Balloon
Imperial Teen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pictures of our past
Depreciating values and i'm
Losing interest fast
All the hungry mouths i've seen could
Never make me steal
I would rather stand and die than
Have to live and kneel
Balloon...
You call me pocket venus but i'm
Really pocket freak
You know i don't need this i have my
Own potholes and leaks
I came into some money i don't
Need you anymore
You can call me superstar or
You can call me whore
Balloon...
[I'm] back in your life
Back in your life
We can't even mess up right...
I'm the type of guy who doesn't
Have a type at all
I'm not dressed for this climate someone
Take me to the mall
Drink toilet water learn to stare and
Eat the food that rots
We're living in the cloisters where our
Subtext is our plot
Balloon...
[I'm] back in your life
Back in your life
We can't even mess up right...
The lyrics of Imperial Teen's song Balloon seem to use metaphorical and symbolic language to express the singer's disillusionment with their past experiences and relationships, as well as their struggle to find a sense of self-worth and self-acceptance in the present. The first verse describes the singer's collection of bricks and pictures which represent their memories and values, but they feel that these things are losing their meaning and relevance. Despite being surrounded by poverty and desperation, the singer will not compromise their integrity and refuses to resort to stealing or submission. The chorus, "Balloon," is a repeated word that creates a sense of anticipation and release, as if the singer is waiting for something to lift them up or burst their bubble.
The second verse expresses the singer's defiance and self-sufficiency, as they reject their label as a "pocket Venus" (a reference to a Botticelli painting of a beautiful woman) and embrace their own flaws and vulnerabilities. The singer has come into money and no longer needs the approval or validation of others, whether they are called a "superstar" or a "whore." The third verse shifts to a more surreal and satirical tone, as the singer declares their lack of conformity and their resistance to societal norms. The singer's lack of preference for a particular type of person or style is contrasted with their discomfort in the current environment, and they suggest that the only way to survive is to adapt to the grotesque and absurd conditions around them.
Line by Line Meaning
I have a crate it's filled with bricks and
I possess a crate that is packed with bricks and
Pictures of our past
Photographs from our previous days
Depreciating values and i'm
Reducing values and I am
Losing interest fast
Becoming uninterested quickly
All the hungry mouths i've seen could
I have witnessed many starved individuals but
Never make me steal
I will never be compelled to steal from them
I would rather stand and die than
I prefer to remain upright and perish than
Have to live and kneel
To live while bowing down
Balloon...
Balloon... (repetition of the song's title)
You call me pocket venus but i'm
You refer to me as Pocket Venus, but I am
Really pocket freak
Truly a pocket-sized weirdo
You know i don't need this i have my
You know I do not require this; I possess my
Own potholes and leaks
Individual dents and cracks
I came into some money i don't
I recently acquired money which I do not
Need you anymore
Require you any longer
You can call me superstar or
You can label me as a superstar or
You can call me whore
You can refer to me as a prostitute
Balloon...
Balloon... (repetition of the song's title)
[I'm] back in your life
I have returned into your existence
Back in your life
Once again in your life
We can't even mess up right...
We cannot even fail properly
I'm the type of guy who doesn't
I am the sort of person who doesn't
Have a type at all
Fit into any category
I'm not dressed for this climate someone
I am not attired appropriately for this climate; someone
Take me to the mall
Need to take me to the shopping center
Drink toilet water learn to stare and
Drink filthy toilet water, learn to gaze, and
Eat the food that rots
Consume decaying food
We're living in the cloisters where our
We reside in the snug, enclosed quarters, where our
Subtext is our plot
Underlying implications define our storyline
Balloon...
Balloon... (repetition of the song's title)
[I'm] back in your life
I have returned into your existence
Back in your life
Once again in your life
We can't even mess up right...
We cannot even fail properly
Contributed by Peyton C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.