Robyn stated in a Stereogum interview that the song was inspired by eating falafels in NYC.
STEREOGUM: Absolutely. Back to your new album, your songs can be so surreal. What is your songwriting process like?
ROBYN HITCHCOCK: I know when something is coming through – when I’ve got a bite – when the birds are settling on the branch – and I have to be receptive; ideally with a notebook or a guitar or piano. Then I’ve got it – I pounce. But swarms of songs get away – I lose more than I can trap. Once you’ve trapped it (slightly cruel word for it) then you have to nurture it, feed it scraps, be firm with it as you would with any creature you are rearing. Then, finally let it go into the zoo where your other compositions dwell and beyond out into the world where it wears your brand
STEREOGUM: Is that what you did with songs like “Balloon Man”?
ROBYN HITCHCOCK: That was based on real life: eating a falafel walking up 6th Ave from 34th to 44th in a rain storm. You can still do that legally today. But in terms of composition, it’s exactly the same…
Robyn stated in a Stereogum interview that the song was inspired by eating falafels in NYC.
STEREOGUM: Absolutely. Back to your new album, your songs can be so surreal. What is your songwriting process like?
ROBYN HITCHCOCK: I know when something is coming through – when I’ve got a bite – when the birds are settling on the branch – and I have to be receptive; ideally with a notebook or a guitar or piano. Then I’ve got it – I pounce. But swarms of songs get away – I lose more than I can trap. Once you’ve trapped it (slightly cruel word for it) then you have to nurture it, feed it scraps, be firm with it as you would with any creature you are rearing. Then, finally let it go into the zoo where your other compositions dwell and beyond out into the world where it wears your brand
STEREOGUM: Is that what you did with songs like “Balloon Man”?
ROBYN HITCHCOCK: That was based on real life: eating a falafel walking up 6th Ave from 34th to 44th in a rain storm. You can still do that legally today. But in terms of composition, it’s exactly the same…