Diplomat’s Son
Vampire Weekend Lyrics
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And if I wait, could I ever forgive myself?
On a night when the moon glows yellow in the riptide
With the light from the TV's buzzing in the house
'Cause I'm gonna cut it where I can
And then I'm gonna duck out behind them
If I ever had a chance it's now then
But I never had the feeling I could offer that to you
To offer it to you would be cruel
When all I want to do is use, use you
He was a diplomat's son, it was '81
He was a diplomat's son, it was '81, oh-oh, oh-oh
Dressed in white with my car keys hidden in the kitchen
I could sleep wherever I lay my head
And the sight of your two shoes sitting in the bathtub
Let me know that I shouldn't give up just yet
'Cause I'm gonna take it from Simon
And then I'm gonna duck out behind them
If I ever had a chance it's now then
But I never had the feeling I could offer that to you
To offer it to you would be cruel
When all I want to do is use, use you
He was a diplomat's son, it was '81
He was a diplomat's son, it was '81, oh-oh, oh-oh
I know, you'll say I'm not doing it right
But this is how I want it
I can't go back to how I felt before, there's
That night I smoked a joint with my best friend
We found ourselves in bed, when I woke up, he was gone
He was a diplomat's son, it was '81
He was a diplomat's son, it was '81
Looking out at the ice-cold water all around me
I can't feel any traces of that other place
In the dark, when the wind comes racing off the river
There's a car all black with diplomatic plates
The song "Diplomat's Son" by Vampire Weekend explores themes of regret, missed opportunities, and the consequences of one's actions. The opening lines of the song, "It's not right, but it's now or never, and if I wait, could I ever forgive myself?" set the tone for the rest of the song. The singer is faced with a difficult decision, and although he knows that what he's about to do is not morally right, he feels compelled to do so.
The second verse delves deeper into the singer's regret, as he reflects on the missed opportunities he's had with his love interest. He admits that he never felt like he could offer anything of value to her, and that to offer himself to her would be cruel. In the chorus, the repeated line "he was a diplomat's son, it was '81" further emphasizes the theme of missed opportunities and the passage of time.
The third verse introduces a different character, Simon, who the singer plans to take something from before disappearing into the night. The final verse ties the narrative back to the present moment, where the singer finds himself in a different place and time than where he started the song.
Overall, "Diplomat's Son" is a thoughtful exploration of the weight of one's decisions and the lasting impact they can have.
Line by Line Meaning
It's not right, but it's now or never
I know this isn't the right thing to do, but it's my only chance.
And if I wait, could I ever forgive myself?
If I don't take this chance, I'll regret it forever.
On a night when the moon glows yellow in the riptide
It's a strange and unsettling night with forces out of my control.
With the light from the TV's buzzing in the house
The only light comes from the TV, giving everything an eerie glow.
'Cause I'm gonna cut it where I can
I'll take what I can get and not ask for more.
And then I'm gonna duck out behind them
I'll slip away unseen once I've gotten what I came for.
If I ever had a chance it's now then
This is my one and only opportunity.
But I never had the feeling I could offer that to you
I don't think I have anything to offer you in return.
To offer it to you would be cruel
To pretend that I could make it up to you would be even worse.
When all I want to do is use, use you
I only want to take advantage of you for my own gain.
He was a diplomat's son, it was '81
The person I'm thinking of is from a privileged and influential family, back in the early 1980s.
Dressed in white with my car keys hidden in the kitchen
I'm ready to make a quick escape, with my keys stashed somewhere safe.
I could sleep wherever I lay my head
I don't care where I end up, as long as I'm out of here.
And the sight of your two shoes sitting in the bathtub
I see evidence that you're still around, and maybe there's still hope for us.
Let me know that I shouldn't give up just yet
This gives me a glimmer of hope that maybe we can still make something work.
I know, you'll say I'm not doing it right
I'm fully aware that what I'm doing is wrong or immoral.
But this is how I want it
Despite how I know I should feel, this is what I'm really after.
I can't go back to how I felt before, there's
I'm too far gone to ever return to the person I was before this.
That night I smoked a joint with my best friend
I remember one night when I was with my closest companion.
We found ourselves in bed, when I woke up, he was gone
I'm still grappling with confusing emotions and remember a time when things got intimate between us.
Looking out at the ice-cold water all around me
I'm surrounded by a cold and isolating landscape.
I can't feel any traces of that other place
No matter where I am, I can't shake these conflicting emotions and desires.
In the dark, when the wind comes racing off the river
The darkness and sounds of nature only add to my sense of unease and confusion.
There's a car all black with diplomatic plates
I return to reality and realize my mistake, seeing a car with diplomatic plates that reminds me of the person I'm pursuing.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: David James Andrew Taylor, Ezra Koenig, Frederick Hibbert, Mathangi Maya Arulpragasam, Rostam Batmanglij, Thomas Wesley Pentz
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind