Royal Canoe is a Canadian indie pop band from Winnipeg and Steinbach, Manit… Read Full Bio ↴Royal Canoe is a Canadian indie pop band from Winnipeg and Steinbach, Manitoba.

The band calls Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, home – the enigmatic prairie city, which has served artists as both an abundant, creative watering hole and a debilitating quagmire. The city's mood swings from euphoric summers spent biking with beers, fence-hopping residential pools and climbing abandoned roof-tops to harsh, bitter winters that are countered first with defiance, then self-loathing, then denial, then "you've got to be fucking kidding me." Royal Canoe's songs are, in part, an effort to make sense of the resentment and romanticism of the city's divergent identities.

Members:
Matt Peters - Vocals, keyboards, acoustic guitar
Bucky Driedger - Electric guitar, vocals
Matthew Schellenberg - Keyboards, vocals
Brendan Berg - Bass, keyboard, vocals
Derek Allard - Drum kit
Michael Jordan - Electronic drums

Birthday
Royal Canoe Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Why you go on talking?
You know how it'll end
No one's really listening
But we can all pretend

There's movement in the water
And we're all getting out
You've been there while you're dreaming

Haven't you?

Don't you know it's inevitable
But if you call it too soon you've got to both show, both show
Where you go when you're closing your eyes on your birthday?
It only comes true when you don't say, don't say

It's not about you, it's gonna happen without you

So careful when you smile
A perfect little bend
It's just a flexing of a muscle
But we can all pretend

Don't you know it's inevitable
But if you call it too soon you've got to both show, both show
Where you go when you're closing your eyes on your birthday?
It only comes true when you don't say, don't say

It's not about you, it's gonna happen without you

Overall Meaning

The song "Birthday" by Royal Canoe reflects on the notion of aging and the importance society places on birthdays. The lyrics question why people continue to talk and make a big deal out of their birthday when no one is really listening or cares. Yet, everyone still pretends to care and celebrate. The movement in the water highlights how life is constantly moving forward, and we cannot stop the passage of time. The lyrics suggest that dreaming about your birthday is inevitable, but calling it too soon may result in disappointment for both the person and those who are supposed to celebrate the occasion. The lyrics emphasize that birthdays are not about individuals and that they will happen without us, indicating that we should not take them too seriously.

The lyrics are a commentary on the societal norms of celebrating birthdays and the pressure placed on individuals to have a perfect celebration. The song suggests that while birthdays have some importance, they fall short of being a significant event in the grand scheme of things. The line "It's not about you, it's gonna happen without you" implies that birthdays are just another day and people should not get too hung up on celebrating them.

Overall, the song forces the listener to ponder the significance and value of birthdays and encourages them to give it less importance.

Line by Line Meaning

Why you go on talking?
Questioning why one keeps talking when they know it will lead to an inevitable end.

You know how it'll end
Acknowledging that the outcome of a situation is known in advance.

No one's really listening
Implying that even though someone is speaking, no one is truly paying attention.

But we can all pretend
Highlighting the tendency to feign interest and attentiveness in social situations.

There's movement in the water
Describing a sense of shifting or change in a situation.

And we're all getting out
Suggesting that everyone is leaving or abandoning the situation at hand.

You've been there while you're dreaming
Referencing the idea of experiencing something while in a dream state.

Haven't you?
Posing a rhetorical question to encourage agreement with the previous statement.

Don't you know it's inevitable
Stating that something is bound to occur, regardless of actions taken to prevent it.

But if you call it too soon you've got to both show, both show
Suggesting that if a prediction or expectation is communicated too soon, it must be verified by both parties involved.

Where you go when you're closing your eyes on your birthday?
Asking about the destination one envisions when making a wish on their birthday.

It only comes true when you don't say, don't say
Implying that vocalizing a wish on one's birthday will prevent it from coming true.

It's not about you, it's gonna happen without you
Emphasizing that events will occur with or without one's direct involvement.

So careful when you smile
Encouraging one to be cautious with their actions, as they may have unforeseen consequences.

A perfect little bend
Describing a small, subtle action that may influence a situation.

It's just a flexing of a muscle
Clarifying that one's action is merely a small display of power.

Contributed by Austin E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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