"Night Mime" is an unreleased song by Melanie Martinez. It was originally intended for the 2013 EP, but the project was eventually scrapped. The song was later planned to be included on Melanie's debut album Cry Baby, but it was later cut from the album.[1] This song has been performed live multiple times during the Acoustic Tour and the Dollhouse Tour.
The full version for pitching to other artists was leaked on January 24th, 2016 and the Cry Baby version was leaked on June 4th, 2021.
Leak History
- January 19th, 2016 - A snippet of the final version intended for pitching is leaked.
- January 24th, 2016 - Full final version intended for pitching is leaked edited.
- May 7th, 2021 - A snippet of the Cry Baby version is leaked.
- May 11th, 2021 - Full final version intended for pitching is leaked unedited.
- May 11th, 2021 (later) - Full Cry Baby version is leaked in low quality.
- June 4th, 2021 - Full Cry Baby version is leaked in high quality via SoundCloud.
Background
The song was initially written and recorded in 2013 for Melanie's unreleased EP from the same year. This version of the song was produced by SmarterChild. The EP release was later scrapped. It was later re-recorded for inclusion on Melanie's debut album Cry Baby, this time being produced by Robopop. The song was later scrapped from the project. Following the release of Cry Baby, the song was reworked in January 2016 in hopes of pitching. The final version intended for pitching was likely re-produced by SmarterChild.
Theme
This song promptly talks about a relationship between two lovers. The narrator's partner isn't giving them enough attention and is metaphorically forgetting the narrator's name, hence the lyric: "Forget my name at midnight". The narrator endorses this behavior because they think of themselves as a mime; meant to be seen, not heard. The narrator can't speak or has a certain amount of trouble telling their friend/lover what they would like to say. They have insomnia, making them sleepless or causing them to have difficulty when sleeping.
Official versions
- Cry Baby version (produced by Robopop) — 3:44
- Pitch version (produced by SmarterChild) — 4:59
Videos
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Hold those bloodshot eyes
Dip them in Visine and lights
Forget my name at midnight
It's okay, I'm a mime
[Instrumental]
[Verse 2]
Stay up late with broken minds
No text from you but I'll be fine
I fall asleep with ocean eyes
I say no words like a midnight mime
Mime, midnight mime
[Instrumental]
[Verse 1]
Hold those bloodshot eyes
Dip them in Visine and lights
Forget my name at midnight
It's okay, I'm a mime
[Chorus]
I'm tongue tied in the night time
Silent, sleepless 'til the sunrise
Claustrophobic with no night light, night light
I'll just wait here for the sunrise so you can crawl back into my life
Until then I'll be the night mime, night mime
[Post-Chorus]
Get out, get out
Get out, get out
Get out, get out
[Verse 2]
Stay up late with broken minds
No text from you but I'll be fine (I'll be fine)
I fall asleep with ocean eyes
I say no words like a midnight mime
Mime, midnight mime, m-m-mime
[Chorus]
I'm tongue tied in the night time
Silent, sleepless 'til the sunrise
Claustrophobic with no night light, night light
I'll just wait here for the sunrise so you can crawl back into my life
Until then I'll be the night mime, night mime
[Post-Chorus]
Get out, get out
Get out, get out
Get out, get out
Trivia
- During the Dollhouse Tour, Melanie would perform the song before singing "Cry Baby" with a transition between them.
- The Cry Baby version uses the same string stems used in "Mistakes".
- There are several theories about the song, however, none of them have been proven.
- The first theory states that this song could be a reference to insomnia, the disorder of which the person diagnosed with it is unable to sleep and/or has trouble sleeping.
- Another theory is that the narrator of this song, also referred to as 'Night Mime' throughout the track, is afraid of the dark and is fearful that monsters may come if they turn off all the lights, as suggested by the lyric: "Claustrophobic with no night light, night light".
- There is also a chance that Night Mime is staying up late because they are waiting on an answer from a loved one or wanting one from them so they know that they are safe.
- It may also refer to mutism since a mime doesn't speak, it can only communicate through actions.
- It is also theorized that the song is a reference to social anxiety. People with social anxiety sometimes feel as if they are trapped inside a box, which can be related to the Imaginary Box mime act.