will do what it takes to help you.

(No I) young lover, begging you please to wake up
I am pleading with you to fight your addiction and come back to me, to wake up from this nightmare.

Young lover, I wish that I was your drug
I wish I could be the solution to your problems, that I could provide the same escape and comfort as drugs do.

(No I) young lover, I miss the taste of your tongue
I miss the intimacy and connection we used to share, before drugs came between us.

(No I) young lover, I wish your love was enough, enough
I love you deeply, but love alone cannot save you from your addiction.

You say you got no room to talk, babe. You're boozin' on a midday. And I don't see no cake. Oh, but these pills.
You try to deflect from your addiction by pointing out my flaws, but your substance abuse is not something to be taken lightly.

I can't even pronounce them. Your thousand watts of light dimmed. Then you're gone again. Yeah
Your addiction has consumed you to the point where even I, someone who cares deeply for you, cannot understand the extent of your drug use. Your once-bright light has dimmed, and you disappear again into your addiction.

We were in Paris, the Eiffel was shining. All that I wanted was lyin' on tilin'. I heard the robins and thought they were sirens. Wake up, young lover, I thought you were dyin'
Once, we shared a beautiful moment in the City of Light, but now I am haunted by the sound of emergency vehicles and my fears for your life. I beg you to wake up and fight against your addiction.

Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Annie Clark

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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