Cumpleaños Total
Los Planetas Lyrics

The lyrics to Los Planetas’s song “Cumpleaños Total” can be interpreted as an ode to the passage of time and the inevitability of aging. The repetition of “no será peor de lo que era” (it won’t be worse than it was) and “seguro que es mejor” (surely it will be better) suggests a grappling with uncertainty and the desire for reassurance or hope for the future, despite the singer’s previous failures or regrets. The lines “y aunque juré que nunca más / me acerco hasta el servicio a que me pongan otra” (and even though I swore I’d never again / approach the bathroom to get another [drink]) and “le digo al Chino: ‘vamos a ponernos otra’” (I tell my friend Chino, ‘let’s get another [drink]’) convey a sense of familiarity or repetition, perhaps signaling a feeling of being trapped in cyclical or self-destructive behavior.

The last line, “voy a darme una fiesta por mi cumpleaños” (I’m going to throw a party for my birthday), serves as a culmination of the preceding verses, as if to say that despite the uncertainties and struggles of life, there are moments of joy and celebration to be had, and that even in the face of the inevitability of aging, life goes on. Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of inevitability and acceptance of the passage of time, tempered by a desire for hope and the joys in life.