What Does “Sailor Song” by Gigi Perez Mean? Lyrical Interpretations

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An inside look at this viral TikTok song

Co-authored by Carolyn Marie and Raven Minyard, BA

Last Updated: April 8, 2025 Fact Checked

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“Sailor Song” Meaning

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Artist’s Thoughts

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Fun Facts

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Popularity

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Other Songs by Perez

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Video

If you’re a fan of TikTok or songs about intense, passionate relationships, you may have heard of “Sailor Song” by Gigi Perez. The song went viral in 2024, leaving some fans wondering what lines like “love me like a sailor” meant. If you want to understand the deeper meaning behind “Sailor Song,” we’ve got you covered. Keep reading as we dive into the song’s lyrics and what Gigi Perez herself has said about “Sailor Song.” Plus, learn why the song is so popular and take a look at some of Perez’s other music.

“Sailor Song” Meaning

“Sailor Song” by Gigi Perez follows an intense romantic relationship between two women. The speaker is in awe of her lover and puts her on a pedestal. She hopes her lover feels the same way, asking her to “love her like a sailor,” or to love her passionately and deeply. The lovers want to escape into their own world.

Section 1 of 5:

What does “Sailor Song” mean?

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The speaker is fascinated by her lover’s beauty. Perez has stated that she wrote “Sailor Song” about a girl who looked like Anne Hathaway, but there’s also a deeper meaning behind the song’s opening lines, “I saw her in the rightest way/Looking like Anne Hathaway.”^{[1]
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Research source} These lyrics suggest that the speaker is captivated by her lover and that her lover has an elegant, star-like quality about her. The speaker loves her not just for her appearance but for her magnetic personality.
- Some other lines in the first verse are “And then, she came up to my knees/Begging, baby, would you please/Do the things you said you’d do to me.” This suggests the feeling is mutual and that both people in the relationship want to find connection and be close to each other.
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The song is about loving someone passionately. In the song’s chorus, Perez sings, “Oh, won’t you kiss me on the mouth and love me like a sailor?” Sailors sail through storms and dangerous waters, dedicating their lives to the sea. By saying she wants to be loved like a sailor, the speaker is saying she wants an all-encompassing love. She wants her lover to stick by her side through all the highs and lows of a relationship and to be proud of loving her.^{[2]
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- Sailors also travel and spend a lot of time away from their loved ones. Another interpretation of this line suggests that the relationship could be long-distance and that Perez wants their love to remain strong despite the distance.
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The speaker’s admiration for her lover is akin to worship. In the chorus, Perez also sings, “I don’t believe in God, but I believe that you’re my savior.” This use of religious imagery shows that the speaker is highly devoted to her lover and puts her on a pedestal. Instead of finding comfort in faith, her partner brings her a sense of peace and purpose. It’s almost as if their relationship is the only faith she needs.^{[3]
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- Because the song is about two women, some people also interpret this line as a critique of the church’s stance on gay relationships. Because the church does not accept their love, the speaker instead finds solace in her lover.
- The following lines say, “My mom says that she’s worried, but I’m covered in this favor.” This suggests that outsiders don’t understand the intensity of the relationship, but the speaker feels protected by the relationship.
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“Sailor Song” is also about longing. Perez finishes the chorus by singing, “I sleep so I can see you and I hate to wait so long.” In this line, the speaker looks forward to sleeping because it means she can see her lover in her dreams. This suggests that the couple may not always be able to be together physically. The speaker yearns for her lover, almost like it’s painful to be away from her. Perez repeats this line, stressing its importance.
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The speaker compares this relationship to her past. Perez sings, “She took my fingers to her mouth/The kind of thing that makes you proud/That nothing else had ever/Worked out.” This small, intimate moment is so special for the speaker that she feels like all of her past mistakes and failed relationships led up to this moment. It’s like a reward for everything she’s been through.
- The relationship isn’t perfect, however. In the following lines, Perez sings, “But nothing can capture the sting/Of the venom she’s gonna spit out right now.” This shows that even in a deeply intimate relationship, there is still conflict. The word “venom” suggests the intensity of their relationship can also sometimes be hurtful.
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The song is about finding a safe space in love. In the final lines of the song, Perez sings, “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 until you wanna sit it out.” This suggests the speaker has a desire to escape from everything and focus all her attention on being with her lover. They want a safe space where they can leave their worries behind.^{[4]
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- The “cat and mouse” line also suggests that there is a playful aspect to the relationship despite its intensity.

