Noirer Than Noir Releases Gigs Lyrics Comments

Details

Author
Robyn Hitchcock
According to our records, Robyn has played this song 18 times, most recently at Robyn & Emma's house on January 29, 2025. He first performed it at Robyn and Emma's house on December 30, 2020, 4 years earlier.
Title Artist Label Type Year
Patreon 2021 Robyn Hitchcock Internet 2021
Shufflemania! Robyn Hitchcock Tiny Ghost Records Album 2022
Venue Billed As City State Country Date
Robyn and Emma's house Robyn Hitchcock & Emma Swift London England UK 12/30/2020
Robyn and Emma's house Robyn Hitchcock & Emma Swift London England UK 01/29/2021
Robyn and Emma's house Robyn Hitchcock London England UK 10/19/2022
Unknown Hotel Robyn Hitchcock Amsterdam Netherlands 10/21/2022
Unknown Hotel Robyn Hitchcock New York New York US 11/05/2022
Cafe Nine Robyn Hitchcock New Haven Connecticut US 11/06/2022
WFMU Give the Drummer Radio Robyn Hitchcock Jersey City New Jersey US 11/07/2022
WNYC - Soundcheck Robyn Hitchcock New York New York US 11/08/2022
Relix Media Group Robyn Hitchcock New York New York US 11/08/2022
40 Watt Club Robyn Hitchcock Athens Georgia US 11/10/2022
Robyn & Emma's house Robyn Hitchcock Nashville Tennessee US 04/05/2023
Robyn & Emma's house Robyn Hitchcock Nashville Tennessee US 08/19/2024
West Malvern Social Club Robyn Hitchcock Malvern England UK 08/30/2024
Private House Robyn Hitchcock Malvern England UK 08/30/2024
The Common Room Robyn Hitchcock Newcastle upon Tyne England UK 09/03/2024
The Portland Arms Robyn Hitchcock Cambridge England UK 09/07/2024
EartH Robyn Hitchcock London England UK 09/14/2024
Robyn & Emma's house Robyn Hitchcock & Emma Swift Nashville Tennessee US 01/29/2025

Comments

Notes from Robyn on Patreon in 2021

“Noirer Than Noir” is an imaginary theme for an imaginary movie. It could even have been one of the films that George Harrison’s company Handmade Films made in the 1980s. The song’s protagonist loves the limelight and the shadows it casts, and feeds on their own personal dramas. I’m indebted to my friend the director Sebastian Gutierrez for some of the musical ideas, and for encouraging me to finish writing the piece: it’s been a long time gestating. Thanks also to Charlie Francis for fleshing this recording out with real bass and artificial marimba & vibes. Ideally you’d listen to this standing under a lamppost, with a cognac and cheroot, or the modern equivalent...

Lyrics

You’ve got to be noirer than Noir
You are
You’ve got to be fleet on your feet
You’ve got to be discreetly
Alone

You’ve got to be cool as the frost
Eliminate the dust
Alone on the phone to yourself
Who else can you trust?

If you don’t know what you’re there for
You’ll never know what you’re here for
And the sunlight wears you down

You’ve got to be noirer than Noir
You are
You never could say au revoir
Comme ça

If it was easy to love you
Wouldn’t everyone love you?
I wouldn’t bother doing anything at all
Unless I had to
I wouldn’t bother doing anything at all

You’ve got to be noirer than Noir
C’est ça
Vampire oh vampire oh vampire
Are you my dad?

The darkest thoughts in your head
Are crawling into your bed
And the sunlight wears you down

Oooh ooh noirer than Noir
Oooh ooh noirer than Noir
Oooh ooh noirer than Noir