'til the Tide Creeps In
The Thrills Lyrics

The lyrics of The Thrills' "til the Tide Creeps In" is a nostalgic reflection of a time that has passed. The singer describes how he was surfing on a "tidal wave of faded glories" in a San Diego pad, and how time has changed, as he looks back to a time when he didn't notice it happening. He tells of how his agent labels his writer's block, to keep publishers from bothering him, while a stranger is trying to ruin his party. The chorus of the song is an invitation to dance, laugh and enjoy the present moment, until the tide creeps in. The mood is upbeat and celebratory, but the underlying sense of melancholy is palpable as well.

The song can be interpreted as a reflection on life's impermanence and how we are sometimes caught up in the tide of change and failing to notice it. The contrast between the singer's former life and the present is stark, and it is evident that he feels that he has lost something precious. The line "Don't you realize you've really changed" is perhaps directed at the singer himself or someone else who has changed over time. The song's chorus is an invitation to seize the moment and find joy in the present even though change is inevitable.