Written by lead singer- songwriter Adrianne Lenker ‘Vampire Empire’ explores vulnerability amidst emotional intensity
Love a good vampire song, and Big Thief‘s ‘Vampire Empire,’ released in September 2023, is no exception. Pulsating with a dark energy it transcends a typical love song.
Forget moonlight serenades, this is a brooding anthem about a relationship teetering on the edge.
The title, and the vampire empire meaning is open to interpretation. It could symbolize a controlling partner who drains the life out of the other, an all-consuming societal pressure, or even a metaphor for the destructive nature of some relationships themselves.
The lyrics are fragmented and cryptic, “you turn me inside out and then you want the outside in” yet mirror the emotional turmoil within the song.
The opening paints a picture of exhaustion: “Watching TV tired, bleeding on the bed / The milk has just expired, all the leaves are dead.” It’s a scene of decay, hinting at a relationship past its prime.
The power struggle between the two characters becomes evident. “I’m not quiet, you’ve been quiet, just receiving what you said / Reeling, feeding,” the singer reflects. One partner feels unheard, the other silent but possibly absorbing everything. The “feeding” could be a metaphor for one taking advantage of the other’s emotional vulnerability.
The chorus explodes with raw frustration: “This is the ending, the empire in decline / We built it all up, just to watch it unwind.” Their world, once promising, is crumbling. There’s a sense of inevitability, a recognition that this “empire” is doomed.
The song continues with fragmented images that fuel the sense of unease: cobwebs, flickering lights, a search for escape. “Is there a way out of this, out of your mind?” the singer pleads.
‘Vampire Empire,’ doesn’t offer easy answers. It’s a song that lingers, leaving the listener to ponder the complexities of love, power, and the potential for destruction within even the closest bonds. Listen to the track and check out the full lyrics for big thief vampire empire lyrics below.
vampire empire lyrics
Watching TV tired, bleeding on the bedThe milk has just expired, all the leaves are deadI’m not quiet, you’ve been quiet, just receiving what you saidReeling, feeding, feeling, filled by everything you fedI see you as you see yourself through all the books you readOverwhelmed with guilt and realizing the disease
You give me chills, I’ve had it with the drillsI’m nothing, you are nothing, we are nothing with the pillsI am empty ’til she fills, alive until she killsIn her vampire empire, I amFalling, yeahFalling, yeah
I see you there, rejecting all your earthly powerProtecting and dissecting ’til you’ve emptied every hourWe jumped into the pond and then come under the showerYou lay upon my pillow and you open like a flower
I wanted to see you naked, I wanted to hear you screamWanted to kiss your skin and your everythingI wanted to be your woman, I wanted to be your manI wanted to be the one that you could understand
You give me chills, I’ve had it with the drillsI’m nothing, you are nothing, we are nothing with the pillsI’m empty ’til she fills, alive until she killsIn her vampire empire, I amFalling, yeahFalling, yeah
Well, I walked into your dagger for the last timeIt’s like trying to start a fire with matches in the snowWhere you can’t seem to hold me, can’t seem to let me goSo I can’t find surrender and I can’t keep control
You turn me inside out, and then you want me outside inYou spin me all around, and then you ask me not to spinYou say you wanna be alone and you want childrenYou wanna be with me and you wanna be with him
You give me chills, I’ve had it with the drillsI’m nothing, you are nothing, we are nothing with the pillsI am empty ’til she fills, alive until she killsIn her vampire empire, I amFalling, yeahFalling, yeah
Falling, yeahFalling, yeahFalling, yeahFalling, yeah
Check out our interview with Adrianne Lenker here.
