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The Party Lyrics

Honey, the party, you went away quickly
But oh, that's the trouble with ticking and tocking
I lick the ice cubes from your empty glass
Oh, we've stayed much too late
'til they're cleaning the ashtrays

Do you have change or a button or cash?
Oh, my pockets hang out like two surrender flags
Oh, but I'd pay anything to keep my conscience clean
Keeping my eye on the exits, I'm steady now

How did we get here?
With creaks in these chairs
Oh there aren't enough hands to point all the fingers

But I sit transfixed by a hole in your t-shirt
Oh I've said much too much and they're trying to sweep up
14 Meanings

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Cover art for The Party lyrics by St. Vincent

I think it's "keeping my eye on the exit sign(s) steady now..."

Cover art for The Party lyrics by St. Vincent

It is such a hot, romantic song. To me it is what happens to Cinderella when she ignores the midnight curfew. The prince is into her anyway, regardless of class standing or money in her pockets. So they just stay and close the ball down. All the other suitors she that they have no chance and leave. I especially love when the song switches to a waltz tempo and you can almost see the glitter ball and the confetti...and streamers and what not. It's just such a great start to a relationship. The imagery of her turned out pockets and hopefully acceptance by the prince....Ou la la...it would be hotter still if this were about David Byrne. They are so good on stage together.

My Interpretation
Cover art for The Party lyrics by St. Vincent

So far, these are my favourite lyrics on the album. "But oh, that's the trouble with ticking and talking"

Definitely "talking" as in you love talking to this person so much the time just flew past. Great song!

Cover art for The Party lyrics by St. Vincent

"...sweep up"

Cover art for The Party lyrics by St. Vincent

The opening line is just:

Honey, the party went away quickly

She hangs on the second syllable in "party", rather than saying "you". She slurs many of the words together ... like she was the last one to leave a party. Brilliant.

My Interpretation

yeah, although it may be:

"Honey, the party, it went away quickly."

and also i agree with charlottewrobots about it being "exit signs"

Cover art for The Party lyrics by St. Vincent

I think this song is about an affair: "Oh, but I'd pay anything to keep my conscience clean Keeping my eye on the exits, I'm steady now"

The way she describes in detail her surroundings like "creaks in these chairs" and "hole in your t-shirt" shows that she's being very careful and observant of this new person she is with.

Absolutely love this song! Her tone and timing are perfect in every second of the track.

spot on!

Cover art for The Party lyrics by St. Vincent

i feel like this is the moment when you meet someone at a party and you're kind of hoping to hook up - you're talking and suddenly the time flies - you're so ready to surrender yourself to this person but something is still keeping you from giving in until suddenly the party's over, have you lost your chance? what do you do now? find someplace new to go or part ways?

My Interpretation
Cover art for The Party lyrics by St. Vincent

"But I sit transfixed by a hole in your t-shirt I said much too much in the trying to speak up."

I love that kind of detail, it's almost overly sentimental. And the pace of that couplet is just perfect.

corrected the lyrics. Although I really liked the "I said much too much in the trying to speak up" It is more sentimental, but i think that it suits the song. Oh well, I'll still be singing it that way to myself. :)

Cover art for The Party lyrics by St. Vincent

All of this song, to me, reminds me of what anxiety is like, especially when you're thrown into a social situation. The slow, slurred delivery seems like her trying to spit out her scattered thoughts as well as she can, and the feeling of sitting "transfixed by a hole in your t-shirt Oh I've said much too much and they're trying to sweep up" just seems to emulate that lack of confidence from doing little mistakes. Maybe I'm just crazy haha.

ticking and talking

Cover art for The Party lyrics by St. Vincent

Pretty sure it's "Oh, we stayed much too late", "I'd pay anything"... and also "I've said much too much and they're trying to speak up"?

 
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