Sardines Song: Behind The Song

The story behind the song.

Attalie Anne being characteristically silly in her profile photo for her Sardines Song

Let me start by saying this: I love fish. Like, a lot. I have these AWESOME fish-shaped slide sandals (look up Coddies, you won’t regret it), and they’re my favorite shoes in the world. I’ve worn them far too many places, and I refer to them—very seriously—as my “fish flops.” There’s just something about fish. They’re so weirdly cute and oddly aesthetically pleasing?? I don’t know. But the obsession runs deep.

Attalie Anne's Coddies "Fish Flops"

Naturally, this love extends to tinned fish too, which is probably why, when I started missing my boyfriend from halfway across the world, the image that kept popping into my head was… sardines.

Yep. Cuddled up like two little sardines in a can. Packed in tight, warm, safe, undisturbed. That’s what I wanted—to be squished next to him, away from the world. And honestly? I thought, hey, that’s kind of an adorable, quirky metaphor. So I ran with it.

The Writing Process

“Sardines Song” started with that single mental image—just the concept. Once I had that, the lyrics and melody came quickly. I wrote the whole thing sitting cross-legged on my bed. It came together in a single day, one of those magical writing moments where everything just clicks.

Let’s talk about the lyric that didn’t make the cut…

Originally, there was a line that said: “The perfect number two.” At the time, I thought I was being clever—like, the perfect pair, you know? I was proud. Until I played it for my little cousin while getting her ready for bed, and she immediately burst out laughing and said, “The perfect number two? Like the perfect poop??” And that was the end of that line. It has now been permanently and irreversibly changed to “The perfect pair, us two.” (My cousin still insists on singing it the original way every time she hears it. Little menace.)

A photo of a page in Attalie's journal where she wrote Sardines Song. You can see the original lyric, "the perfect number two" scratched out.

The Production

In terms of production, this song took a path I didn’t expect. I went into the studio just to get a demo down—nothing fancy. The more I listened to the raw version, just me and my guitar with a little reverb, the more I loved it. It felt right. Cozy. Intimate.

So we kind of went, “Okay! Let’s not overthink this,” and started putting together a last-minute release plan.

The Meaning (To Me)

To me, this song feels like cozy, quiet love—the kind that happens when no one’s looking. Not a secret, but sacred in its own little way. I’m a pretty open person, and I have zero qualms with loving people loudly. But this song is about the soft moments. The ones only you and your person know about.

Now a confession…

Every time I’ve actually tried to eat sardines—I’ve not been a fan. Insane, I know. I really want to like them, but I just don’t. I love most other fish dishes! Especially sushi—big sushi girl over here. On the topic of sushi, the first time I actually played “Sardines Song” for someone, it was my sweet friend Ainsley, during one of our 1 a.m. grocery store sushi dates (one of my fave things we do). What a good memory.

If this song had a aesthetic…

It would probably be sun-faded Italian summer. Think charcuterie boards, linen button-ups, and maybe a dash of TikTok’s “Coastal Grandmother” vibe.

And if the song were a scent…

Easy: saltwater. Obviously. HAHA!

“Sardines Song” is just a funny little love letter of a song, but beneath the cheekiness, it’s genuine. I hope when you listen, you can tell! 

XOXO, Attalie

Album Cover of Attalie Anne's Sardines Song single

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