rockaction
Footballguy
1.12
Vampire Weekend - Step - (2013)
Vampire Weekend's best song off of their original lineup's swan song, Modern Vampires Of The City, "Step" is the song I chose because its baroque/chamber pop brilliance is both beautiful and advances an argument about music, both in its sonic presentation and in its lyrics. Arguing musically that there is room for modern dynamism and borrowing from others in songwriting, Vampire Weekend samples "Step To My Girl" by Souls of Mischief, who in turn had sampled Grover Washington's saxophone cover of Bread's "Aubrey." It also features the chord progression of Pachelbel's Canon in D, using the piano refrain throughout the song. In these ways, it advances the notion that music is eternal yet ever-changing, a dynamic thing to behold for younger and old alike. Ezra Koenig's musing about all of music as his muse, or, "his girl," paints a picture of someone who was once great, someone that the elders praise effusively, and someone from whom the youngsters adopt their own style and form with which to run.
Ancestors told me that their girl was better
She's richer than Croesus, she's tougher than leather
I just ignored all the tales of a past life
Stale conversation deserves but a bread knife
And punks who would laugh when they saw us together
Well they didn't know how to dress for the weather
I can still see them there, huddled on Astor
Snow falling slow to the sound of the master
The gloves are off, the wisdom teeth are out
What you on about?
I feel it in my bones, I feel it in my bones
I'm stronger now, I'm ready for the house
Such a modest mouse
I can't do it alone, I can't do it alone
Wisdom's a gift, but you'd trade it for youth
Age is an honor, it's still not the truth
We saw the stars when they hid from the world
You cursed the sun when it stepped to your girl
Maybe she's gone, and I can't resurrect her
The truth is she doesn't need me to protect her
We know the true death, the true way of all flesh
Everyone's dying, but girl you're not old yet
Some interesting reads about "Step"
https://medium.com/@coltonschroetter/how-the-elements-of-step-confront-musical-elitism-c03207e35924
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Step_(Vampire_Weekend_song)
This is a reader-given annotation of the song and its lyrical meanings, with up and downvotes
https://genius.com/1594260
Vampire Weekend - Step - (2013)
Vampire Weekend's best song off of their original lineup's swan song, Modern Vampires Of The City, "Step" is the song I chose because its baroque/chamber pop brilliance is both beautiful and advances an argument about music, both in its sonic presentation and in its lyrics. Arguing musically that there is room for modern dynamism and borrowing from others in songwriting, Vampire Weekend samples "Step To My Girl" by Souls of Mischief, who in turn had sampled Grover Washington's saxophone cover of Bread's "Aubrey." It also features the chord progression of Pachelbel's Canon in D, using the piano refrain throughout the song. In these ways, it advances the notion that music is eternal yet ever-changing, a dynamic thing to behold for younger and old alike. Ezra Koenig's musing about all of music as his muse, or, "his girl," paints a picture of someone who was once great, someone that the elders praise effusively, and someone from whom the youngsters adopt their own style and form with which to run.
Ancestors told me that their girl was better
She's richer than Croesus, she's tougher than leather
I just ignored all the tales of a past life
Stale conversation deserves but a bread knife
And punks who would laugh when they saw us together
Well they didn't know how to dress for the weather
I can still see them there, huddled on Astor
Snow falling slow to the sound of the master
The gloves are off, the wisdom teeth are out
What you on about?
I feel it in my bones, I feel it in my bones
I'm stronger now, I'm ready for the house
Such a modest mouse
I can't do it alone, I can't do it alone
Wisdom's a gift, but you'd trade it for youth
Age is an honor, it's still not the truth
We saw the stars when they hid from the world
You cursed the sun when it stepped to your girl
Maybe she's gone, and I can't resurrect her
The truth is she doesn't need me to protect her
We know the true death, the true way of all flesh
Everyone's dying, but girl you're not old yet
Some interesting reads about "Step"
https://medium.com/@coltonschroetter/how-the-elements-of-step-confront-musical-elitism-c03207e35924
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Step_(Vampire_Weekend_song)
This is a reader-given annotation of the song and its lyrical meanings, with up and downvotes
https://genius.com/1594260
Last edited by a moderator:
...it's like me.
