Reminders of Then

Song Meaning

Kimya Dawson's "Reminders of Then" feels like a crumpled, sugar-stained note passed between heartbroken kids. It's deceptively simple, a singsong catalog of longing and disillusionment. The opening lines, “Ask me out / Take me over / Walk around / Meet my mother,” paint a picture of naive, almost desperate yearning for connection and acceptance. There’s a vulnerability in the directness, a child-like hope for fairytale romance. But this initial optimism quickly curdles as the song cycles back to the central refrain: "All around / I see / Reminders / Of then." The core of the song’s meaning lies in this cyclical repetition and the blunt acknowledgement of disappointment: "Why am I surprised? / Lies and bullshit / And bullshit and lies." Dawson isn't wallowing; she's weary. It’s the weary cynicism of someone who’s repeatedly placed their trust in the wrong hands, a pattern of attraction to something ultimately toxic. The lines "But my finger's on the trigger / And my eyes are on the prize" suggest a determined, almost reckless pursuit despite the repeated letdowns, hinting at a self-destructive tendency to chase unavailable or unsuitable partners. The later verses, referencing specific months (“Somersault / To September / Hope I last / Til November”) and culminating in the repeated phrase "My pretend harem / Of Scorpio boys," adds a layer of specificity and dark humor. The Scorpio reference, with its astrological associations of intensity, passion, and potential for manipulation, suggests a pattern of attraction to a particular type of personality. This "pretend harem" isn't a celebration of conquest but rather a lonely, ironic acknowledgement of a recurring, ultimately unfulfilling dynamic. The song meaning, therefore, is about recognizing and confronting those cycles of attraction and disappointment, all while maintaining a sardonic awareness of one's own complicity in the drama.