How Long?
Vampire Weekend Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Tough choice? Don't make me laugh
My life's a joke, your life's a gas
You broke my heart at midnight mass
Now I'm the ghost of Christmas past
The only choice you gave to me
Is one I took reluctantly
'Cause when we play democracy
You always take immunity

How long 'til we sink to the bottom of the sea?
How long, how long?
How long 'til we sink and it's only you and me?
How long, how long?

How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la-la)

What's the point of getting clean?
You'll wear the same old dirty jeans
What's the point of being seen?
Those eyes are cruel, those eyes are mean
What's the point of human beings?
A Sharpie face on tangerines
Why's it felt like Halloween since Christmas 2017?

How long?
How long, how long?
How long 'til we sink and it's only you and me?
How long, how long?

How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la-la)

Getting to the top
Wasn't supposed to be this hard
The house is on Mulholland Drive
The car's on Sunset Boulevard
The registration's here with me
But neither of us has the key
We can live down in the flats
The hills will fall eventually

How long 'til we sink to the bottom of the sea?
How long, how long?
How long 'til we sink and it's only you and me?
How long, how long?

How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la-la)

How long?
How long?




How long?
How long?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics in Vampire Weekend's song "How Long?" explore themes of disappointment, disillusionment, and hopelessness in the face of societal and personal failures. The singer expresses bitterness towards someone who has hurt him in the past, referring to his own life as a joke and his opponent's as a gas, which implies insubstantiality and superficiality. The mention of midnight mass, the ghost of Christmas past, and the "sharpie face on tangerines" allude to the holiday season, with the former two suggestive of religious alienation and the latter symbolizing the commercialization and artificiality of the season. The chorus's repetition of the question "How long?" highlights the frustration and desperation for an end to the troubles and uncertainties.


The song continues with a critique of society's ideals and expectations, such as the pressure to dress well and maintain appearances, while acknowledging the futility of such endeavors. The verse "What's the point of human beings? A Sharpie face on tangerines" suggests that humans are superficial and easily manipulated, with the phrase "Sharpie face" implying a lack of authenticity and control. Finally, the song concludes by reflecting on the difficulties of upward mobility and success, with the image of the house on Mulholland Drive and the car on Sunset Boulevard representing the idealized version of the American Dream. However, the singer is stuck in a position of stagnation, holding onto the registration but lacking the key, and ultimately resigns to the eventual downfall of the Hollywood hills.


Overall, "How Long?" portrays a sense of disillusionment and hopelessness as the singer confronts personal and societal failures and acknowledges the difficulties of achieving personal success.


Line by Line Meaning

Tough choice? Don't make me laugh
Don't insult my intelligence with that supposed tough choice


My life's a joke, your life's a gas
Both our lives are trivial and lacking in substance


You broke my heart at midnight mass
You caused me great emotional pain during a religious event


Now I'm the ghost of Christmas past
I haunt you with memories of our past relationship


The only choice you gave to me
You gave me limited and undesirable options


Is one I took reluctantly
I accepted the choice even though I didn't want to


'Cause when we play democracy
When we try to make decisions together


You always take immunity
You always exempt yourself from the consequences of your decisions


What's the point of getting clean?
What's the use of getting rid of our bad habits?


You'll wear the same old dirty jeans
You'll still be the same person even if you change your habits


What's the point of being seen?
What's the use of being noticed or famous?


Those eyes are cruel, those eyes are mean
People with power or fame can be ruthless


What's the point of human beings?
What's the value of our existence?


A Sharpie face on tangerines
A meaningless and absurd image


Why's it felt like Halloween since Christmas 2017?
Since a certain holiday in 2017, life has felt like a dark and eerie festival


Getting to the top wasn't supposed to be this hard
Achieving success was supposed to be easier


The house is on Mulholland Drive, the car's on Sunset Boulevard
Our possessions are in different locations, our lives are fragmented


The registration's here with me, but neither of us has the key
We have legal ownership, but lack access or control


We can live down in the flats, the hills will fall eventually
We can live a simple life, while the people with power will eventually lose their status


How long 'til we sink to the bottom of the sea? How long, how long?
How long until we reach rock bottom and lose everything?


How long 'til we sink and it's only you and me? How long, how long?
How long until we're the only ones left together in our despair?


How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
Repeated questioning, seeking an answer


How long? (La-la-la-la)
Further questioning


How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
More questioning


How long? (La-la-la-la-la)
Continued questioning




Writer(s): William Shelby, Stephen Shockley, Leon F III Sylvers, Ezra Koenig, Stephen Shockley, William Shelby, Leon F III Sylvers

Contributed by Samuel D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@isaacdiaz4668

LYRICSSSS
Tough choice? Don't make me laugh
My life's a joke, your life's a gas
You broke my heart at midnight mass
Now I'm the ghost of Christmas past
The only choice you gave to me
Is one I took reluctantly
'Cause when we play democracy
You always take immunity

How long 'til we sink to the bottom of the sea?
How long, how long?
How long 'til we sink and it's only you and me?
How long, how long?


