I’m Going Down
Vampire Weekend Lyrics


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We sit in the car outside your house
I can feel the heat coming 'round
I go to put my arm around you
And you give me a look like I'm way out of bounds
Well you let out one of your bored sighs
Well lately when I look into your eyes
I'm goin' down
We get dressed up and we go out baby for the night
We come home early burning burning in some fire fight
I'm sick and tired of you setting me up
Setting me up just to knock-a knock-a knock-a me down

I pull you close but when we kiss I can feel a doubt
I remember back when we started
My kisses used to turn you inside out
I used to drive you to work in the morning
Friday night I'd drive you all around




You used to love to drive me wild
But lately girl you get your kicks from just driving me down

Overall Meaning

The song "I'm Going Down" by Vampire Weekend is a melancholic reflection on a failing relationship. The lyrics describe a moment where the singer and their partner are sitting in a car outside the partner's house. The opening line, "We sit in the car outside your house," sets the scene for a moment of intimacy between the two. However, the following line, "I can feel the heat coming 'round," hints at the growing tension and unease that is building between them. As the singer tries to put their arm around their partner, they are met with a look that suggests they are crossing a boundary. The next line, "Well, you let out one of your bored sighs," implies that the partner is losing interest and is no longer invested in the relationship.


As the song continues, the singer reminisces about the early days of the relationship when they used to go out and have fun. However, they also acknowledge that the relationship has soured, and they are "sick and tired" of being set up to be knocked down by their partner. The line "I pull you close but when we kiss I can feel a doubt" conveys the sense of uncertainty and mistrust that is now present in the relationship. The singer recalls how their kisses used to "turn [their partner] inside out," but now they can barely even get a kiss without feeling doubtful.


Overall, "I'm Going Down" is a poignant and relatable reflection on the ups and downs of a romantic relationship. It captures the feeling of being trapped in a relationship that is no longer fulfilling, and the sadness that comes with realizing that things may never go back to the way they once were.


Line by Line Meaning

We sit in the car outside your house
We are parked outside your house in the car.


I can feel the heat coming 'round
The atmosphere is tense and heated between us.


I go to put my arm around you
I try to comfort you by hugging you.


And you give me a look like I'm way out of bounds
I can sense that you think I am overstepping my boundaries by hugging you.


Well you let out one of your bored sighs
You express your boredom with a sigh.


Well lately when I look into your eyes
Recently, when I try to connect with you by looking into your eyes.


I'm goin' down
I feel like our relationship is deteriorating.


We get dressed up and we go out baby for the night
We dress up and go out for the night.


We come home early burning burning in some fire fight
We come home early after a heated argument.


I'm sick and tired of you setting me up
I am fed up with the way you manipulate or trap me.


Setting me up just to knock-a knock-a knock-a me down
You deliberately create situations to put me in a vulnerable place and then knock me down.


I pull you close but when we kiss I can feel a doubt
I feel uncertain and unsure about our relationship when we kiss.


I remember back when we started
I reminisce about the early days of our relationship.


My kisses used to turn you inside out
My kisses used to make you feel overwhelmed with emotion.


I used to drive you to work in the morning
I used to be there for you and take care of you.


Friday night I'd drive you all around
I used to love spending time with you and driving around town on Friday nights.


You used to love to drive me wild
You used to enjoy making me feel passionate and excited.


But lately girl you get your kicks from just driving me down
However, you now seem to enjoy making me feel down and miserable instead.




Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@OriginalDarko

The older I get the harder it is to listen to this song without breaking down...I really appreciate this version so much

@fojemma

that little dont stop believing riff in the middle is amazing

@thestephanieanomaly

Bruce Springsteen AND Vampire Weekend. I'm in love.

@jasmineg8622

God he’s so good, who doesn’t love a bit of Ezra at 7am

@zeynepgulsu1899

öğğğk

@andreacunningham6952

Me listening at 7am 😂

@mikhailkhodorkovsky5501

They love throwing other songs into this. In this version they have the riff from Don't Stop Believing, on the iTunes sessions version they end with "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)"...

@grgsgrl6411

Two Jersey boys. Great cover of one of my favorite Springsteen songs. 😍

@linoventura11

Everything they touch turns to gold...wonderful!!!! Ezra's voice is so great !

@genevievewagner5724

this is so beautiful i can't even.

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