The day of wrath, that day
Will dissolve the world in ashes
As foretold by David and the Sibyl!
Oh, what fear man’s bosom rendeth,
When from heaven the Judge descendeth,
On whose sentence all dependeth.
How much tremor there will be,
when the Judge will come,
investigating everything strictly!
Wondrous sound the trumpet flingeth;
Through earth’s sepulchres it ringeth;
All before the throne it bringeth.
The trumpet, scattering a wondrous sound
through the sepulchres of the regions,
will summon all before the Throne.
Death is struck, and nature quaking,
All creation is awaking,
To its Judge an answer making.
Death and nature will marvel,
when the creature arises,
to respond to the Judge.
Lo! the book, exactly worded,
Wherein all hath been recorded:
Thence shall judgement be awarded.
The written book will be brought forth,
in which all is contained,
from which the world shall be judged.
This entire song could also be about Buddhism vs Catholicism / Christianity. The lyric “You be frightened by the open hand, frightened by the hand” is in reference to the Buddha “ABHAYA — No Fear” mudra. Furthermore “trapped beneath the chandelier” is referencing the ornate chandeliers often found in churches. Especially if you look at California English Pt 2
Everlasting Arms
Vampire Weekend Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lead me to myself, leave me to myself
I took your council and came to ruin
Leave me to myself, lead me to myself
Oh I was made to live without you
But I'm never gonna understand, never understand
Oh I was born to live without you
But I'm never gonna understand, never understand
Hold me in your everlasting arms
Looked up for the fields trapped beneath the chandelier
It's going down
I thought it over, and drew the curtain
Leave me to myself, lead me to myself
I hummed the Dies Irae you played the Hallelujah
Lead me to myself, don't leave me in myself
If you'd been made to serve a master
You be fighting by the open night, fighting by the hand
Could I have been made to serve a master
When I'm never gonna understand, never understand
Hold me in your everlasting arms
Looked up full of fear trapped beneath the chandelier
It's going down
Hold me in your everlasting arms
Looked up full of fear trapped beneath the chandelier
It's going down
Hold me in your everlasting arms
The song "Everlasting Arms" by Vampire Weekend is a reflective and introspective piece that dives into the themes of independence, isolation, and self-discovery. The opening lines suggest that the singer has followed and taken someone's advice which has led to their downfall, and now they are struggling to find their own identity, with the repeated phrase "Leave me to myself, lead me to myself" implying a need for space to figure things out. The chorus then follows, with the singer acknowledging that they were "made to live without you" but they will "never understand" why. The verse that follows ventures deeper into the confusion, as they hum the Dies Irae while the other person plays Hallelujah, showing a stark contrast between how each individual sees the world and their different ways of navigating through it. The song ends with the repeated plea to be held in "everlasting arms," a biblical reference to God's protection, but is also portrayed as a call for someone to understand and support them.
The song reflects the band's signature style of blending various genres like indie rock, pop, and world music, and experimenting with unique soundscapes. The lyrics are reminiscent of lead singer Ezra Koenig's literary influence and the complex themes explored in their previous albums.
Line by Line Meaning
I took your council and came to ruin
I followed your advice and now my life is in ruins
Lead me to myself, leave me to myself
Let me be on my own to figure things out
Oh I was made to live without you
I can survive without you in my life
But I'm never gonna understand, never understand
I may never comprehend why it had to end
Hold me in your everlasting arms
Embrace me in your never-ending love and support
Looked up for the fields trapped beneath the chandelier
Searching for a way out of this confining and oppressive situation
It's going down
Things are falling apart
I thought it over, and drew the curtain
After careful consideration, I decided to end things
I hummed the Dies Irae you played the Hallelujah
I expressed my sadness while you celebrated our breakup
Don't leave me in myself
Don't abandon me to my own thoughts and feelings
If you'd been made to serve a master
If you had the same obligations and limitations as me
You be fighting by the open night, fighting by the hand
You would also be struggling to break free
Could I have been made to serve a master
Is it possible that I have more control over my life than I realize?
Looked up full of fear trapped beneath the chandelier
Feeling trapped and scared in a fancy and suffocating environment
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Ezra Koenig, Rostam Batmanglij
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind