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The Meaning of Vundabar’s “Alien Blues”
Published: November 19, 2024

“Alien Blues” by Vundabar is a standout track from the Boston-based indie band’s second album, Gawk (2015). Its cryptic, disjointed lyrics and genre-blending sound make it one of their most iconic songs, and in 2022, seven full years after the song’s release, it went viral on TikTok and skyrocketed to become their most popular song. “Alien Blues” captures a mix of self-deprecation, existential dread, and yearning for connection, all delivered with tongue-in-cheek humor and surreal imagery. Let’s break it down further.

Vundabar – “Alien Blues” Video (2024)

“Alien Blues” Lyrics Meaning

At its core, “Alien Blues” explores the feeling of being an outsider—someone who doesn’t quite fit into societal norms or expectations. The metaphor of an alien evokes the narrator’s detachment from the world around them, emphasizing their struggle with identity and belonging. The song’s upbeat rhythm contrasts with its darker lyrical themes, adding a layer of irony that makes it even more engaging.

Verse One

Was it the best you ever had?
Was it the worst? You’d never know
I’d try to tell you what I think and play it off like it’s a joke
Oh no, more surprises, guess it’s like this
I’d do anything for you, Mrs. Highness

This verse introduces the narrator as this figure who lacks confidence and resolve in themselves. They are perhaps referring to sex in the opening line, and certainly a poor performance. He speaks his mind but then backpedals it as if he was joking.

He isn’t surprised about his own behavior, and has come to accept himself and this relationship dynamic. He bows down to his girlfriend, “Mrs. Highness”, stating that he would do anything for her. We can see that he is not in such a great place already.

Chorus

The chorus is up next, which is just simple na-na‘s.

Na-na-na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na
Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na
Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh

We can interpret this to be a sign of the narrator losing his mind, experiencing emotional dissonance, or ignoring their problems and burying their head deep in the sand. This chorus is repeated several more times throughout the song, as the intensity of the narrator’s feelings continue to escalate.

The chorus’s repetitive na-na’s mimic the narrator’s mental detachment, as if they are tuning out the alienation they feel to escape into a simpler, less painful state of mind.

Verse Two

Up next, the second and final verse offers more clarity into the singer’s psyche.

The sun is fun, the land is dandy
I only talk to dogs because they don’t understand me
My teeth are yellow, hello world
Would you like me a little better if they were white like yours?
I need to purge my urges,shame, shame, shame
I need an alibi to justify, somebody to blame
It’s a halibut, “party bitch”,give it a name and say, “Hey, hey”

Despite his fragmented state of mind, he finds brief solace in the sun and the land, though it’s clear this is only a fleeting distraction. No longer communicating with other people, he talks to dogs to avoid ridicule or self-deprecation.

He’s got yellow teeth, honing in on that one insecurity, and questions if he would be accepted if he had white teeth. So, while he is only talking to dogs and pretends to be okay with it, he clearly longs for human connection.

Finally, he expresses a desire to rid himself of the “urges”, or temptations that drive him. This could reflect struggles with self-destructive habits or addictive behaviors, whether tied to substance use or other personal battles like bulimia. He feels shame, and wishes that he could place the blame on someone else.

In the final line, he mentions a halibut, which is a type of fish, and seems to go out and party instead of facing his demons. While absurd and seemingly out of place, this line underscores the song’s surreal tone, mirroring the chaotic and disjointed mental state of the narrator.

The chorus repeats two more times as the song moves through its disorienting arrangement to the end.

Closing Thoughts

With its blend of humor, vulnerability, and surreal imagery, “Alien Blues” captures the universal struggle to find belonging in an often alienating world. Its enduring appeal, amplified by its TikTok resurgence, speaks to how deeply its themes resonate with anyone grappling with self-acceptance and the search for connection.