Vampire Weekend received much buzz from local blogs throughout 2007 during their rise to a record deal with indie label XL Recordings. Rolling Stone placed Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa at number 57 for the top 100 songs of 2007.
The band's debut album, "Vampire Weekend" was released on January 28. 2008. It was a surprise success, peaking at #17 on the Billboard 200.
Their second album "Contra" was released on January 12, 2010. It contains the single "Cousins". The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, only the 12th independently released and distributed album to achieve such a feat.
They are self-proclaimed "specialists in the following styles: 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa', 'Upper West Side Soweto', 'Campus', and 'Oxford Comma Riddim.'"
The name "Vampire Weekend" comes from a movie that Ezra Koenig made in the summer of his freshman year at college. You can watch the trailer on Youtube, here.
Their official site is http://www.vampireweekend.com/
CapeCodKwassaKwassa
Vampire Weekend Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Louis Vuitton
With your mother
On a sandy lawn
As a sophomore
With reggaeton
And the linens
Is your bed made?
Is your sweater on?
Do you want to
Like you know I do
But this feels so unnatural
Peter Gabriel too [x2]
Can you stay up
To see the dawn
In the colors
Of Bennetton?
Is your bed made
Is your sweater on
Do you want to
Like you know I do [x2]
But this feels so unnatural
Peter Gabriel too [x2]
Is your bed made
Is your sweater on
Do you want to
Like you know I do
The song "Camp Cod Kwassa Kwassa" by Vampire Weekend is a nostalgic ode to youth and the experiences that come with it. The lyrics describe different stages of life, from childhood to young adulthood, and the various trappings that come with them. The mention of Louis Vuitton and sitting on a sandy lawn with one's mother evokes memories of a privileged upbringing, while the reference to reggaeton and Bennetton clothing hints at the influence of pop culture and consumerism on youth culture. The repeated questions about making one's bed and putting on a sweater suggest a yearning for domesticity and comfort, even amidst the excitement and unpredictability of youth.
The chorus, which repeats the phrase "But this feels so unnatural/Peter Gabriel too," adds a layer of complexity to the song's nostalgia. Peter Gabriel, a pioneer of world music and experimental pop, is an unexpected reference in a song about suburban youth culture. This suggests a tension between the desire for tradition and familiarity, and the impulse to explore and break free from convention.
Overall, "Camp Cod Kwassa Kwassa" captures the bittersweet nostalgia that often accompanies memories of youth, as well as the complex social and cultural forces that shape youth culture.
Line by Line Meaning
As a young girl
Reminiscing about childhood and innocence
Louis Vuitton
Luxury brand associated with wealth and status
With your mother
Recalling a specific moment from childhood spent with a parent
On a sandy lawn
Describing the setting of the above memory as idyllic and carefree
As a sophomore
Reflecting on college years and coming of age
With reggaeton
Indicating a preference for Latin music
And the linens
Referring to the bedding she is currently sitting on
You're sitting on
Presently in a comfortable position, surrounded by luxury linens
Is your bed made?
Asking if she has taken care of her immediate environment
Is your sweater on?
Asking if she has taken care of her physical comfort
Do you want to
Asking if she is interested in doing something
Like you know I do
Implying that the artist hopes the listener wants to do the same activity as them
But this feels so unnatural
Expressing unease with the situation or activity
Peter Gabriel too [x2]
Referencing the musician Peter Gabriel, whose experimental music mirrors the singers' own experimental approach to the current activity
Can you stay up
Asking if the listener is up for staying awake late
To see the dawn
Specifically staying up to catch the moment when the sun rises
In the colors
Describing the beautiful hues of the sun at that moment
Of Bennetton?
Referencing the United Colors of Bennetton, a clothing brand known for its bright and colorful products
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@heathertaylor8904
+adfggffffffddffd
There's a young girl
We'll leave at dawn
With your mother
I'm standin on
Did you stay up
C'n we see the dawn
In the colors
i'm bettin' on (? maybe?)
In retrospect, I never gave it much thought, I just loved it for it in it's entirety and didn't care much what it was saying. IT felt quite silly to look at what i thought (?) they might be saying? But wasnt quite sure. Also, I couldn't give a squat'n'shit about louis vuitton or however it's spelled, and I sort of assumed they wouldn't much either, so i never expected something of that nature to be in one of their songs.
@betalm1586
As a young girl, Louis Vuitton
With your mother on a sandy lawn
As a sophomore with reggaeton
And the linens you're sitting on
Is your bed made?
Is your sweater on?
Do you wanna fly?
Like you know I do, like you know I do, ooh
This feels so unnatural
, too
But this feels so unnatural
Peter Gabriel
Can you stay up to see the dawn
In the colors of Benetton?
Is your bed made?
Is your sweater on?
Do you wanna fly?
Like you know I do, like you know I do, ooh
This feels so unnatural
Peter Gabriel too
But this feels so unnatural
Peter Gabriel
Is your bed made?
Is your sweater on?
Do you wanna fly?
Like you know I do, like you know I do, ooh
@charliesteel6326
which pixel is Ezra?
@MyHungryWidow
such music
very quality
much cool
wow
@catalinsanda8958
non
@peppa_pig_
Justin Warren no
@cocatrolla6027
The same with Princess Peach!
@teachfrog7194
HAHA!
@graysonw8660
I'm still depressed that I can't live eternally in the vibe of this song and the film-like preppy cape cod fantasy that this album created for me.
@hayley1745
I don't think anyone has articulated this as brilliantly as you did in history ever
@mackflynncaswell6488
+Grayson Whitehair ahh the cape isnt as preppy as you would think. i mean yea it definitely is, and the summer parties are definitely like this, but i love the cape for the sunsets and rises, the beach, and the feeling you get. there's something magical about living here and that's why i love this song haha
@foxracer1703
Grayson Whitehair not all its cracked uo to be bub. most of us dont get to relax that. if you are doing what's going on in this video youre usually from elsewhere.