You're listening to Song Exploder, where musicians take apart their songs and piece by piece, tell the story of how they were made.

I'm Rishikesh Herway.

This episode contains explicit language.

Annie Clark grew up in Texas. She studied the guitar and moved to New York in the mid-2000s.

She started recording and performing under the name St Vincent in 2006.

She's released five albums. She won a Grammy for Best Alternative Out in 2014.

Earlier this year, in 2017, St Vincent released this song called New York, about the city and neighborhood she calls home.

Although nowadays, Annie splits her time between coasts.

I spoke to her about this song at her studio in Los Angeles.

And if you missed it earlier, just a heads up that this episode contains explicit language.

A lot of explicit language.

Starting now.

I get a lot of pleasure from saying fuck.

I love that word. It's so satisfying. It's such a satisfying word to say.

It just came out. I mean, it was just very natural.

The only motherfucker in the city.

And I just like the idea of using, you know, really blue language as a term of endearment.

This motherfucker, like that motherfucker, in a way.

Like, motherfucker, better get his shit together.

I think it's funny.

You know, my mother would be horrified, but I've been cursing like a sailor since I was eight.

I mean, it's just how you talked on the playground.

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