Bridgers wrote the song about her complicated, evolving relationship with her father. Her parents divorced when she was 20, leaving Bridgers angry. The song is named for the city in Japan; Bridgers wrote the song on her first trip to the country in February 2019. A lyric observing that Japan "still" has pay phones – the sentiment being that they are long outdated – was entirely fictional, Bridgers said. In a press statement, Bridgers expounded upon the song's meaning:
This song is about impostor syndrome. About being in Japan for the first time, somewhere I’ve always wanted to go, and playing my music to people who want to hear it, feeling like I’m living someone else's life. I dissociate when bad things happen to me, but also when good things happen. It can feel like I’m performing what I think I’m supposed to be like.
Producer Tony Berg suggested she speed up the song's tempo, creating a brighter, more upbeat tone. Bridgers agreed, growing "sick" of recording slower ballads. "Kyoto" is instrumentally dense, incorporating twelve-string guitar, synthesizers, Autoharp, and mellotron. Bright Eyes' Nathaniel Walcott also contributes horns, while Jenny Lee Lindberg of Warpaint adds vocals.
The song's music video was initially slated to have been filmed in Kyoto proper. Bridgers planned the shoot to take place during a trip to Japan supporting the National in March 2020, though these dates were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, the clip was recorded in front of a green screen in Los Angeles. it pictures Bridgers in a skeleton costume and superimposed over stock footage of Kyoto, including images of an arcade and at the Fushimi Inari-taisha shrine. She flies over the city and an ocean at points in the clip. The video includes appearances by Emily Bannon, Marshall Vore and Harrison Whitford—members of Bridgers' touring band. At one point in the video, the three are saved from Godzilla by Bridgers, who shoots lasers from her eyes. The video was directed and edited by Nina Ljeti.
Kyoto
Phoebe Bridgers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got bored at the temple
Looked around at the 7-Eleven
The band took the speed train
Went to the arcade
I wanted to go but I didn't
You called me from a payphone
They still got payphonesIt cost a dollar a minute
To tell me you're gettin' sober
And you wrote me a letter
But I don't have to read it
I'm gonna kill you
If you don't beat me to it
Dreamin' through Tokyo skies
I wanted to see the world
Then I flew over the ocean
And I changed my mind
Sunset's been a freak show
On the weekend
So I've been drivin' out to the suburbs
To park at the Goodwill
And stare at the chemtrails
With my little brother
He said you called on his birthday
You were off by like ten days
But you get a few points for tryin'
Remember gettin' the truck fixed
When you let us drive it
Twenty-five felt like flyin'
I don't forgive you
Born under Scorpio skies
I wanted to see the world
Through your eyes and then it happened
Then I changed my mind
I guess I lied
I'm a liar
Who lies
'Cause I'm a liar
In Phoebe Bridgers's song Kyoto, she speaks of a day off in Kyoto, which she found uninteresting. She then goes on to describe how the band went to an arcade, however, she decided not to go with them. Meanwhile, she receives a phone call from someone trying to get sober and who also wrote her a letter, but she refuses to read it. Phoebe then talks about her trip to Tokyo, where she wanted to see the world but changed her mind after flying over the ocean. She then talks about how the sunset has become a freak show and how she has been driving to the suburbs to park at Goodwill, where she stares at chemtrails with her little brother. She mentions that the person who tried to get sober called her brother's birthday but was ten days off, but she still gives him credit for trying.
Phoebe then talks about how she has not forgiven the person for past actions but does not want to be held to it. She mentions that she was born under Scorpio skies and wanted to see the world through the person's eyes until it happened, but she changed her mind. She ends the song by admitting she is a liar and reiterates it with the final line, 'cause I'm a liar.'
Interpretation of the lyrics can be subjective, but to some extent, the song seems to talk about Phoebe's inner struggles with herself, insecurities, and disappointments concerning people she has cared for. Perhaps she had expectations that were not met or did not want to confront certain issues and kept them hidden. Despite her acknowledgment of being a liar, it is also evident that she values honesty in others, as seen from her comments that she does not have to read the letter and that she hasn't forgiven the person but still gives them credit for trying. The song also portrays her longing to connect with others, but her disappointments have led her to change her mind.
