One of my favorite artists, who now goes by MARINA, formerly known as Marina and the Diamonds, has many many fascinating songs, but one that I want to dig deeper on is “Shampain.” I’ve always been a passive listener to this song, just vibing out to the electro pop vibes it exudes, but then there are times where I’m like “what did she mean by that?” Marina herself has said the song is about the depressing side of getting drunk, insomnia, and the joys of champagne, but I think there’s more to it than that.
MARINA’s song is an example of her blending sharp commentary with catchy pop tunes, something she’s known for. Some of her more popular works include; Bubblegum B*itch, Primadonna, Are You Satisfied?, and Oh No! The title itself is a clever wordplay on champagne, it combines shame with pain. In the song, Marina dives into themes of disillusionment where the glittering world of excess and superficial pleasure don’t provide real happiness or fulfillment. The lyrics explore the contradictions in trying to numb the pain with temporary distractions like drinking. Take for example the lyrics “Lay dagger dead inside a lonely bed, trying to hide the hole inside my head.” I think the imagery here is powerful; dagger dead could suggest a sense of deep emotional pain, so much so that she refers to herself as not just dead, but dagger dead, while a lonely bed reinforces the feeling of isolation.
The next line says, “Watching the stars slide down to reach their end, cause sleep is not my friend.” I think this is a metaphor for feeling hopeless watching something beautiful like the stars fade or die. The line also speaks to insomnia, adding to a sense of despair and being trapped in your thoughts. Sleep is often a form of escape, but in this case it’s not available which heightens the sense of emotional distress. This brings us to the chorus, “Drinking champagne to forget yesterday, cause I remember the way, the way, the way, it ended the day, the day, the day, the day, that I walked away, away, away, away.” Right here, MARINA’s introducing the idea of using champagne to numb or forget painful memories. The repetition of the words suggest a cycle of trying to forget but being unable to.
The next few lyrics are personally where it gets interesting for me. She says “Drinking champagne made by the angel who goes by the name of Glittering Gabriel.” I think the reference to Glittering Gabriel is fascinating because Gabriel is traditionally an archangel, but the addition of glittering adds a layer of glamor, suggesting that this Angel is not one of purity or grace, but rather something that is also part of the world of excess. The champagne made by this Angel may represent the allure of escapism or something that seems heavenly but is ultimately damaging. She then sings “Drinking champagne made by an angel’s tears and pain, now I feel celestial.” If the champagne is made from the tears and pain of an angel, it suggests that even divine or otherworldly experiences can be laced with sadness and suffering. She could also feel a physical or emotional “high” while drinking, because she is carefree. She is comfortable with her pain.
We reach the second verse and Marina sings “Drinking champagne meant for a wedding, toast to the bride, a fairytale ending, drinking champagne a bottle to myself, savor the taste of fabricated wealth.” I think these lyrics are a critique of the fantasy or idealized version of life and relationships. Champagne as we know is traditionally associated with weddings and celebrations, but here she’s talking about the disparity between the fairy tale endings and the painful reality that she’s living in. Instead of sharing this drink with someone in a romantic or communal setting, she chooses to drink an entire bottle alone, savoring fake wealth. This could be a commentary on the superficiality of modern luxury and the illusion of wealth. Or you know, this could all be in my head and just a song about the depressing side of getting drunk, insomnia, and the joys of champagne.
I think the song really captures the idea of comfortable pain. The upbeat music mixed with sad lyrics shows how we sometimes find comfort in drinking to forget our problems even though we know it might lead to pain, like a hangover, later on. For me, the song is a nice mix of melancholy and solace. There’s something human about being honest with ourselves and deciding to not confront our emotions and just drink champagne.
