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/
Stranger
Vampire Weekend Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Things have never been stranger
I I I I
Things are gonna stay strange
I I I I
I remember life as a stranger
I I I I
But things change
Another night indoors
Another sign of life
Wobbling up through the floor
You and Kidada
Ooh, I might get low, low, low
But now I'm too high to know
The sound of you and your sister
I couldn't face these days alone
You got the right light, candles burning
We don't need the moon anymore
I used to look for an answer
I used to knock on every door
But you got the wave on, music playing
Don't need to look anymore
I I I I
Things have never been stranger
I I I I
Things are gonna stay strange
I I I I
I remember life as a stranger
I I I I
But things change
You and Kidada
Ooh, the lights get low, low, low
And I've got nowhere to go
I used to freeze on the dance floor
I watched the icebergs from the shore
But you got the heat on, kettle screaming
Don't need to freeze anymore
I I I I
Things have never been stranger
I I I I
Things are gonna stay strange
I I I I
I remember life as a stranger
I I I I
But things change
Who knows the reason
That kindness lost its hold?
Those better angels
Confined to minor roles
I left the wilding, wilding, wilding days of old
Your house is warmer
The wilderness is cold
Things have never been stranger
Things are gonna stay strange
I I I I
I remember life as a stranger
I I I I
But things change
Things have never been stranger
Things are gonna stay strange
I remember life as a stranger
I I I I
But things change
Things have never been stranger
Things are gonna stay strange
I remember life as a stranger
I I I I
The song "Stranger" by Vampire Weekend begins with the repetition of "I I I I" which could symbolize a feeling of introspection and self-reflection. The lyrics seem to be pondering the changes and strange things that both life and relationships can bring, acknowledging that they are here to stay. The singer has memories of feeling like a stranger before, but things have changed and they are still changing.
The lyrics then shift focus to the singer's current experience of spending another night indoors, perhaps feeling isolated and disconnected, but then being reminded of the presence of someone named Kidada who brings them out of themselves. They describe how the sound of Kidada and her sister, along with candles, creates a comforting atmosphere where the moon is no longer necessary.
There is an awareness of having looked for answers before, knocking on every door, but now it seems like they've found what they were looking for with Kidada and the music that's playing. The chorus repeats again, emphasizing that things have never been stranger but they will continue to stay strange, and that the singer remembers a time in their life when they felt like a stranger, but things change.
The bridge poses the question of why kindness seems to have lost its hold, with better angels confined to minor roles. The singer remembers wilder days but notes that Kidada's house is warmer, suggesting that they have found a sense of comfort and stability in their current relationship. The idea that things never being stranger and staying that way is not necessarily negative or positive, but simply a fact of life, is reiterated in the final chorus.
Line by Line Meaning
I I I I
Life has been feeling strange lately
Things are gonna stay strange
I expect things will continue to be strange in the future
I remember life as a stranger
I used to feel like I didn't belong
But things change
But now things have changed and I've found my place
Another night indoors
Another night spent inside
Another sign of life
Another moment of existence
Wobbling up through the floor
Sound or vibration can be felt coming from the floor
You and Kidada
You and Kidada - possibly a reference to someone specific
Ooh, I might get low, low, low
I might become depressed, but
But now I'm too high to know
right now I'm euphoric and can't imagine being low again
The sound of you and your sister
The sound of you and someone else - possibly a sibling
I couldn't face these days alone
I needed someone else to make it through these difficult times
You got the right light, candles burning
You've created a warm, welcoming atmosphere
We don't need the moon anymore
We don't need any more light than what we have right now
I used to look for an answer
I used to search for something that made sense
I used to knock on every door
I tried every possibility
But you got the wave on, music playing
But now I'm content to simply relax and enjoy life without searching
Don't need to look anymore
I don't feel like I need to search anymore
Ooh, the lights get low, low, low
The lights are dimming
And I've got nowhere to go
And I don't have any plans or obligations
I used to freeze on the dance floor
I used to be afraid of dancing
I watched the icebergs from the shore
I used to stay safe and observe from a distance
But you got the heat on, kettle screaming
But now I'm willing to take risks and live a little
Don't need to freeze anymore
I don't feel afraid to take action anymore
Who knows the reason
It's unclear why
That kindness lost its hold?
The quality of kindness may no longer have as much importance as it once did
Those better angels
Those who are morally upright
Confined to minor roles
Are not given much attention or credit in society
I left the wilding, wilding, wilding days of old
I used to live recklessly and dangerously, but no longer
Your house is warmer
Your home provides comfort and safety
The wilderness is cold
The outside world can be harsh and unforgiving
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Ariel Zvi Rechtshaid, Ezra Koenig
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kim D
Lyrics:
I-I-I, things have never been stranger
I-I-I, things are gonna stay strange
I-I-I, I remember life as a stranger
I-I-I, but things change
Another night indoors, another sign of life-ife
Wobbling up through the floor
You and Kidada
Ooh, I might get low, low, low
But now I'm too high to know
The sound of you and your sister
I couldn't face these days alone
You got the right light, candles burning
We don't need the moon anymore
I used to look for an answer
I used to knock on every door
But you got the wave on, music playing
Don't need to look anymore
I-I-I, things have never been stranger
I-I-I, things are gonna stay strange
I-I-I, I remember life as a stranger
I-I-I, but things change
You and Kidada
Ooh, the lights get low, low, low
And I got nowhere to go
I used to freeze on the dance floor
I watched the icebergs from the shore
But you got the heat on, kettle screaming
Don't need to freeze anymore
I-I-I, things have never been stranger
I-I-I, things are gonna stay strange
I-I-I, I remember life as a stranger
I-I-I, but things change
Who knows the reason that kindness lost its hold?
