Black Rainbow
St. Vincent with Andrew Bird Lyrics

There's a black rainbow above my house
The singer is metaphorically describing a feeling of impending doom or negativity hovering over their life.

Match the curtains and the floor
The atmosphere within the singer's home coincides with their dark feelings, as if everything is blending into one another.

I think I'm glass I think I'm breaking it
The singer is feeling very fragile and vulnerable, as if they are on the edge of breaking down.

Wrecking ball outside the door
The artist is describing a sense of danger and chaos lurking just outside their home.

Let the children act like furniture
The artist is observing children being made to behave as if they are objects, for the benefit of adult company.

For the ladies of the lawn
The singer is specifically referring to older women who are privileged enough to enjoy their leisure time in manicured outdoor spaces.

But I can't see them, I can't see at all.
The singer has become blind to their surroundings due to their own internal struggles, which have taken over their perception of the world.

Here it's nighttime, all the time
The artist feels as if they are living in a perpetual state of darkness and sadness.

Bird outside the kitchen, fightin' his reflection
The artist is observing a bird exhibiting self-destructive behavior, as if it is fighting itself.

Tell him I got nothin' for him
The artist acknowledges the bird's presence, but is unable or unwilling to provide any help or comfort.

What's he gonna win when he wins?
The singer questions the bird's motives and what it is ultimately trying to achieve by fighting its own reflection.

The unkissed boys and girls of paradise
The artist is referring to innocent people who are living a life of ignorance or bliss, unaware of the harsh realities of the world.

Are lining up around the block
The singer is observing how many people are seeking a way out of their idealized existence and towards something else.

Back pockets full of dynamite
The people looking for change are prepared to take drastic measures to achieve it.

While neighbors talk and talk and talk
The people in the singer's community are vocal and gossip-prone, but unwilling to take any real action towards change.

Throw the phone out the window
The artist is expressing a desire to disconnect from the world, both literally and metaphorically, as the phone represents constant communication and interruption.

If you want the neighbors woke
The artist is suggesting that the only way to get people to pay attention is to do something drastic.

You'll have to shout out loud and set the bell and slow
The singer is using metaphorical language to describe the need to make a lot of noise and create chaos in order to wake people up and inspire action.

If you want the neighbors woke, you'll have to shout even louder
The singer reiterates a need for heightened attention and action, and that simply doing what has been done before will not be enough to incite change.