Phantogram released "Black Out Days" back in 2013 on their self-titled EP, and honestly, it shouldn't have worked as well as it did. It’s messy. It’s loud. It feels like a panic attack wrapped in a velvet blanket. Sarah Barthel’s vocals don't just sit on top of the track; they fight through it. When people go searching for black out days lyrics, they aren't usually just looking for words to sing along to at a concert. They are trying to find a name for that specific, hollow feeling of losing your grip on reality after a breakup or a mental breakdown.
The song lived a quiet, respected life for years until TikTok got a hold of it. Then, everything changed. Specifically, the "Future Islands Remix" and various slowed-plus-reverb versions turned a cult indie hit into a global anthem for the "main character" aesthetic. But if you strip away the slowed-down bass and the aesthetic filters, you're left with a lyrical structure that is surprisingly sophisticated in its simplicity.
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The Raw Anatomy of Black Out Days Lyrics
The song opens with a question that feels more like a confrontation: "Why you always gotta be calling me out?" It’s defensive. It’s tired. Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel wrote this during a period where the band was shifting from their "psych-pop" roots into something darker and more electronic.
The core of the song revolves around a few recurring motifs:
- The Phone: A symbol of unwanted tethering to a past version of yourself.
- The "Black Out": Not necessarily about drinking, but about the erasure of memory and the desire to simply not exist in the present moment.
- The Mirror: Seeing a reflection you no longer recognize.
"Hide the sun, I'm already blind." That line hits like a ton of bricks. It suggests a level of overstimulation where even the most natural thing in the world—light—is too much to bear. When you look at the black out days lyrics through the lens of sensory overload, the song stops being a breakup track and starts being an anthem for the neurodivergent or the chronically overwhelmed.
The "A-ha-ha" Hook and Vocal Texture
You can't talk about the lyrics without talking about the non-lexical vocables. That rhythmic "a-ha-ha-ha" that floats through the background isn't just filler. It functions as a heartbeat. In many ways, the production is part of the lyrical narrative. The heavy distortion on the word "stay" in the line "Stay away" mimics the very push-pull relationship the lyrics describe.
It's actually kind of wild how much the song relies on repetition. "Away, away, away, away." It sounds like an incantation. Or a plea. Depending on your mood when you listen, it either feels like you're casting someone out of your life or begging yourself to disappear.
Why the "Slowed + Reverb" Trend Changed the Meaning
The internet has a way of morphing art. When the slowed-down version of "Black Out Days" went viral, the black out days lyrics took on a new, more melancholic weight. At the original 92 BPM, the song is a frantic, driving piece of trip-hop. It’s active. It’s a chase.
But at 0.75x speed? The lyrics become a dirge.
"A thousand eyes, a thousand lies." In the original track, this line passes by quickly. In the viral remixes, every syllable is dragged out. It forces the listener to sit with the paranoia. Who is watching? Is it the public? An ex? Or just the internal critics we all carry around? This shift in tempo turned Phantogram from an indie-electronic duo into the architects of "doomer" culture for a few years.
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The Misheard Lyrics Phenomenon
People get the words wrong all the time. One of the most common mishearings is "I'm digging a hole" instead of "I'm digging a way." While "digging a hole" fits the depressive vibe of the song, "digging a way" implies effort. It implies a struggle to escape.
Another one? "Keep it all in my head" versus "Keep it all in my hand." The actual line is "I'm holding it all in my hand," which relates back to the phone mentioned in the first verse. It’s the physical weight of digital connection. We are all holding our anxieties in our hands every time we pick up our devices.
The Dark Inspiration Behind the Writing
Sarah Barthel has been open in various interviews, including deep dives with Pitchfork and NME, about the grief and transitions that have fueled Phantogram’s music. While "Black Out Days" predates the tragic loss of her sister—which heavily influenced their later album Three—the seeds of that "dark pop" sound were planted here.
The lyrics reflect a period of intense isolation in Upstate New York. The "Harmonie Lodge," where they recorded, wasn't some high-tech studio in LA. It was a barn. A big, empty, cold barn. You can hear that space in the recording. When Barthel sings about "blacking out the days," she’s talking about the monotony of creative isolation. It’s about those stretches of time where the sun rises and sets and you haven't spoken to another soul.
That’s why the song resonates with people in their 20s and 30s so deeply. It captures that specific "nothingness" of modern existence.
Breaking Down the Bridge
The bridge is where the song truly dissolves. "I'm seeing red, red, red..."
In color theory and psychology, red is the color of both love and extreme rage. It’s the color of the "fight or flight" response. The lyrics here stop trying to be clever. They stop trying to tell a story. They just describe a physiological state. Your vision narrows. Your heart rate climbs. You see red.
Most pop songs try to resolve the tension in the bridge. Phantogram does the opposite. They crank the tension until the listener feels as "blacked out" as the narrator. It's a masterclass in songwriting because it uses the black out days lyrics to create a physical reaction in the listener.
Impact on Pop Culture and Digital Media
It’s rare for a song to have two distinct lives. "Black Out Days" is one of those anomalies.
- The Original Run (2013-2014): Used in high-end commercials and TV shows like The Originals. It was the "cool" song for music supervisors.
- The TikTok Era (2020-2024): It became the soundtrack to "Sigma" edits, "Glow Up" transformations, and "POV" videos.
The reason it works for all these different formats is the ambiguity of the lyrics. Because the words are evocative but not overly specific, you can project almost any emotion onto them. Need to feel powerful? Play the original. Need to feel like a misunderstood protagonist in a rainy city? Play the remix.
Actionable Insights for Music Lovers and Creators
If you’re someone who finds themselves looping this track or digging into the black out days lyrics, there are a few ways to appreciate the craft on a deeper level.
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1. Listen to the Instrumental
To truly understand the lyrics, you have to hear what they are fighting against. Find the instrumental version of "Black Out Days." Notice how the "a-ha-ha" vocals are used as a percussive instrument. It’ll change how you hear the "words" next time.
2. Compare the Remixes
Don't just stick to the Spotify "Top Hits" version. Check out the Sub Focus Remix if you want to see how the lyrics hold up in a Drum & Bass context. It turns the "black out" from a moment of despair into a moment of pure adrenaline.
3. Explore the "Dark Pop" Genre
If the lyrical themes of Phantogram resonate with you, look into artists like Purity Ring, Crystal Castles, or CHVRCHES’ darker B-sides. There is a whole movement of music dedicated to the intersection of danceable beats and devastating lyrics.
4. Study the Vocal Layering
For aspiring singers or producers, "Black Out Days" is a case study in how to use "ghost vocals." There are dozens of layers of Sarah’s voice that you only hear if you’re wearing good headphones. These layers add a haunting, choral quality to the "black out days lyrics" that isn't apparent on a first listen.
The song isn't going anywhere. It has survived the era of Tumblr, the rise of TikTok, and the shifting landscape of streaming. As long as people feel overwhelmed by the world, they’re going to keep turning to these lyrics to find a bit of company in the dark.