31 Today

Album: @#%&*! Smilers (2008)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Aimee Mann told the Independent newspaper June 20, 2008 about this autobiographical song: "I pretty much base all my characters on real people, exaggerating their situations and '31 Today' is about me, but I was also thinking about people I knew back then - 'getting loaded watching CNN'. There was a guy I went out with for a while who was a musician and had a trust fund, so that's all he did. You can kid yourself that you're staying informed, but really."
  • The song's lyrics sum up the disappointment and self-concern of many 20- and 30-somethings in the U.S. "I thought my life would be different somehow/ I thought my life would be better by now." Mann's disillusionment is her own feeling, but she's also lambasting her peers for focusing so much on themselves and the twentysomething angst and uncertainty, that has now become thirtysomething ennui.
  • The music video for the song features improvisational comedic acting by Morgan Murphy, and was directed by Bobcat Goldthwait.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Prince

PrinceFact or Fiction

Prince is shrouded in mystery, making him an excellent candidate for Fact or Fiction. Is he really a Scientologist? Does he own an exotic animal?

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s Edition

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s EditionMusic Quiz

You know the scenes - Tom Cruise in his own pants-off dance off, Molly Ringwald celebrating her birthday - but do you remember what song is playing?

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)Songwriter Interviews

Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai were two of Graham's co-writers for some '80s rock classics.

P.F. Sloan

P.F. SloanSongwriter Interviews

P.F. was a teenager writing hits and playing on tracks for Jan & Dean when he wrote a #1 hit that got him blackballed.

Def Leppard Quiz

Def Leppard QuizMusic Quiz

Can you name Def Leppard's only #1 hit in America? Get rocked with this adrenalized quiz.

Ralph Casale  - Session Pro

Ralph Casale - Session ProSongwriter Interviews

A top New York studio musician, Ralph played guitar on many '60s hits, including "Lightnin' Strikes," "A Lover's Concerto" and "I Am A Rock."