Crystal Ball

EP artwork

**Crystal Ball** is a song by Grimes. It is the 3rd track on her split EP with d'Eon, *Darkbloom*.

## Background

A demo version was released in October 2010. This version features the breakdown in the second verse as heard in the live performances of the song.

On August 13, 2011, Grimes posted a sped up version of the song to her blog d r o m e, with the caption:

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> ❝ my friend Tim sped this up, but it might be better this way ❞
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## Trivia

* A music video was released for the song, however the video was later taken down as she was unhappy with the end result, calling it a "fricking mess".

#### Background

In a blog called "Crystal Ball Music Video: a photo-essay" on Blogspot, Grimes said:
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> ❝ So I thought it's about time I wrote a post about the crystal ball video shoot.
> Everyone involved was amazing and did way more work than was expected of them. D'eon fell through ice into a freezing river and almost died, and at the end we accidently made napalm and had to flee as firetrucks arrived to save the day! The director of photography was the amazing John Londono, and the director was a crazed foreigner named Tim Kelly. [..] But despite hardship, the end results were incredible.
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> We also shot everything in double time so it could all be in slow motion in the final version, which resulted in me listening to this sped up techno version of the song about 500 times: CRYSTAL BALL 160% by grimes69
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> SPECIAL THANKS TO : MARILIS CARDINAL, TIM KELLY, JOHN LONDONO, RENATA MORALES (who did the crazy costume), JASPAR BAYDALA, SEB COWAN, THEA GOVORCHIN, CAROLINE DUTKA, CHRIS D'EON, CYNTHIA-CHRISTINA CEE, TED STAFFORD, and if anyone knows the name of the fourth slave, the male model - I would love to know so I can credit him here.. ❞
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## Lyrics

[Intro]

Ah, Mother

I reach for you in the dark

Ah, Mother

I reach for the dark

Ah, ah

[Interlude]

All alone and I can't decide

And I can't decide on him

All alone and I can't seem to

Can't seem to, oh, begin

[Refrain]

Holding on (I won't)

And I got my mind (I can't)

And I got my heart (I know)

And I'm in a bind

Holding on (I won't)

And I can't decide (I can't)

On him (I know)

I won't, I can't

I know, I'll let you go!

I won't, I can't

I know, I'll let you go!

I'll let you go!

[Verse]

I go, and I know, and I wait for you

Hold on, and go on, 'cause I'll wait for you

Faster, faster, the leaves will fall

The sky will grey and my skin will dull

Hold on, and go on, 'cause I'll wait for you

[Interlude]

All alone and I can't decide

And I can't decide on him

All alone and I can't seem to

Can't seem to, oh, begin

[Refrain]

Holding on (I won't)

And I can't decide (I can't)

I can't decide on him (I know, I'll let you go!)

Holding on (I won't)

And I can't (I can't)

Seem to, can't seem to, oh, begin

(I know, I let you go!)

[Outro]

Can't seem to begin

Can't seem to begin

(I let you go!)

Can't seem to begin

Can't seem to begin

(I let you go!)

## References

1. ↑ https://www.obscuresound.com/2010/10/grimes-halfaxa/
2. ↑ https://audeodrome.blogspot.com/2011/08/crystal-ball-by-grimes-x-2.html
3. ↑ https://youtu.be/W6mRqi1yVKI?t=271
4. ↑ https://arbutusrecords.blogspot.com/2011/01/crystal-ball-music-video-photo-essay.html