But as it turns out, the song isn't supposed to be taken literally. Instead, cake by the ocean is a phrase that got lost in translation in the studio — Working on the record, these Swedish producers that we were working with kept confusing 'sex on the beach' with 'cake by the ocean,' Joe told MTV.​ Then, it became this kind of lyrically wacky song, and it kind of embodies the band.t's a sex thing, apparently. Oh Joe. By Alex Rees.