Black Lake

Album: Vulnicura (2015)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Björk and artist Matthew Barney were in a relationship for over a decade and had a daughter named Isadora together. The centerpiece of Vulnicura, this 10-minute track takes place two months after they broke up in 2013.
  • Bjork's emotions are still pretty raw and the song finds the vulnerable singer dismissing her former lover. Over subdued electronics and heart rending strings, she releases her fury towards the man who stopped loving her and broke their bond. Björk admitted to Pitchfork looking back at the track in 2015: "I was really embarrassed about that song. I can still hardly listen to it."
  • At 10 minutes and 9 seconds, this is Björk's longest-ever song.
  • Björk gets frustrated that that she doesn't generally get credited as a producer. She told Time Out London in May 2018:

    "Two days ago somebody sent me an article from one of the biggest music websites which credited the silences on 'Black Lake' on Vulnicura to Arca, the producer I work with. He did the beat for that song but I had written it months before he came on the project. Those silences were already there. They were mine. The website said that he had produced the whole song, not co-produced. I'm not gonna get upset every time I see something like that. That's a waste of energy."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Lajon Witherspoon of Sevendust

Lajon Witherspoon of SevendustSongwriter Interviews

The Sevendust frontman talks about the group's songwriting process, and how trips to the Murder Bar helped forge their latest album.

Steven Tyler of Aerosmith

Steven Tyler of AerosmithSongwriter Interviews

Tyler talks about his true love: songwriting. How he identifies the beauty in a melody and turns sorrow into art.

00s Music Quiz 1

00s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

Do you know the girl singer on Eminem's "Stan"? If so, this quiz is for you.

Justin Timberlake

Justin TimberlakeFact or Fiction

Was Justin the first to be Punk'd by Ashton Kutcher? Did Britney really blame him for her meltdown? Did his bandmates think he was gay?

80s Music Quiz 1

80s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

MTV, a popular TV theme song and Madonna all show up in this '80s music quiz.

Experience Nirvana with Sub Pop Founder Bruce Pavitt

Experience Nirvana with Sub Pop Founder Bruce PavittSong Writing

The man who ran Nirvana's first label gets beyond the sensationalism (drugs, Courtney) to discuss their musical and cultural triumphs in the years before Nevermind.