How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la-la)

What's the point of getting clean?
You'll wear the same old dirty jeans
What's the point of being seen?
Those eyes are cruel, those eyes are mean
What's the point of human beings?
A sharpie face on tangerines
Why's it felt like Halloween since Christmas 2017?

How long?
How long, how long?
How long 'til we sink and it's only you and me?
How long, how long?

How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la-la)

Getting to the top
Wasn't supposed to be this hard
The house is on Mulholland Drive
The car's on Sunset Boulevard
The registration's here with me
But neither of us has the key
We can live down in the flats
The hills will fall eventually

How long 'til we sink to the bottom of the sea?
How long, how long?
How long 'til we sink and it's only you and me?
How long, how long?

How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)

How long? (La-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la-la)



How long?



@aunthaumv3711

[Verse 1]
Tough choice? Don't make me laugh
My life's a joke, your life's a gas
You broke my heart at midnight mass
Now I'm the ghost of Christmas past
The only choice you gave to me
Is one I took reluctantly
'Cause when we play democracy
You always take immunity

[Chorus]
How long 'til we sink to the bottom of the sea?
How long, how long?
How long 'til we sink and it's only you and me?
How long, how long?

[Post-Chorus]
How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la-la)

[Verse 2]
What's the point of getting clean?
You'll wear the same old dirty jeans
What's the point of being seen?
Those eyes are cruel, those eyes are mean
What's the point of human beings?
A Sharpie face on tangerines
Why's it felt like Halloween since Christmas 2017?


[Chorus]
How long?
How long, how long?
How long 'til we sink and it's only you and me?
How long, how long?

[Post-Chorus]
How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la-la)

[Verse 3]
Getting to the top
Wasn't supposed to be this hard
The house is on Mulholland Drive
The car's on Sunset Boulevard
The registration's here with me
But neither of us has the key
We can live down in the flats
The hills will fall eventually

[Chorus]
How long 'til we sink to the bottom of the sea?
How long, how long?
How long 'til we sink and it's only you and me?
How long, how long?


[Post-Chorus]
How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la-la)

[Outro]
How long?
How long?
How long?
How long?



@Pride317

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Tough choice? Don't make me laugh
My life's a joke, your life's a gas
You broke my heart at midnight mass
Now I'm the ghost of Christmas past
The only choice you gave to me
Is one I took reluctantly
Cause when we play democracy
You always take immunity

[Chorus]
How long 'til we sink to the bottom of the sea?
How long, how long?
How long 'til we sink and it's only you and me?
How long, how long?

[Post-Chorus]
How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la-la)

[Verse 2]
What's the point of getting clean?
You'll wear the same old dirty jeans
What's the point of being seen?
Those eyes are cruel, those eyes are mean
What's the point of human beings?
A Sharpie face on tangerines
Why's it felt like Halloween since Christmas 2017?

[Chorus]
How long?
How long, how long?
How long 'til we sink and it's only you and me?
How long, how long?

[Post-Chorus]
How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la-la)

[Verse 3]
Getting to the top
Wasn't supposed to be this hard
The house is on Mulholland Drive
The car's on Sunset Boulevard
The registration's here with me
Neither of us has the key
We can live down in the flats
The hills will fall eventually

[Chorus]
How long 'til we sink to the bottom of the sea?
How long, how long?
How long 'til we sink and it's only you and me?
How long, how long?

[Post-Chorus]
How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la-la-la-la)
How long? (La-la-la-la-la)

[Outro]
How long?
How long?
How long?
How long?

How long 'til we sink to the bottom of the sea?
How long, how long?



All comments from YouTube:

@donthaha3965

1:15 the way the piano sounds like far away gives me chills

@saibot0978

👌

@Henry-tp5bm

Best part of the song

@ximenarivas3554

“Why it feels like Halloween since Christmas 2017?” preach

@umay1571

andrea riv what does he mean, if you don't mind answering.

@ximenarivas3554

Umay The song is about a break up! The “why it feels like Halloween since Christmas 2017” means that he’s been having a rough year (2018) and it “feels like Halloween”, you can tell that maybe their relationship started to go down hill on December or maybe they broked up on December, but even if you’re not going through the exact same thing the line is quite relatable.

@umay1571

andrea riv oooh now i get it! thank you so much 😊

@TheWarriorIsWet

@@umay1571 Not at all what it means, he is talking about Trump and when he was sworn into office, January 20, 2017 or the closest holiday to that Christmas 2017

@umay1571

Chef oh shit that makes a lot of sense now lol

7 More Replies...

@helliop

I like the double meaning of the lyric, "what's the point of getting clean, when you wear the same old dirty jeans"

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