Circumambient

Album artwork

**Circumambient** is a song by Grimes. Appearing on her third studio album, *Visions*, it is the 5th track on the album.

## Background

When asked which *Visions* track expresses the highest level of insanity, Grimes replied:

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> ❝ The moment of highest insanity would probably have been around the “Circumambient” period. I just played a loop of the chorus for, like, eight hours or something and paced and smoked. I just remember listening to that song for a really long period of time. I remember I kept going through this phase of hating myself and then of having these delusions of grandeur, back and forth, in this really weird way. It was kind of fun. I like being removed from other people, because the further I am from what other people are thinking, the better my writing will be. And then the videos are my equivalent of having a band, because it’s the only time that I am really creative in a social way — at least concerning Grimes stuff. It’s like the same thing when you’re playing live — you’re taking something that’s so incredibly personal and weird and removed and trying to put it into a very social, communal, vaguely celebratory place. The way in which my music is actually executed and the way in which it’s received is totally different from how it’s actually made. ❞
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For the 2022 re-release of the *Visions* vinyl, Grimes shared more information about the song:

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> ❝ Funnily enough, to me, I thought this was the single at the time. Like I thought it was this big commercial Britney Spears type bop hahaha. I sort of wish I never discovered pop culture cuz I miss the insane version of myself that made this and was totally confused about how humans perceive music. ❞
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## Trivia

* The word "Circumambient" means: encompassing, surrounding, enveloping.
* A music video for the song was planned to be released.

## Lyrics

In live performances, sometimes Grimes sings "solve them" instead of "stop them".

[Verse 1]

Oh, baby, I can't say

That everything is okay

'Cause I have a problem

And I don't know how to stop them

But, baby, I can't do

Anything to help you

Cause I'm working to the bone

And you know it's gonna stay [?] (baby)

[Chorus]

Hey, I'ma, hey, I'ma, ready to say, I'ma

Working to the bone all day, I'ma

[vocal chops] (In time!)

Hey, I'ma, hey, I'ma, ready to say, I'ma

Working to the bone all day, I'ma

[vocal chops] (In time!)

(In time!)

Baby

[Verse 2]

Oh, baby, I can't say

That everything is okay

'Cause I have a problem

And I don't know how to stop them

Oh, baby, I can't do

Oh, anything to help you

'Cause I'm working to the bone

And you know, and you know

You're gonna have to play alone

[Chorus]

Hey, I'ma, hey, I'ma, ready to say, I'ma

Working to the bone all day, I'ma

Hey, I'ma, hey, I'ma, ready to say, I'ma

Working to the bone all day, (In time!)

Hey, I'ma, hey, I'ma, ready to say, I'ma

Working to the bone all day, (In time!)

Hey, I'ma, hey, I'ma, ready to say, I'ma

Working to the bone all day, (In time!)

I'ma, I'ma, I'ma, I'ma

I'ma, I'ma, I'ma, I'ma

## References

1. ↑ https://archive.nytimes.com/tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/18/styled-to-a-t-grimes/
2. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/Grimes/comments/sr5yay/listening\_note\_booklet/
3. ↑ https://musicfeeds.com.au/features/the-grime-on-grimes/
4. ↑ https://youtu.be/SjAd3F3M3js