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Gigi Perez’s independently released single, ‘Sailor Song,’ has rapidly become a defining track in her burgeoning career. This alt-folk gem resonated deeply with audiences, propelling it onto the Billboard Hot 100 chart and capturing hearts worldwide. As of recent updates, ‘Sailor Song’ has impressively climbed to No. 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 and previously reached No. 1 on the UK Official Singles Chart, marking a significant milestone for the artist.
The song’s exploration of queer themes has garnered widespread acclaim, with Gigi Perez openly discussing the significance of representation in her music and within the broader cultural landscape. This heartfelt and relatable track has amassed close to 150 million streams on Spotify alone since its release. Its popularity surged as it broke into the Top 10 of Spotify’s Top 50 USA Chart and secured a spot in the Top 5 of the Viral 50 USA rankings. The viral momentum of ‘Sailor Song’ was initially ignited on TikTok, foreshadowing its success and building anticipation for Perez’s upcoming album, where this captivating ode to love is expected to feature prominently.
The Atmospheric Sound of ‘Sailor Song’
‘Sailor Song’ masterfully embodies the signature sound of contemporary alt-folk, characterized by its atmospheric and acoustic guitar-driven soundscapes. The song begins with a captivating, chant-like vocal harmony, layered with reverb, creating an ethereal and immersive opening. Gigi Perez’s distinctive and enchanting voice then enters with clarity, accompanied by the gentle strumming of an acoustic guitar. As the song progresses into its infectious chorus, the instrumentation becomes richer and more dynamic. A more pronounced guitar riff emerges, injecting energy and passion into Perez’s vocal delivery, enhancing the emotional intensity of the track.
Unpacking the Lyrical Meaning of ‘Sailor Song’
“I saw her in the rightest way
Looking like Anne Hathaway
Laughing while she hit her pen and coughed, and coughed
And then she came up to my knees
Begging, “Baby, would you please
Do the things you said you’d do to me, to me?””
The opening verse of ‘Sailor Song’ immediately draws listeners into a vivid narrative, centered around the narrator’s captivating observations of her lover. Gigi Perez, known for her candid and evocative songwriting, paints a picture of her partner as strikingly beautiful, comparing her to actress Anne Hathaway. This pop-culture reference grounds the romantic imagery in a relatable context. The lyrics then playfully shift to a more intimate and slightly humorous detail – her lover coughing after using a vape pen. This realistic touch adds depth to the portrayal, making the object of affection feel more tangible and less idealized. The verse culminates in a moment of vulnerability and desire, as the lover implores the narrator to fulfill her romantic promises, setting the stage for the song’s passionate core.
“Oh, won’t you kiss me on the mouth and love me like a sailor?
And when you get a taste, can you tell me, what’s my flavor?
I don’t believe in God, but I believe that you’re my savior
My mom says that she’s worried, but I’m covered in this favor
And when we’re getting dirty, I forget all that is wrong
I sleep so I can see you ’cause I hate to wait so long
I sleep so I can see you, and I hate to wait so long”
The chorus of ‘Sailor Song’ is both a plea and a powerful declaration of love. The central metaphor, “love me like a sailor,” is particularly striking. It evokes the image of sailors returning from long voyages, their love fueled by longing and separation, resulting in passionate and unrestrained affection. This imagery suggests a love that is intense, devoted, and perhaps a little unconventional. The narrator’s question, “can you tell me, what’s my flavor?” adds a layer of playful intimacy and a desire to be fully known and appreciated by her lover.
The line, “I don’t believe in God, but I believe that you’re my savior,” has sparked considerable discussion and even some controversy. It’s a bold statement that elevates romantic love to a spiritual level, suggesting that for the narrator, her lover provides the solace, meaning, and redemption that others might find in religion. This sentiment resonates with listeners who find spiritual significance in human connection rather than traditional faith. The mention of her mother’s worry juxtaposed with “covered in this favor” hints at external disapproval or concern, possibly related to the queer nature of the relationship or its intensity, yet the narrator feels protected and blessed by this love despite any outside negativity. The chorus concludes with a poignant expression of longing, as the narrator seeks solace in sleep, dreaming of reuniting with her beloved, highlighting the pain of separation and the all-consuming nature of her feelings.
