St. Vincent showed up in my video round-up last year with ‘Cruel,’ a video in which she was kidnapped by a family, forced to serve them and then buried alive in the front yard.
This year she returns as a giant museum exhibit who breaks free from her bonds before literally falling to pieces.
I think the woman has some issues. Fortunately she’s working them out through compelling short films for our enjoyment.
St. Vincent’s main theme, at least in the only two songs of hers I know, seems to be the oppression of women. First a housewife literally held captive in a home and then buried alive, and now a woman chained to the ceiling for the enjoyment of onlookers. And the lyrics of today’s track certainly underscore that message: “I don’t wanna be your cheerleader no more.”
At the end of this clip, she escapes her binds but then breaks apart, achieving freedom through her own destruction. Creepy stuff, man.
With some bad guys
I’ve told whole lies
With a half smile
Held your bare bones
With my clothes on
I’ve thrown rocks
Then hid both my arms
I don’t know what good it serves
Pouring my purse in the dirt
But I-I-I-I-I don’t wanna be your cheerleader no more
I-I-I-I-I don’t wanna be your cheerleader no more
I’ve played dumb
When I knew better
Tried too hard
Just to be clever
I know honest thieves
I call family
I’ve seen America
With no clothes on
But I-I-I-I-I don’t wanna be a cheerleader no more
I-I-I-I-I don’t wanna be a cheerleader no more
I don’t know what I deserve
But for you I could work
‘Cause I don’t wanna be a cheerleader no more
I don’t wanna be a cheerleader no more
I don’t wanna be a cheerleader no more
I don’t wanna be a dirt eater no more
I don’t wanna be a dirt eater no more
I don’t wanna be a cheerleader no more
Boy, this woman knows how to make videos that leave a lasting impression!
I liked it, artistically a bit more than musically. that was cool!