Frontman Barry Johnson wrote the song's lyrics, which reference a litany of public figures, including rapper Kanye West, author John Steinbeck, and actor Phil Hartman.
The tune centers on a protagonist having a one-night stand with someone younger, who enjoys hearing themselves talk, about the immeasurable talent of Kanye West, who she opines is better than the actor Phil Hartman, or the author John Steinbeck.
As the song concludes, vocalist Barry Johnson retreats to his memories,[1] alluding to the death of his friend Brandon Carlisle, the drummer of Wyoming punk act Teenage Bottlerocket, who unexpectedly passed away in 2015.
[7] The Fader columnist Patrick McDermott likened it to a short teen movie, writing, "It's like something John Hughes might've schemed up had he grown up getting stoned at SoCal basement shows.
"[8] Ben Kaye at Consequence of Sound wrote that "the track is a refrain-less punch of bitterness that cautions against those first few moments of what you mistake for love.
"[9] Tanner Smith at PopMatters praised the song's sardonic tone, calling Johnson "a funny and perceptive writer of youth culture.