Imperial Teen was formed in San Francisco in 1995 by Roddy Bottum (keyboard… Read Full Bio ↴Imperial Teen was formed in San Francisco in 1995 by Roddy Bottum (keyboard player for Faith No More), Lynn Perko, Jone Stebbins and Will Schwartz. A pop aesthetic of crunchy guitar riffs and classic boy/girl harmonies quickly developed, finding all four members switching off on instruments and taking turns behind the mic. The band had barely been playing together for six months when they landed their first record deal (London / Universal) and found themselves in the studio. The result was the amazingly fresh and joyous Seasick, which tickled the fancy of many a critic and music fan alike, with its infectious pop grooves standing out in a musical climate dripping with grunge. After several unforeseen roadblocks (label inertia, recording delays) Imperial Teen went on to release "What Is Not To Love" in 1999, and managed to garner even more praise and adoration worldwide. Their latest album "The Hair The TV The Baby & The Band" was released in 2007 by Merge Records.

Birthday Girl
Imperial Teen Lyrics

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She goes to school in Washington
A major in self-portraiture
Her poster in a record store
You meet her in a parking lot

Blue sequins for the birthday girl
A beauty in a bridal gown
Her weakness for piano parts

She falls in love with everything

And we should save ourselves
And we should save ourselves
And we should save ourselves
And we should save ourselves

A major in self-portraiture
You meet her in a parking lot

And we should save ourselves
And we should save ourselves
And we should save ourselves
And we should save ourselves
And we should save ourselves
And we should save ourselves

And we should save ourselves
And we should save ourselves

Overall Meaning

The Imperial Teen song "Birthday Girl" tells the story of a young woman who goes to school in Washington and has a passion for self-portraiture. Her poster is found in a record store and the singer of the song meets her in a parking lot. The song references her birthday, with her wearing blue sequins and a bridal gown, and her weakness for piano parts. She falls in love with everything, perhaps reflecting her artistic and creative nature. The refrain, "And we should save ourselves," is repeated throughout the song, implying a sense of urgency or importance to taking action and making changes.

The lyrics of "Birthday Girl" are open to interpretation, but the song could be seen as a commentary on the value of creativity and self-expression in a world that values conformity and material success. The reference to saving ourselves could be a call to action, urging listeners to take charge of their own lives and pursue their passions, rather than conforming to societal expectations. The song could also be interpreted as a love song, with the singer falling for the titular birthday girl and expressing a desire to save themselves for each other.

Line by Line Meaning

She goes to school in Washington
The girl is a student in Washington

A major in self-portraiture
She is studying how to make pictures of herself

Her poster in a record store
Her image is used to advertise music

You meet her in a parking lot
You first encounter her in an open-air public area for cars

Blue sequins for the birthday girl
The woman likes to dress up in flashy blue sequins on her birthday

A beauty in a bridal gown
She looks beautiful when she wears a wedding dress

Her weakness for piano parts
She is fond of the sound that comes from a keyboard instrument (piano)

She falls in love with everything
She is easily captivated by almost everything she sees and experiences

And we should save ourselves
There is a need for us to rescue ourselves

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BIG THRILLING MUSIC
Written by: JONE STEBBINS, LYNN ELISE PERKO, RODDY CHRISTOPHER BOTTUM, WILL SCHWARTZ

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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