Savior
St Vincent Lyrics
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It rides and sticks to my thighs and my hips
You put me in a teacher's little denim skirt
Ruler and desk so I can make it hurt
But I keep you on your best behavior
Honey, I can't be your savior
Love you to the grave and farther
You dress me in a nun's black outfit
Hail Mary past, 'cause you know I grab it
Hand me a badge, and a little billy club
Like I'm supposed to book you on a hit-and-run
Adore you to the grave and farther
Honey, I can't be your martyr
Maybe it's just human nature
But honey, I can't be your savior
But then you say, "Please"
Then you say, "Please"
Dress me in leather
Oh, that's a little better
But that's still not it
None of this shit fits
But I keep you on your best behavior
Honey, I can't be your savior
Love you to the grave and farther
Honey, I am not your martyr
But then you say, "Please"
Then you say, "Please"
"Please"
"Please"
"Please" (They call me a strange girl, and they speak to me in verses)
"Please" (I got 'em tryin' to save the world, they said, "girl, you're not Jesus")
"Please" (They call me a strange girl, and they speak to me in verses)
(I got 'em tryin' to save the world, they said, "girl, you're not Jesus")
"Please" (They call me a strange girl, and they speak to me in verses)
I got 'em tryin' to save the world, they said, "girl, you're not Jesus"
"Please" (I got 'em tryin' to save the world)
"Please" (They call me a strange girl, and they speak to me in verses)
"Please" (I got 'em tryin' to save the world, they said, "girl, you're not Jesus")
In "Savior," St. Vincent explores themes of power dynamics, control, and the pressure to fulfill others' expectations. The lyrics describe various scenarios in which the singer is objectified and placed in different roles, such as a nurse, teacher, and nun, by their partner. However, despite being dressed up and expected to fulfill these roles, the singer asserts their own agency and rejects the notion of being a savior or martyr.
The first verse introduces the idea that the partner tries to control the singer's appearance and behavior through various outfits. The nurse outfit represents a sexual objectification, while the teacher role implies the partner's desire for domination. The singer acknowledges that they play along but emphasizes that they cannot be their partner's savior or martyr. They acknowledge their love for their partner but assert their own boundaries and limitations.
The second verse continues this theme of control and expectations. The nun outfit symbolizes the partner's attempt to involve religion and guilt in their power dynamics. The mention of a badge and a billy club suggests a role akin to a police officer, as if the partner expects the singer to enforce their desires through force. Again, the singer rejects the idea of being a martyr and asserts that they cannot fulfill their partner's expectations.
The repetition of the phrase "But then you say, 'Please'" suggests that their partner may rely on manipulation tactics to try to convince the singer to fulfill their desires. However, the singer remains defiant and unwilling to conform to these expectations. The subsequent verse dismisses leather as another attempted outfit choice that still fails to fit their true identity.
The repeated refrain expresses the singer's inability to be their partner's savior or martyr. It emphasizes their own agency and independence. The final lines of the song confront the societal expectations placed on the singer. They are called a strange girl and people speak to them in verses, implying that they are seen as an anomaly or outsider. This puts pressure on the singer to conform and save the world, but they rightfully reject this burden, as others recognize that they are not Jesus.
Overall, "Savior" delves into the complexities of power dynamics within relationships, the importance of asserting personal boundaries, and the pressure to fulfill society's expectations. St. Vincent's lyrics poetically express the singer's defiance against being objectified and controlled, asserting their own autonomy and rejecting the role of a savior or martyr.
Line by Line Meaning
You dress me up in a nurse's outfit
You manipulate and control me, using me for your own desires and fantasies
It rides and sticks to my thighs and my hips
I feel trapped and restricted by the way you objectify and sexualize me
You put me in a teacher's little denim skirt
You expect me to play a submissive role, enforcing your rules and desires
Ruler and desk so I can make it hurt
You provide me with tools of authority and power, expecting me to punish and dominate
But I keep you on your best behavior
Despite your attempts to control me, I refuse to give in and maintain my own boundaries and independence
Honey, I can't be your savior
I cannot be the one who saves you from your problems and insecurities
Love you to the grave and farther
I care for you deeply and unconditionally
Honey, I am not your martyr
But I won't sacrifice myself and my own happiness for you
You dress me in a nun's black outfit
You try to control me through religious symbolism and guilt
Hail Mary past, 'cause you know I grab it
You exploit my past and use it against me to manipulate and shame me
Hand me a badge, and a little billy club
You expect me to enforce your rules and discipline you with authority
Like I'm supposed to book you on a hit-and-run
You expect me to punish you for your mistakes and keep you in line
Adore you to the grave and farther
I have great love and admiration for you, even beyond death
Honey, I can't be your martyr
But I won't sacrifice myself and my own happiness for you
Maybe it's just human nature
Perhaps it's inherent in our nature as humans
But honey, I can't be your savior
But I cannot be the one who rescues you from your own issues
But then you say, "Please"
However, you plead with me, appealing to my emotions and desires
Dress me in leather
You try to change your approach, hoping a different type of control will work
Oh, that's a little better
You think this new tactic might be an improvement
But that's still not it
But it still doesn't meet my needs and desires
None of this shit fits
None of your attempts to control and manipulate me are successful
Then you say, "Please"
You continue to ask and beg, hoping I will eventually give in
"Please"
"Please"
"Please"
"Please"
"Please" (They call me a strange girl, and they speak to me in verses)
"Please" (People label me as unconventional and communicate with me in poetic ways)
"Please" (I got 'em tryin' to save the world, they said, "girl, you're not Jesus")
"Please" (Others expect me to fix their problems and save them, but I cannot be their savior)
"Please" (They call me a strange girl, and they speak to me in verses)
"Please" (People label me as unconventional and communicate with me in poetic ways)
(I got 'em tryin' to save the world, they said, "girl, you're not Jesus")
(People expect me to solve global issues, but I am not capable of being their messiah)
"Please" (They call me a strange girl, and they speak to me in verses)
"Please" (People label me as unconventional and communicate with me in poetic ways)
I got 'em tryin' to save the world, they said, "girl, you're not Jesus"
People put pressure on me to fix the world's problems, but they remind me that I am not divine like Jesus
"Please" (I got 'em tryin' to save the world)
"Please" (People desperately want me to rescue and improve the world)
"Please" (They call me a strange girl, and they speak to me in verses)
"Please" (People label me as unconventional and communicate with me in poetic ways)
"Please" (I got 'em tryin' to save the world, they said, "girl, you're not Jesus")
"Please" (Others expect me to fix their problems and save them, but I cannot be their savior)
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Annie Clark
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
a a
She wrote this song before even making Masseduction. Burned it into a disk, wrote ‘my first single’ on it and distributed among her friends.
DeFi Si
I thought it was just the melody that she'd written but the rest of the song came later? She talks about it in her Master Class (which is amazing, by the way!)
MrSensical
This conference interview thing was so iconic 😫 Masseduction era was wild
Callista Teresa
absolute favourite from masseduction. dunno why they're reuploading but i'll take it.
Eikuulu Sulle
because youtube (google) and music industry as a whole is super shitty for real artists like Annie Clark. (Now they demanded these songs as vevo versions and that is why these are re-uploaded.)
Carolina Robert
This is one of my favourite song of Masseduction. ❤️
biophilia
Sensual and great flight 💕
La mas grande ST VINCENT 🤘
K-Bretta
Just struck me that your persona resonates a lot like Annie Lennox from years ago. Now that's a compliment! You do it your own way but you're trend setting. And a great musician to boot!
Andre Pienaar
Your music amazes me!! Good work.
Brais Sanchez
Great work!! Annie is a genious