Line by Line Meaning
Day off in Kyoto
Having a day off in Kyoto
I got bored at the temple
Feeling bored while visiting a temple
Looked around at the 7-Eleven
Observed surrounding area near 7-Eleven convenience store
The band took the speed train
Musicians travelled quickly on train
Went to the arcade
Went to an entertainment arcade
I wanted to go but I didn't
Feeling like wanting to go but refraining from doing so
You called me from a payphone
Received a phone call from a public payphone
They still got pay phones
Remark on the existence of payphones
It cost a dollar a minute
The cost of the phone call was one dollar per minute
To tell me you're getting sober
Phone call was to inform about being sober
And you wrote me a letter
Letter was written and sent
But I don't have to read it
Not compelled to read the aforementioned letter
I'm gonna kill you
Use of a threatening metaphor towards someone
If you don't beat me to it
Aiming to get revenge before the other person does
Dreaming through Tokyo skies
Daydreaming while in Tokyo
I wanted to see the world
Having a desire to travel and explore
Then I flew over the ocean
Went over the ocean while travelling
And I changed my mind (woo)
Changed mind about traveling and exploration
Sunset's been a freak show
Sunsets have been remarkable
On the weekend
Sunsets on weekends were particularly nice
So I've been driving out to the suburbs
Going to suburbs to find peace and solace
To park at the Goodwill
Parking at a thrift shop chain, Goodwill
Stare at the chemtrails
Watching the residue of planes that jet across the sky
With my little brother
Being with a sibling
He said you called on his birthday
Brother said someone called on his birthday
You were off by like ten days
Mistakenly called ten days later
But you get a few points for trying
Acknowledging the effort
Remember getting the truck fixed
Flashback to fixing a truck
When you let us drive it
Recall of a time when given permission to drive the truck
Twenty-five felt like flying
At 25 years of age, felt free and weightless
I don't forgive you
Lack of forgiveness
But please don't hold me to it
Asking not to be held accountable for lack of forgiveness
Born under Scorpio skies
Born under the star sign Scorpio
I wanted to see the world
Again, the desire to travel and explore
Through your eyes until it happened
Desire to see the world through another's eyes, until something occurred
Then I changed my mind
Changed mind again regarding travelling and seeing the world
Guess I lied
Admission to lying
I'm a liar
Self-assessment of one's own lying tendencies
Who lies
Acknowledgement of lying as a part of one's behavior
'Cause I'm a liar
Explaining why one lies
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Marshall Vore, Morgan Nagler, Phoebe Bridgers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ssatsuki-p2173
Lyrics:
Day off in Kyoto, got bored at the temple
Looked around at the 7-11
The band took the speed train, went to the arcade
I wanted to go but I didn’t
You called me from a payphone, they still got pay phones
It cost a dollar a minute
To tell me you’re getting sober and you wrote me a letter
But I don’t have to read it
I’m gonna kill you
If you don’t beat me to it
Dreaming through Tokyo skies
I wanted to see the world
Then I flew over the ocean
And I changed my mind
Sunset’s been a freak show
On the weekend so I’ve been driving out to the suburbs
To park at the Goodwill and stare at the chem trails
With my little brother
He said you called on his birthday
You were off by like ten days
But you get a few points for trying
Remember getting the truck fixed when you let us drive it
25 felt like flying
I don’t forgive you
But please don’t hold me to it
Born under Scorpio skies
I wanted to see the world
Through your eyes until it happened
Then I changed my mind
Guess I lied
I’m a liar
Who lies
Cause I’m a liar
@antwilliams5523
I can’t stop singing this song
@jkaa034
1:09 ooo! Someone get this song out of my head.. Or don't that's cool too
@NgnMark
neither can my bean
@ryan44662
"I don't forgive you. But please don't hold me to it." hits hard after being hurt.
@fruitbythebecbec7165
if Lost in Translation was made in 2020, i'd want this song on the soundtrack
@juliushanlon6222
Shut up
@heynn1459
@@juliushanlon6222 no
@theerapatsuwanrungreang7861
@@juliushanlon6222 shut up
@c1nn4m0ng1rl
real
@ssatsuki-p2173
Lyrics:
Day off in Kyoto, got bored at the temple
Looked around at the 7-11
The band took the speed train, went to the arcade
I wanted to go but I didn’t
You called me from a payphone, they still got pay phones
It cost a dollar a minute
To tell me you’re getting sober and you wrote me a letter
But I don’t have to read it
I’m gonna kill you
If you don’t beat me to it
Dreaming through Tokyo skies
I wanted to see the world
Then I flew over the ocean
And I changed my mind
Sunset’s been a freak show
On the weekend so I’ve been driving out to the suburbs
To park at the Goodwill and stare at the chem trails
With my little brother
He said you called on his birthday
You were off by like ten days
But you get a few points for trying
Remember getting the truck fixed when you let us drive it
25 felt like flying
I don’t forgive you
But please don’t hold me to it
Born under Scorpio skies
I wanted to see the world
Through your eyes until it happened
Then I changed my mind
Guess I lied
I’m a liar
Who lies
Cause I’m a liar