We Live. We Love. We Lie.: 5 Shocking Secrets Behind The Viral Smurf Cat Meme And Alan Walker’s Song

The phrase "We live. We love. We lie." has become one of the most pervasive and bizarre cultural touchstones of the internet in the last year, exploding into a viral phenomenon that continues to influence online trends as of today, December 11, 2025. This simple, three-part statement is far more than just a random collection of words; it represents a chaotic collision between a 2017 global EDM hit and one of the most nonsensical, yet beloved, memes in recent history.

The true story behind "We live. We love. We lie." involves a Norwegian DJ, a fantastical concept artist, and a blue, mushroom-dwelling creature that took over platforms like TikTok and Reddit, solidifying its place in the internet's ever-evolving lexicon. Understanding this phrase requires tracing a path from the introspective lyrics of a major song to the perplexing image of a Smurf-like cat.

Alan Walker: The Artist Behind the Original Lyrics

While the phrase's current fame is tied to a meme, its original context is a powerful, melancholic piece of electronic music. The line "We live, we love, we lie" is a key lyric from the song "The Spectre" by the acclaimed Norwegian DJ and producer, Alan Walker.

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Alan Walker: Profile and Biography

• Full Name: Alan Olav Walker
• Born: August 24, 1997, Northampton, England (Holds dual Norwegian and British citizenship)
• Genre: EDM, Electronic Dance Music, Progressive House
• Signature Look: Always wears a mask or hood, representing anonymity and the idea that anyone can be a "Walker."
• Breakthrough Hit: "Faded" (2015)
• Song Originating the Phrase: "The Spectre" (2017)
• Key Collaborators: Ava Max, Sabrina Carpenter, Hans Zimmer, Noah Kahan.

The Deeper Meaning of "The Spectre"

"The Spectre" is an instrumental track from 2015, which Alan Walker later re-released in 2017 with added vocals and lyrics.

The song is not a celebration of life, love, and deceit, but rather an introspective journey.

The full chorus lyrics paint a picture of searching for identity and home:

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Is this the place that I call home?
To find what I've become?
Walk along the path unknown,
We live, we love, we lie.

Music analysts suggest the song deals with themes of fear surrounding a breakup or the pain of fading away, with the high-energy EDM beat contrasting sharply with the deep, searching lyrics. The phrase "We live, we love, we lie" is often interpreted as a commentary on the inherent complexities and deceptions that exist within the human experience, even amidst life and love.

The Bizarre Viral Explosion: How the Smurf Cat Meme Took Over

The phrase lay dormant in the EDM world until September 2023, when it was abruptly yanked into the spotlight by one of the internet's most surreal creations: the Smurf Cat.

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The Birth of the Smurf Cat (Schlank)

The image that launched a thousand memes is a creature that is half Smurf, half cat, wearing a white Phrygian cap and standing next to a giant mushroom.

This image is not AI-generated, as some believe, but an artwork created by concept artist Nate Hallinan in 2011, titled "Smurf Cat."

The creature is also known by the name "Schlank" or "Shailushai," which are popular names used in different language communities online, adding to its mysterious and global appeal.

The Meme's Nonsensical Appeal

The meme's virality on platforms like TikTok and YouTube was primarily driven by its pure, unadulterated randomness.

The Smurf Cat image was paired with a sped-up, distorted clip of Alan Walker's "The Spectre," specifically the "We live. We love. We lie." lyric.

This combination—a bizarre image and a powerful, yet context-less, lyric—created a perfect storm of internet humor. The joke, in essence, is that there is no joke; the absurdity is the punchline.

It became a popular non-sequitur, used to abruptly end videos or to represent something utterly chaotic and out of place in a seemingly normal setting. The popularity of the Blue Cat Meme cemented the "We live. We love. We lie" phrase as a shorthand for internet absurdity.

The Lasting Cultural Impact and Topical Authority

The unexpected marriage of Alan Walker's intense EDM track and the silly Smurf Cat meme created a cultural moment that transcended typical online trends, generating significant topical authority for the phrase itself.

The LSI Keywords and Derivative Content

The meme's success generated a massive wave of derivative content, demonstrating its wide-reaching cultural impact:

• Google Translate Memes: Users would translate the phrase into dozens of languages and back, creating humorous, distorted versions.
• Merchandise: T-shirts, hoodies, and stickers featuring the Smurf Cat and the phrase continue to be sold, indicating its commercial staying power well into 2025.
• Crossovers: The Smurf Cat was quickly edited into scenes from major movies and TV shows, with characters like Walter White and The Rock being associated with the phrase in fan edits.
• EDM Revival: The meme brought renewed attention to Alan Walker's 2017 song, introducing a new generation of listeners to "The Spectre" and the broader genre of EDM.

The Philosophical Interpretation of the Meme

Beyond the laughs, some cultural commentators suggest the meme taps into a deeper modern sentiment. The phrase "We live. We love. We lie." can be seen as a cynical yet honest summary of the modern digital life:

• We Live: We exist, often online, documenting every moment.
• We Love: We form intense, often fleeting, connections and attachments.
• We Lie: We present carefully curated, often deceptive, versions of ourselves to the world.

In this view, the Smurf Cat—a creature that is neither fully Smurf nor fully cat—is the perfect mascot for the chaotic, fragmented, and often inauthentic nature of contemporary internet culture.

Ultimately, whether you view it as a profound philosophical statement on the human condition or just a silly blue cat, "We live. We love. We lie." is a testament to the internet's power to instantly transform old content into new, viral phenomena, ensuring that the phrase's legacy will endure far beyond its initial 2023 explosion.