Lyrics for Black Mirror as interpreted by semicharmed87

Black Mirror Lyrics
I will walk down to the ocean
After waking from a nightmare
No moon, no pale reflection
Black mirror, black mirror

Shot by a security camera
You can't watch your own image
And also look yourself in the eye
Black mirror, black mirror, black mirror

I know when the time is coming
All the words will lose their meaning
Please show me something that isn’t mine
But mine is the only kind that I relate to
Le miroir casse
The mirror casts mon reflet partout
Black mirror, black mirror, black mirror

Black mirror knows no reflection, knows not pride or vanity
Cares not about your dreams, cares not for your pyramid schemes
Their names are never spoken
The curse is never broken, the curse is never broken
Un, duex, trois, dit miroir noir
Black mirror
Un, duex, trois, dit miroir noir
Black mirror

Black mirror, black mirror
Their names are never spoken, the curse is never broken,
Their names are never spoken, the curse is never broken,
Mirror, mirror, on the wall, show me where them bombs will fall
Mirror, mirror, on the wall, show me where them bombs will fall
Black mirror, black mirror, black mirror, black mirror, black mirror, black mirror, black mirror

Interaction
Mail to a friend Send Lyrics to a Friend
Share on Facebook

Stumble It
Add to Del.icio.us Add to Del.icio.us




  • 44 Comments
  • Printer Friendly Lyrics
oldest first     Expand All
steakforchicken
01-13-2007

Rated 0 
black mirror - a mirror that shows you the thruth about yourself?

great song anyways.

Log in to reply
Checkerpig
01-26-2007

Rated 0 
A black mirror is a special mirror artists used to use. They would turn their back on a landscape or portrait and paint the reflection they saw in the mirror.

So yes I agree with steak for chicken, a mirror that shows the truth about the world.

Log in to reply
rentierk
01-31-2007

Rated 0 
Un, duex, trois, du miroir noir [one, two, three, from the black mirror]

is the corrected version. insert black. noir = black in french.

Log in to reply
rentierk
01-31-2007

Rated 0 
Un, duex, trois, du miroir noir [one, two, three, from the black mirror]

is the corrected version. insert black. noir = black in french.

Log in to reply
arianek
01-31-2007

Rated 0 
I lovelovelove this song. muchhh. The meaning is pretty obvious I think. Best song on the new cd. Can't wait until it comes out!

Log in to reply
afimrtl
02-01-2007

Rated +1 
No..."it's un deux trois, DIT miroir noir."

("One two three, say black mirror")

And that's coming straight from Win Butler himself.

Log in to reply
brokenspoons
02-04-2007

Rated 0 
I am basically really excited about the new cd

Log in to reply
uncletross
02-10-2007

Rated 0 
"Un, deux, trois, dit miroir noir"

It gives me goosebumps. It's so good.

Log in to reply
1 Reply
lachanges3
02-20-2007

Rated 0 
Don't you think there is more meaning to the song?

Log in to reply
SnwBorder52
02-20-2007

Rated 0 
the truth about america? All of Neon Bible has a general theme of anti-comercialism, materialism, politics, religion, etc. anti-american delusionalism i like to put it.

See Windowsill and Intervention.

Log in to reply
BMaloney
03-02-2007

Rated 0 
This song scares the heck out of me.

Log in to reply
yuuchuu
03-07-2007

Rated 0 
Un, deux, trois, dis miroir noir!

Je t'aime Arcade Fire!

Log in to reply
laguna20191
03-08-2007

Rated 0 
Well, that's a pretty cool reference about the black mirror and just that you'd actually think of it, but I doubt it's talking about the art technique because it actually says "black mirror knows no reflection". But since a really large amount of their songs are about death, maybe the black mirror is the uncertainty about death - when it's coming and what happens after? Either way, this song is incredible and frankly pretty scary, haha. Lots and lots of apocalyptic songs on neon bible...

Log in to reply
Th0rn
03-09-2007

Rated 0 
Jung on the shadow, and how it works collectively: "It is a frightening thought that man also has a shadow side to him, consisting not just of little weaknesses- and foibles, but of a positively demonic dynamism. The individual seldom knows anything of this; to him, as an individual, it is incredible that he should ever in any circumstances go beyond himself. But let these harmless creatures form a mass, and there emerges a raging monster; and each individual is only one tiny cell in the monster's body, so that for better or worse he must accompany it on its bloody rampages and even assist it to the utmost. Having a dark suspicion of these grim possibilities, man turns a blind eye to the shadow-side of human nature. Blindly he strives against the salutary dogma of original sin, which is yet so prodigiously true. Yes, he even hesitates to admit the conflict of which he is so painfully aware."

Log in to reply
Th0rn
03-09-2007

Rated 0 
Furthermore, for the man who is aware of the shadow: "Such a man knows that whatever is wrong in the world is in himself, and if he only learns to deal with his own shadow he has done something real for the world. He has succeeded in shouldering at least an infinitesimal part of the gigantic, unsolved social problems of our day."

I think "black mirror" is a reference to the shadow. The black ocean is the collective of shadows, the dark subconscious of our society. "Black mirror knows no reflection" in this analysis would refer to the inability of most people to become aware of or 'see' their own shadow-self. If the darkness within us is a microcosm of the darkness in the world, "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, show me where them bombs will fall" makes sense; look within the shadow, within the darkness of one's own psyche, to understand human evil.

