She is known for her sense of humor, which is expressed in both her music and her onstage performances. Many of her songs alternate between emotional reflections on romance and outright comedy. Two of her more famous songs include "Sensitive New Age Guys" and "Bald Headed Men".
85 Degrees
Christine Lavin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Been living here since '76
With a curious laugh
She describes how it is
Her neighbors get their kicks
"They all talk about what they once were
Or what it is their children do
Maybe mine did too"
Chorus: Miami Beach in November
It's 85 degrees
I wade into the water
My pants rolled up to my knees
The sparkling surf
The bubbling foam
Explode against the shore
A sailboat heads for the horizon
I wonder what it's leaving for
He was born and raised on Miami Beach
Went to college way out west
He moved back here five years ago
His mom and dad's request
"They treat me like I'm their little boy
Every time I come home late
They'd like to see me married
But they never approve
Of any of the girls I date"
Chorus: Miami Beach in November
It's 85 degrees
I wade into the water
Up to my knees
The salty surf
The bitter foam
Slap against the shore
A sailboat heads for the horizon
I wonder what it's leaving for
Oh what a perfect setting
What a perfect sky
Oh a perfectly awful looking drifter
Is trying to catch my eye
"Be careful" he said "There's a riptide
It almost carried me away
Though you're only knee deep
You had better take care
The ocean's unpredictable today
I'm from Southern California
And from what I can judge
You too are a stranger here
Could you lend this beachcomber
A couple of bucks
I'm dying for a beer"
Chorus: Miami Beach in November
It's 85 degrees
I wade into the water
Up to my knees
The satiny surf
The lacy foam
Slamdancing with the shore
A sailboat heads for the horizon
I wonder what it's leaving for
A sailboat slips over the horizon
I wonder what it's heading for.
In Christine Lavin's song "85 Degrees," the lyrics follow the stories of two different characters, both of whom live in Miami Beach. The first character is a woman in her 50s who has been living in Miami Beach since 1976. She reflects on her neighbors and how they talk about their past or their children, wondering if her own life ended years ago as well. The chorus describes her wading into the sparkling surf in November, with her pants rolled up to her knees, and watching a sailboat head towards the horizon, wondering what it's leaving behind. The second character is a man who was born and raised in Miami Beach and moved back five years ago at his parents' request. He feels like they still treat him like a little boy and disapprove of the girls he dates. He too wades into the water, reflecting on the salty surf and bitter foam as a drifter tries to catch his eye. The song ends with the sailboat slipping over the horizon, leaving both characters pondering where it's heading.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of reflection and yearning for something more. Both characters seem to be stuck in their lives, surrounded by memories and the expectations of others. The use of the 85-degree weather in November paints a picture of Miami Beach's eternal summer, where time seems to stand still. The sailboat becomes a symbol of the unknown and the desire for change.
The song is a commentary on the human condition, where we can get so caught up in our routines and the expectations of others that we forget to live for ourselves. It's a call to break free and pursue our own dreams, just like the sailboat heading towards the horizon.
Line by Line Meaning
She's a relative youngster, just 52
Despite being described as a youngster relative to her neighbors, she is not actually that young at 52 years old.
Been living here since '76
She has been living in the neighborhood since 1976.
With a curious laugh
She laughs curiously, suggesting she has an interesting story to tell.
She describes how it is
She describes the way things are in her neighborhood.
Her neighbors get their kicks
Her neighbors enjoy talking about their past or their children, perhaps suggesting they do not have much else going on in their lives.
They all talk about what they once were
Her neighbors often talk about their past selves and glory days.
Or what it is their children do
They also talk about their children and their accomplishments, perhaps living vicariously through them.
I guess their own lives ended years ago
She suspects that her neighbors feel like their own lives ended a long time ago.
Maybe mine did too
She wonders if this is true for herself as well.
Chorus: Miami Beach in November
The chorus sets the scene, describing the location and weather: Miami Beach in November with a temperature of 85 degrees.
It's 85 degrees
The temperature in Miami Beach is 85 degrees.
I wade into the water
The artist enters the water.
My pants rolled up to my knees
The singer has rolled up their pants so they don't get wet.
The sparkling surf
The water has a sparkling quality to it.
The bubbling foam
The water displays a bubbly quality as it hits the shore.
Explode against the shore
The water crashes against the shore.
A sailboat heads for the horizon
A boat sails towards the horizon.
I wonder what it's leaving for
The singer wonders about the purpose of the boat's journey.
He was born and raised on Miami Beach
The next verse introduces another character who is from Miami Beach.
Went to college way out west
The character went to college far away from Miami Beach.
He moved back here five years ago
He returned to Miami Beach five years ago.
His mom and dad's request
He moved back at his parents' request.
They treat me like I'm their little boy
His parents treat him like a child, despite him being an adult.
Every time I come home late
His parents still monitor his activities and enforce a curfew.
They'd like to see me married
His parents want him to get married.
But they never approve
However, they never approve of any of the girls he dates.
Of any of the girls I date
His parents do not like any of the women he dates.
Oh what a perfect setting
The artist encounters another man in the same location as her and the setting is described as perfect.
What a perfect sky
The sky is also described as perfect.
Oh a perfectly awful looking drifter
The man she encounters is described as an 'awful looking drifter', perhaps suggesting he is homeless or down on his luck.
Is trying to catch my eye
The drifter is trying to get her attention.
"Be careful" he said "There's a riptide
The drifter warns her about a riptide in the water.
It almost carried me away
He almost got swept away by the riptide himself.
Though you're only knee deep
Despite the water being shallow, the drifter warns her to be careful.
You had better take care
He urges her to be cautious around the water.
The ocean's unpredictable today
The drifter suggests that the ocean is particularly unpredictable today.
I'm from Southern California
The drifter is originally from Southern California.
And from what I can judge
Based on his own experience with oceans, he thinks the singer should be careful.
You too are a stranger here
Because the singer is not from around here, the drifter is warning her about dangers she is not aware of.
Could you lend this beachcomber
The drifter then asks the artist for a couple of bucks.
A couple of bucks
The drifter is asking for a small amount of money.
I'm dying for a beer
He admits that he wants to buy alcohol with the money he is asking for.
The satiny surf
The water has a satin-like texture to it.
The lacy foam
The water displays a lacey texture as it hits the shore.
Slamdancing with the shore
The water appears to violently strike the shore.
A sailboat slips over the horizon
Another sailboat disappears from view over the horizon.
I wonder what it's heading for.
The singer wonders, again, about the destination of the boat.
Contributed by Mateo S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.