Strawberries & Cigarettes

"Strawberries & Cigarettes" is a poignant exploration of memory, love, and longing, centered on the idea that our senses can forge powerful, lasting connections to people and experiences. The song's meaning revolves around the narrator's inability to escape the memory of a past relationship because common tastes and smells—specifically strawberries and cigarettes—incessantly trigger vivid recollections of their former lover. This isn't just a simple reminiscence; it's a form of sensory imprinting where the lover's essence is permanently fused with these items. The title itself juxtaposes the sweet innocence of youth (strawberries) with the slightly dangerous, adult allure of rebellion (cigarettes), encapsulating the dual nature of the remembered romance: it was both beautiful and perhaps a little damaging. The song beautifully captures the bittersweet nature of looking back on a first love—a fairytale-like romance that has ended but whose memory continues to haunt the present.

The narrative begins with a vivid recollection of a first meeting, sparked by the simple, rebellious act of being asked for a light for a cigarette. This memory is intertwined with a sense of youthful defiance, sneaking out and lying to parents. An imperfect, almost comical, memory follows: getting stranded because the car keys were locked inside, leading to an intimate, unplanned moment. The core of the song revolves around the powerful and persistent association of specific sensory details with a past lover. The taste of strawberries and the smell of cigarettes are not just flavors but have become synonymous with this person, a constant reminder of the relationship.

This sensory connection triggers a flood of memories: long nights, daydreams, and specific visual details like the person's blue eyes and black jeans. The narrator acknowledges the foolishness of holding onto these memories, yet is unable to escape them. The recurring theme is the way this past love is imprinted on the narrator's senses, making it impossible to move on. Every time they encounter these tastes or smells, they are transported back to those moments.

A later verse touches on a conversation about fate, where the lover promised that the waiting and the difficulties would be worthwhile. This memory is linked to a specific, tender moment in the back of a taxi, a fleeting touch that held so much promise. However, the hopefulness of that memory is contrasted with the present reality: the next day, there's no call, no message. All that's left is the lingering scent of the person on their clothes. Despite this disappointment and the cyclical nature of their interactions, the narrator admits to hoping for a change, only to fall back into the same pattern. The song concludes with the unshakable truth that the bittersweet combination of strawberries and cigarettes will forever taste like the memory of this lost love, leaving a perpetual state of wanting more.

"Strawberries & Cigarettes" was co-written by Troye Sivan, Jack Antonoff, and Alex Hope. The song was originally penned in 2015 during the sessions for Sivan's debut studio album, Blue Neighbourhood, but it did not make the final tracklist. Sivan has mentioned that he wasn't entirely sure why it was cut, as he always liked the song. Years later, Jack Antonoff, who was curating the soundtrack for the 2018 film Love, Simon, remembered the track. He texted Sivan, suggesting they revive the song for the movie. Sivan agreed, and they went back to the studio. He re-recorded the vocals with Alex Hope, making minor adjustments because his voice had matured since the initial recording. The song was officially released on March 16, 2018, as a single from the Love, Simon (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). For its contribution to the film, the song was nominated for Best Original Song at the 23rd Satellite Awards.

The song follows a relatively conventional pop structure with a consistent rhyme scheme in its verses, often using couplets (AABB), such as "Remember when we first met? / You said 'light my cigarette' / So I lied to my mom and dad / I jumped the fence and I ran." This simple, direct rhyme scheme contributes to the song's storytelling quality and makes the lyrics memorable. The chorus has its own internal rhyming pattern that reinforces its hook-like nature. The song's rhythm is set at a moderate tempo of 84 beats per minute with a 4/4 time signature, giving it a steady, swaying feel that enhances its dreamy and nostalgic atmosphere. This tempo is not energetic enough for dancing but provides a compelling pulse that carries the emotional narrative forward, mirroring the feeling of being lost in a daydream. The interplay between the lyrical rhythm and the musical rhythm is smooth, with Sivan's vocal phrasing flowing naturally over the synth-driven instrumental.

Musically, "Strawberries & Cigarettes" is a lush pop song with prominent synth-pop and dream-pop characteristics. The production, handled by Jack Antonoff, features heavily layered studio magic, but Sivan's vocals remain the clear focal point, delivering a warm and serenading performance. The arrangement has an atmospheric quality, with a tempo of around 84 BPM in the key of A Major, creating a nostalgic and somewhat melancholic mood. Lyrically, the song employs a strong narrative voice, recounting specific memories in a storytelling fashion (e.g., "Remember when we first met? You said 'light my cigarette'"). Sivan uses vivid sensory imagery (taste, smell, sight) to convey the emotional weight of the memories. The repetition of the chorus acts as a lyrical hook, emphasizing the central theme of sensory memory. The vocal delivery is longing and wistful, perfectly matching the romantic and heartbreaking lyrical content.

"Strawberries & Cigarettes" gained significant cultural traction primarily through its inclusion in the soundtrack for the critically acclaimed 2018 LGBTQ+ teen film, Love, Simon. The song's themes of nostalgic, heartfelt, and slightly painful young love resonated perfectly with the movie's narrative, and it became an immediate fan favorite and a standout track from the soundtrack. It was praised by critics for its romantic lyrics and lush production, with some calling it one of Sivan's best songs to date. The song received a nomination for Best Original Song at the 23rd Satellite Awards, further cementing its critical recognition. While not a major chart-topper globally, it has maintained enduring popularity, especially on streaming platforms, and is often cited by fans as a quintessential Troye Sivan track, embodying his characteristic blend of emotional synth-pop. The song helped solidify Sivan's status as a significant voice in pop music, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community.

The song is rich with symbolism, primarily centered on the titular "Strawberries & Cigarettes." This phrase acts as a powerful central metaphor for a past relationship.

• Strawberries: Symbolize sweetness, innocence, and the sweeter, more tender moments of young love. They represent the youthful, perhaps naive, aspects of the romance.
• Cigarettes: Represent a more rebellious, dangerous, and addictive side of the relationship. The act of smoking is often associated with coming-of-age and a hint of self-destructiveness, suggesting the love was thrilling but perhaps not entirely healthy.

Together, they create a potent, bittersweet combination that encapsulates the entire experience of the remembered love. The lyrics use other sensory images as metaphors to recall the person, such as "Blue eyes, black jeans, lighters and candy," which ground the abstract feeling of memory in concrete, tangible details. The phrase "sugar and smoke rings" further reinforces this duality, combining the sweet and the ephemeral, suggesting a love that was beautiful but ultimately dissipated like smoke.

The most significant recurring motif is the title phrase, "strawberries and cigarettes," which appears repeatedly in the chorus. This phrase acts as the song's central hook and thematic core, symbolizing the fusion of sweet and dangerous elements in a past love. Its constant repetition drills home the idea that this specific sensory combination is an inescapable trigger for the narrator's memories. Another recurring line, "always taste like you," directly follows this motif, explicitly stating the powerful connection between the taste/smell and the person. The line "I've been a fool" also recurs in the chorus, suggesting a self-awareness of the narrator's inability to move on and their vulnerability in this obsessive reminiscence. The motifs of "long nights, daydreams" and specific visual cues like "blue eyes, black jeans" are also repeated, painting a consistent and vivid picture of the lost love.