Log in to reply
Th0rn
03-09-2007

Rated 0 
Jung on the shadow, and how it works collectively: "It is a frightening thought that man also has a shadow side to him, consisting not just of little weaknesses- and foibles, but of a positively demonic dynamism. The individual seldom knows anything of this; to him, as an individual, it is incredible that he should ever in any circumstances go beyond himself. But let these harmless creatures form a mass, and there emerges a raging monster; and each individual is only one tiny cell in the monster's body, so that for better or worse he must accompany it on its bloody rampages and even assist it to the utmost. Having a dark suspicion of these grim possibilities, man turns a blind eye to the shadow-side of human nature. Blindly he strives against the salutary dogma of original sin, which is yet so prodigiously true. Yes, he even hesitates to admit the conflict of which he is so painfully aware."

Log in to reply
Th0rn
03-09-2007

Rated 0 
that's weird -- sorry that first post re-posted itself.

Log in to reply
blueofthesky
03-11-2007

Rated -1 
While a black mirror WAS a mirror that artists use (even though the mirror wasn't really black), it is also a mirror that...wiccans or some crazy religion or something, use to see into the future. I don't know, google Black Mirror and you get all these instructions about how to make a black mirror. Personally, I think all of that is bullshit, which makes me not have very high hopes for The Arcade Fire album. Not that I think the song means that they actually use a black mirror, but I guess I just don't think this song is that great anyway.

But if you Google black mirror, the lyrics really make sense, that they're referencing the strange black mirror/crystal ball thing.

Log in to reply
thevampirevalentine
03-15-2007

Rated 0 
Well this is strange. All these theories are really interesting and nothing like my immediate one. I immediately assumed the 'black mirror' was a televison. Or rather all televisions. Its makes sense in the context of "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, show me where them bombs will fall." On the official neonbible website this song was previewed with an image of a room with a turned off tv (black mirror) mounted to the wall. Obviosuly the bombs falling refers to watching the news perhaps on iraq. I had really just assumed thats what this song was about.

To summarise I think its a very scary image of the tv as a souless thing which will serve uncaring in mans will whatever that may be. "Cares not about your dreams, cares not for your pyramid schemes" seems to show this.

Something else that may support my idea is:
"I walked down to the ocean
After waking from the nightmare"
I thought this referred to static noise that can be made by a tv.

And another could be:
"Their names are never spoken
The curse is never broken...
Un, duex, trois, dis: miroir noir
[one, two, three, say black mirror]"
I thought this was saying that the awful things we see on tv (preachers begging for money in the name of god for example) could be ended if we woke up realised it on took notice of the tv as something which is affecting society quite abruptly.

I really liked the other theories though so I'm not saying mine is definitive.

Log in to reply
chasingstarlightxxx
03-16-2007

Rated 0 
I LOVE vampirevalentines theory... I think that ties in best with the whole album... especially the song about "the antichrist" because it is using things to manipulate. I think Thorn's theory doesn't hold water because the theme is that general humans are good but are spoiled by commercialism. Same with the other ones

Log in to reply
zhicago
03-27-2007

Rated 0 
It's clear. This song is about what will happen to us in the end, whatever the end may be. All we know is that we are causing the end, but we can't seem to do anything about it... or can we? We know we are causing the problems, but why can't we stop it? And will it be too late?

"Black mirror knows no reflection, knows not pride or vanity
Cares not about your dreams, cares not for your pyramid schemes
Their names are never spoken
The curse is never broken, the curse is never broken"

Humankind's eventual downfall doesn't care (metaphorically) about how close you came to ALMOST caring or almost stopping bad things from happening.

Log in to reply
mick60
03-28-2007

Rated 0 
the best group to appear in the last 20 years
quite simply a "breath of fresh air"
long live TAF
LOVE "THE WINDMILL AND THE LIGHT HOUSE"
but my fav track is" LAIKA "totally awesome

Log in to reply
oahu23
04-02-2007

Rated 0 
the reflection shows the truth and if there isnt one, you are willing to open your eyes and see the truth even though its staring u in the face.

Log in to reply
The_Yoshinator
04-10-2007

Rated 0 
This song reminds me of Neighborhood #3 (Power Out). Power Out was about apathy of people as a whole but was played with a fast tempo and was sung in a very panicked fashion to show that something needs to be done about it, and fast.

Black Mirror could very well be the response to Power Out. The people are told that their apathy needs to end, but their apathy is kept in place by itself. The end finally comes and they are judged with the same apathy that they harbored for so long (Cares not about your dreams, cares not for your pyramid schemes).

Black Mirror's play style takes an unsympathetic tone, matching the content of the lyrics, whereas Power Out had an opposite tone to the lyrics' direct content.

Just some thoughts after reading through the comments. I absolutely LOVE where the Arcade Fire's sound has gone with this album.

Log in to reply
The_Yoshinator
04-10-2007

Rated 0 
There's an interesting instrumental version of this song on the website. Go to the phone archives page and click on the neon wheel.

Log in to reply




  • Add Your Comments
What does this song mean to you?

You must be logged in to post your comments.

Feel free to create an account with us, or log in with your existing account, to start adding your comments to songs.





Popular
Top:   Lyrics, Artists, Albums
Random:   Lyric, Artist, Album

Your Ad Here