1985 by Bo Burnham Lyrics Meaning – Decrypting the Nostalgic Longing for a Bygone Era
Lyrics
He’s got a cool shirt
He’s got cool shoes
Did I mention the shirt?
If you ever got the chance to meet him
You’d know why I want to be him
He walks into a room and everyone respects him (everyone respects him)
He reads the news and doesn’t let that shit affect him (let that shit affect him)
He’s really happy, he’s thrilled to be alive
His name is any white guy in 1985
White guy, 1985 (white guy, nineteen-eighty)
White guy, 1985 (white guy, 1985)
White guy, 1985 (white guy, nineteen-eighty)
White guy, 1985 (white guy)
He’s got a job and a family, how does he do it?
Balances work with his wife’s underwhelming cooking
He’s got all the answers that I wanna know
How can I be what I am but 40 years ago
Gee whiz, he got it and he flaunts
I am the thing he is, but he isn’t when I want
I guess it’s true that some people really got to fight to survive
And some people are white guys in 1985
White guy, 1985 (white guy, nineteen-eighty)
White guy, 1985 (white guy, 1985)
White guy, 1985 (white guy, nineteen-eighty)
White guy, 1985 (white guy)
Wait
It wasn’t easy being any white guy in 1985
Some white guys were living through the AIDS crisis
Some white guys were Italian
And I’m not saying it’s hard being a white guy now
I’ve misspoke
I don’t mean to lump a group of people in a hive
I think I just meant my dad in 1985
My dad, 1985 (my dad)
My father, 1985 (papa)
My dad, 1985
Scott Burnham, 1985 (Scott)
I wanna be my dad (my dad, 1985) (Scott)
I wanna be my dad (my father, 1985) (Scott)
In the 80s (my dad, 1985) (Scott)
My oblivious white dad in the mid-80s (Scott Burnham, 1985) (Scott)
My dad was an oblivious white guy (my dad, 1985) (general contractor)
My dad was happier than I am (my father, 1985)
If I could be anybody dead or alive
I would want to be my dad in 1985
Bo Burnham’s song ‘1985’ navigates through a labyrinth of time-worn nostalgia and the tangled roots of generational identity. On the surface, it appears to be a wistful ode to an era symbolized by ease and contentment, as seen through the lens of the quintessential ‘white guy.’ Yet, as we explore the intricate lines and deeply personal references, we begin to realize that Burnham is performing a delicate dance between admiration and realization.
The jaunty melody belies a complex undercurrent of social commentary and personal introspection. This exploration peels back the layers of an ostensibly simplistic homage to find the emotional and cultural subtext woven into Burnham’s words, inviting listeners to reconsider their own perceptions of a time that has often been painted in broad, unequivocal strokes of prosperity and simplicity.
Nostalgia Wrapped in Synth—The 1980s Aesthetic
Burnham’s ‘1985’ doesn’t merely capture the aesthetic of the era with its catchy, upbeat tune; it evokes the sheen of the 1980s’ pop culture—a decade brimming with bold colors, larger-than-life characters, and a seemingly straightforward narrative of the ‘American Dream.’ Through the lens of our current complexities, the 1980s emanate a glow of simpler times, making it fertile ground for retroactive romanticization.
Yet, this song isn’t just about glorifying the past; it’s a commentary on the selective memory often applied to history. By singing about the ‘cool’ aspects—cool shirts, cool shoes, cool attitudes—Burnham encapsulates a cultural memory that opts to remember the style, but not always the substance of the era.
Decoding the Archetype of the ‘White Guy, 1985’
What does it mean to aspire to be a ‘white guy in 1985’? Burnham’s repetition of this phrase isn’t a simple aspiration—it’s a multifaceted character study. The ‘white guy’ signifies a universal avatar of success and ease, an untroubled existence frozen in a time of perceived societal zenith for the average American male.
The subtext here, though, is crucial. The song reflects the mirage of intersecting privileges—race, gender, economic stability—without diving into the complexities of the actual socio-political environment. Burnham dances a fine line, using the archetype to reflect both longing and the flawed simplicity of the ideal.
The Blissful Ignorance of a ‘Really Happy’ Life
Burnham describes a character who is ‘really happy, he’s thrilled to be alive.’ This notion paints the ’80s as a time of blissful ignorance: no existential dread, no convolution of life outside the nuclear family, no economic woes. A happiness that seems unattainable in an age where ‘reading the news and not letting that shit affect him’ feels impossible.
Conversely, this portrayal also questions the authenticity of such contentment. Was it genuine happiness or a curated facade enabled by an era less infiltrated by the pervasive media and constant connectivity of today?
Unraveling the Hidden Personal Connection
The track takes an unexpected pivot as Burnham clarifies ‘I think I just meant my dad in 1985.’ Suddenly, the broad strokes of the 1980s collapse into a poignant, personal ballad about a specific individual—Burnham’s own father, Scott. The ‘white guy’ is no longer a trope; he’s flesh and blood, and the meaning shifts from cultural to deeply intimate.
Through this revelation, Burnham presents a universal yearning—not for a time or place, but for a connection to a parental figure who embodied an effortless existence, a sensation of security that so many yearn to recapture.
Memorable Lines That Echo Through Generations
‘My dad was an oblivious white guy,’ punctuates one of the song’s powerful turns, juxtaposing the oversight of the time’s major struggles with a personal admission. This line encapsulates the complex relationship between nostalgia and reality, between celebrating and recognizing the naivete that often accompanies fond memories of the past.
Burnham’s lyrical confessional crafts an echo chamber where listeners are left reflecting on their perceptions of past generations, weaving through their own experiences and histories to make sense of how we idolize and idealize the footsteps we follow.
