Meaning of “Borderline” by Tame Impala

While this song is set in Los Angeles, the titular “borderline” does not refer to the City of Angels or any physical place in particular. Rather is reflects how Tame Impala feels within his soul, that he (in addition to the person/people he is singing to) has reached a point where he is “caught between pain and rapture”. This indicates that they are just a step away from crossing over to either side.

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for Tame Impala's Borderline at Lyrics.org.

The song in and of itself comes together like a hodgepodge of different emotions. In the beginning, it seems to center on Kevin Parker questioning if he has “gone a little far”. This apparently alludes to the idea that he has reached a point in his life, as in a borderline, and he is questioning the overall wisdom of whether or not he should proceed. However, later the track transforms into somewhat of an existential, self-analytical piece where he starts to question his legacy, associates, thought processes and perhaps even a troubled romance. What these proceedings ultimately appear to boil down to is a sentiment that the past is behind him, and now he is looking forward to a brighter day.

Lyrics of "Borderline"

Parker recognizes Los Angeles as a place that “really messed (him) up”. He further acknowledges that he got too caught up in its lifestyle. So now he is at the borderline but has not yet crossed it. As such, there is a chance for redemption, as in Parker ‘sobering up’ and leading his life away from the path of self-destruction it appears to currently be on.

20 Responses

  1. Anonymous says:

    Reminds me of the present situation of refugees coming up from South of our border.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Makes me think of my breakup and if I should unblock them or not – It’s a part of my past now… I’m fine without them.

  3. Anonymous says:

    i think he is talking about bpd

  4. Anonymous says:

    I think he might be talking about bpd

  5. Anonymous says:

    I have BPD and I feel like i have these thoughts in my head alot of times. Its a song Im strongly connected to.

  6. Anonymous says:

    I’ve been on the line of destruction and self preservation for a while. This analysis only proves what i thought i heard. Which path? I don’t know. Im still walking the line. But this is how it feels.

  7. River says:

    Listening to this song I think about going overboard doing something almost getting your ass in trouble as the music starts up I can imagine a person running from their problems rethinking everything they had ever done in their life regretting a lot and knowing what they did was wrong as their running away they look at were they are the drugs started to wear off and they start to think about suicide running off

  8. Anonymous says:

    All interesting responses. Strong link to BPD. LA lifestyle, I clearly see drugs and alcohol fueling his anxiety. I would guess someone in LA (“Judy”) gave him MDMA. which would account for “this high came rushing”, time speeding like a train, up for the sunrise, disorientation/tripping, and self-doubt/depression as it wears off.
    It’s so cliche for hangers on – LA is swamped with them – to want to “party” with the famous and offering drugs to gain favor. It’s everywhere and almost inescapable. They don’t give a shit about you and whether they may be enabling an addict. They. don’t. care. I don’t really see a relationship story here, just a bad LA trip, wondering how he got there, and getting the Hell out of Dodge before it takes him down. In other words, daily life in LA.

  9. 41linestreet says:

    I’m positive this song is about unexpectedly doing drugs at a gathering amongst unfamiliar people and he’s at the ‘borderline’ of having a bad trip.

    “How was I to know this high came rushing?”
    “Gonna have the strangest night on Sunday”
    “I wonder how I managed to end up in this place, where I couldn’t get away”
    “I saw the time, saw it speeding by like a train”
    “Rudy said it’s fine, they used to do this all the time in college”
    “Starting to sober up, has it been long enough?”
    “Shout-out to what is done”
    “Here comes the sun”

    The chorus is about him thinking about his own fame and his experience during the effects of the drug.

  10. Anonymous says:

    Reminds me of doing 8g of shrooms experience with the lyrics describing how borderline I felt

  11. A Anonymous says:

    I’m in AA and I hear the program all over this record. For those talking BDP or unexpectedly doing drugs, I can hear it as him referring to already being in the thresholds and now he’s on the borderline of dying a horrible death or sobriety. But it gives me different vibes all the time.

  12. Anonymous says:

    I think it’s actually a song about a bad trip lol

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