Paris Is Burning

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St. Vincent paints a picture about a a reclusive American soldier in Paris, which by the end of WWII was lying in ruins. According to Annie Clark, the track was “written… Read More

Jul. 10, 20071 viewer16.5K views

Paris Is Burning Lyrics

[Verse 1]
I write to give word the war is over
Send my cinders home to mother
They gave me a medal for my valor
Leaden trumpets spit the soot of power

[Pre-Chorus]
They say, "I'm on your side when nobody is, 'cause nobody is
Come sit right here and sleep while I slip poison in your ear."

[Chorus]
We are waiting on a telegram to give us news of the fall
I am sorry to report, dear Paris is burning after all
We have taken to the streets in open rejoice, revolting
We are dancing a black waltz, fair Paris is burning after all

[Post-Chorus]
Oh no

[Verse 2]
Enclosed in this letter, there's a picture
Black and white for your refrigerator
Sticks and stones have made me smarter
It's words that cut me under my armor

[Pre-Chorus]
They say, "I'm on your side when nobody is, 'cause nobody is
Come sit right here and sleep while I slip poison in your ear."

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[Chorus]
We are waiting on a telegram to give us news of the fall
I am sorry to report, dear Paris is burning after all
We have taken to the streets in open rejoice, revolting
We are dancing a black waltz, fair Paris is burning after all

[Post-Chorus]
Oh no, ooh

[Outro]
Dance, poor people, dance and drown
Dance fair Paris to the ground
Dance, poor people, dance and drown
Dance fair Paris, ashes now

Dance, poor people, dance and drown
Dance fair Paris to the ground
Dance, poor people, dance and drown
Dance fair Paris, ashes now

Dance, poor people, dance and drown
Dance fair Paris to the ground
Dance, poor people, dance and drown
Dance fair Paris, ashes now

About

St. Vincent paints a picture about a a reclusive American soldier in Paris, which by the end of WWII was lying in ruins.

According to Annie Clark, the track was “written for the victims of hurricane Katrina”.

Talking about the song in an interview with QRO Mag, Clark further mentioned,

Human history was kind of on my brain, ‘cause we’re in wartime, so I was thinking about how it’s funny how some wars, by the virtue of a hundred years, of fifty years, or of two hundred years, can be glorious, or romanticized, or what have you. For me, it was an examination of that. Sort of the reality vs. the romanticism of war.