Section 2 of 5:

Gigi Perez’s Thoughts on “Sailor Song”

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When writing “Sailor Song,” Perez had been ruminating on the idea of a “frantic kind of love” and was trying to connect it to her lyricism. She said, “When that person is so constant in your life, it’s kind of like you fall into it, and you have nothing else to grasp onto. It came from that desperate place.”^{[5]
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Perez is proud of the song’s success. “Sailor Song” blew up quickly thanks to its popularity on TikTok. Perez has stated that the song’s success feels like the culmination of all the hard work she’s put into her independent music career. It even led her to accept a record deal with Island Records. Perez said, “I feel truly ready for this, and I know exactly what I’m looking for.”^{[6]
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Because “Sailor Song” is about two women in love and because of the line “I don’t believe in God but I believe that you’re my savior,” many evangelical Christians have criticized the song. Perez, however, was not willing to apologize or change the line. On TikTok, she said, “My songwriting is not a democracy, and that applies to every artist’s work.”^{[7]
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Perez has talked about the song’s water themes. In an interview with Billboard, Perez discussed her use of water and beach imagery in her songs: “There’s something about this thought—and I don’t know if it’s because I grew up by the water and spent so much time in my childhood at the beach—that little by little, these beach and sea and water themes just kept appearing in my songs… It wasn’t until ‘Sailor Song’ that I looked back and was like, ‘There’s been a whole path being laid subconsciously,’ which is very cool.”^{[8]
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Section 3 of 5:

Fun Facts About “Sailor Song”

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Perez wrote “Sailor Song” after being dropped by her record label. After self-releasing her debut single “Sometimes (Backwood)” in 2021, Gigi Perez was signed to Interscope Records. However, she was later dropped by the label while on a promotional trip to London in 2023. Rather than feeling lost, Perez felt inspired and wrote “Sailor Song” in her childhood bedroom in Florida in February 2024.
- She says, “I was on my bed, my door was open, and I was just messing around, jamming. My little sister walked by, and she was like, ‘Gigi, what’s that?’ And I was like, ‘I have no idea, but I think it’s really cool.’”^{[9]
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The song blew up on TikTok in 2024. Perez first teased “Sailor Song” on TikTok in April 2024, then released it in July. By November, the song had been streamed 340 million times on Spotify alone.^{[10]
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Research source} TikTok users continued posting videos about the song, some discussing the lyrics and some surprised by Perez’s androgynous voice, and it kept growing in popularity. There are currently 586.1 K TikTok videos that use the official sound.
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Perez was inspired by Troye Sivan’s Blue Neighbourhood. Because of Perez’s sexuality, she has stated that she struggled with loneliness and feeling misunderstood. These feelings led her to become a music artist, and one of her first gay inspirations was Troye Sivan’s 2015 debut album Blue Neighbourhood. In an interview with Billboard, Perez stated that the album “changed her life” and that she’s glad that now “There’s so much media that really highlights the gay and queer experience.”^{[11]
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Section 4 of 5:

Why is “Sailor Song” so popular?

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“Sailor Song” has positive LGBTQ+ representation. Many people in the LGBTQ+ community admire “Sailor Song” for openly being about two women in love. Many lesbians, bisexual women, and queer women feel represented by Perez and her music. The song is also positive representation for young queer kids who may feel lonely or misunderstood like Perez did when she was growing up.^{[12]
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The lyrics are raw and relatable. Many people, regardless of their sexuality, can relate to the lyrics of “Sailor Song.” The song describes an all-consuming love that resonates with many listeners who have experienced similar feelings of longing and deep connection. Some of the most popular songs are also the most relatable.
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Listeners are drawn to Perez’s unique voice. Perez has a very raw, androgynous voice that fascinates many listeners.^{[13]
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Research source} Her unique vocal tone allows her to effortlessly hit low notes, which adds depth and intensity to the song. Her voice manages to be both gritty and vulnerable, which attracts listeners.

Section 5 of 5:

Other Songs by Perez

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Fable Released in 2024, “Fable” was Perez’s first single after the success of “Sailor Song.” The song was inspired by Perez’s late sister Celene, who passed away in 2020. In “Fable,” Perez explores themes like religion, love, and the afterlife. The song also features backing vocals from Perez’s younger sister, Bella, and a voice recording from Celene.^{[14]
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Chemistry Perez began teasing her song “Chemistry” in 2022 and released it in February 2025. It explores the internal struggles of newfound love with an ominous undercurrent focused on a shared secret. The song opens with a haunting synth that mirrors the narrator’s unease throughout the song.^{[15]
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Please Be Rude Released in May 2024, “Please Be Rude” explores themes of love, desire, and vulnerability. It reflects the push and pull of relationships in which the love is both familiar and keeps you guessing. Here Perez encourages honesty and openness, even when messy or uncomfortable, to keep love real.^{[16]
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Sometimes (Backwood) Perez’s 2021 single “Sometimes (Backwood)” landed her her first record deal. In the song, the narrator compares themselves to a Backwood cigar as a metaphor for their tumultuous relationship.^{[17]
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Research source} The lyrics highlight themes of intimacy, jealousy, and vulnerability.