Those better angels confined to minor roles
I left the wilding, wilding, wilding days of old
Your house is warmer the wilderness is cold
Things have never been stranger
Things are gonna stay strange
I-I-I, I remember life as a stranger
I-I-I, but things change
Things have never been stranger
Things are gonna stay strange
I remember life as a stranger
I-I-I, but things change
Ooh
Things have never been stranger (Ooh)
Things are gonna stay strange (Ooh)
I remember life as a stranger
I-I-I
Isaac Díaz
LYRICS OOH
I-I-I, things have never been stranger
I-I-I, things are gonna stay strange
I-I-I, I remember life as a stranger
I-I-I, but things change
Another night indoors, another sign of life-ife
Wobbling up through the floor
You and Kidada
Ooh, I might get low, low, low
But now I'm too high to know
The sound of you and your sister
I couldn't face these days alone
You got the right light, candles burning
We don't need the moon anymore
I used to look for an answer
I used to knock on every door
But you got the wave on, music playing
Don't need to look anymore
I-I-I, things have never been stranger
I-I-I, things are gonna stay strange
I-I-I, I remember life as a stranger
I-I-I, but things change
You and Kidada
Ooh, the lights get low, low, low
And I got nowhere to go
I used to freeze on the dance floor
I watched the icebergs from the shore
But you got the heat on, kettle screaming
Don't need to freeze anymore
I-I-I, things have never been stranger
I-I-I, things are gonna stay strange
I-I-I, I remember life as a stranger
I-I-I, but things change
Who knows the reason that kindness lost its hold?
Those better angels confined to minor roles
I left the wilding, wilding, wilding days of old
Your house is warmer the wilderness is cold
Things have never been stranger
Things are gonna stay strange
I-I-I, I remember life as a stranger
I-I-I, but things change
Things have never been stranger
Things are gonna stay strange
I remember life as a stranger
I-I-I, but things change
Ooh
Things have never been stranger (Ooh)
Things are gonna stay strange (Ooh)
I remember life as a stranger
I-I-I
Sierra Smith
this album is going to be the soundtrack to my summer break
definitely not isaiah
maybe ur 2020 summer break
Gregory Thornton
This album is gonna be the soundtrack to my summer breakdown and resurgence.
Christopher Weatherill
this. so much this.
Tim Heckerd
This whole album makes me feel so nostalgic, and idk why it doesn't bring back any specific memories. It just weirdly makes me feel nostalgic about nothing. But I love it
Mark Golden
@Tim Heckerd yes. But only this album. I think it's the addition of Brian Robert Jones. Especially the rift late in harmony hall
Tim Heckerd
@Mark Golden You referring to the Grateful Dead?
Mark Golden
Very funky and dead-like. Such artistic arrangement. I don't think there's any comparison between them and any other current music
Wilo Polis
I'm like a year late, but a lot of them sound very Paul Simon-y
Kim D
Lyrics:
I-I-I, things have never been stranger
I-I-I, things are gonna stay strange
I-I-I, I remember life as a stranger
I-I-I, but things change
Another night indoors, another sign of life-ife
Wobbling up through the floor
You and Kidada
Ooh, I might get low, low, low
But now I'm too high to know
The sound of you and your sister
I couldn't face these days alone
You got the right light, candles burning
We don't need the moon anymore
I used to look for an answer
I used to knock on every door
But you got the wave on, music playing
Don't need to look anymore
I-I-I, things have never been stranger
I-I-I, things are gonna stay strange
I-I-I, I remember life as a stranger
I-I-I, but things change
You and Kidada
Ooh, the lights get low, low, low
And I got nowhere to go
I used to freeze on the dance floor
I watched the icebergs from the shore
But you got the heat on, kettle screaming
Don't need to freeze anymore
I-I-I, things have never been stranger
I-I-I, things are gonna stay strange
I-I-I, I remember life as a stranger
I-I-I, but things change
Who knows the reason that kindness lost its hold?
Those better angels confined to minor roles
I left the wilding, wilding, wilding days of old
Your house is warmer the wilderness is cold
Things have never been stranger
Things are gonna stay strange
I-I-I, I remember life as a stranger
I-I-I, but things change
Things have never been stranger
Things are gonna stay strange
I remember life as a stranger
I-I-I, but things change
Ooh
Things have never been stranger (Ooh)
Things are gonna stay strange (Ooh)
I remember life as a stranger
I-I-I