“She took my fingers to her mouth
The kind of thing that makes you proud
That nothing else had ever worked out, worked out
And lately, I tried other things
But nothing can capture the sting
Of the venom she’s gonna spit out right now, oh”
This verse delves deeper into the physical intimacy and unique dynamic of the relationship. The act of her lover taking her fingers to her mouth is described as something that evokes pride, suggesting a deep sense of connection and perhaps a validation of her desires and identity. The line “That nothing else had ever worked out” implies a journey of past relationships or experiences that were unfulfilling, making this current love feel all the more significant and right. The phrase “venom she’s gonna spit out” is particularly enigmatic and open to interpretation. It could be a metaphor for the sharp intensity of their love, a love that is both exhilarating and potentially painful, like a sting. Alternatively, considering the earlier religious undertones, “venom” might symbolize societal or religious condemnation that the lover internalizes and ‘spits out,’ perhaps in moments of vulnerability or conflict within their relationship. However interpreted, this line adds complexity and a hint of darkness to the otherwise idealized romantic portrayal.
“And we can run away to the walls inside your house
I can be the cat, baby, you can be the mouse
And we can laugh off things that we know nothing about
We can go forever or until you wanna sit it out”
As ‘Sailor Song’ nears its conclusion, the lyrics express a yearning for escape and sanctuary within their love. The image of running away “to the walls inside your house” suggests creating a private world, shielding themselves from external pressures and judgments. The playful metaphor of “cat and mouse” could imply a dynamic of chase and playful interaction within their relationship, or perhaps a sense of vulnerability and protection. The desire to “laugh off things that we know nothing about” speaks to a longing for carefree joy and shared experiences, free from the weight of societal expectations or anxieties. The final line, “We can go forever or until you wanna sit it out,” injects a note of uncertainty and vulnerability. While expressing a hope for lasting love, it also acknowledges the potential for impermanence and the lover’s agency in the relationship’s future. This bittersweet ending underscores the realistic and emotionally nuanced portrayal of love that defines ‘Sailor Song’.
Gigi Perez on Queer Visibility and Songwriting
In an interview with Billboard, Gigi Perez highlighted the critical importance of queer representation in music. Regarding the success of ‘Sailor Song’ and its queer messaging, Perez stated, “I think we’re only scratching the surface right now. Representation is so, so important. It’s the thing that gives people the courage and the ability to dream that you can do whatever.” She elaborated on the multifaceted nature of representation, emphasizing both identity and universal human experience. “You, as a person, can take up space. I think there’s an identity part of it, and then there’s just the actual human part of it, and those two things are very important to me.” Perez also acknowledged the diversity within the queer artistic community, “Every queer artist is going to share their story and their identity differently. I’m only one person, and my message is only going to connect [with] and reach the people that it’s meant to. That’s why I think it opens up the bridge [for other artists], and I’m really excited to see everything that’s happening in queer music.”
Discussing her songwriting process for ‘Sailor Song’, Perez shared insights into the organic nature of her creativity. “A lot of the process for me is typically just having my guitar and freestyling, and that’s mostly how the songs come – I was in that progression of writing, and I just said, “Kiss me on the mouth and love me like a sailor.” So, I kept going; I had the chorus done that night.” She revealed the iterative process of song development, “It really just stayed as a chorus for a while, and the lyrics had changed. There were certain little words that changed the meaning of what [the song] was. Once I had written the verses, I pulled a melody from another song I had written and put that into this song. It really is one of those things where it was a puzzle putting it together, but there wasn’t much resistance. Other times, in order to get something like that, you have to really dig for it.”
Full Lyrics to Gigi Perez’s ‘Sailor Song’
“I saw her in the rightest way
Looking like Anne Hathaway
Laughing while she hit her pen and coughed, and coughed
And then she came up to my knees
Begging, “Baby, would you please
Do the things you said you’d do to me, to me?”
–
Oh, won’t you kiss me on the mouth and love me like a sailor?
And when you get a taste, can you tell me, what’s my flavor?
I don’t believe in God, but I believe that you’re my savior
My mom says that she’s worried, but I’m covered in this favor
And when we’re getting dirty, I forget all that is wrong
I sleep so I can see you ’cause I hate to wait so long
I sleep so I can see you, and I hate to wait so long
–
She took my fingers to her mouth
The kind of thing that makes you proud
That nothing else had ever worked out, worked out
And lately, I tried other things
But nothing can capture the sting
Of the venom she’s gonna spit out right now, oh
–
Oh, won’t you kiss me on the mouth and love me like a sailor?
And when you get a taste, can you tell me, what’s my flavor?
I don’t believe in God, but I believe that you’re my savior
I know that you’ve been worried, but you’re dripping in my favor
And when we’re getting dirty, I forget all that is wrong
I sleep so I can see you ’cause I hate to wait so long
I sleep so I can see you, and I hate to wait so long
–
And we can run away to the walls inside your house
I can be the cat, baby, you can be the mouse
And we can laugh off things that we know nothing about
We can go forever or until you wanna sit it out”
Written by Maxim Mower
