The band members attended University of Michigan's music school. They first came together as a rhythm section for a performance at the Duderstadt Center, a university facility that houses an arts library and other resources. After reading an interview with German producer Reinhold Mack, band founder Jack Stratton conceived of Vulfpeck as an imagined German version of the U.S. session musicians of the 1960s such as the Funk Brothers, the Wrecking Crew, and Muscle Shoals. The idea was to channel that era of the live rhythm section.
The band's founding members are Jack Stratton on keyboards, drums and guitar, Theo Katzman on guitar, drums and vocals, Woody Goss on keyboards, and Joe Dart on bass. Touring partners and frequent collaborators include Antwaun Stanley, Joey Dosik and Cory Wong. Other contributing musicians include Charles Jones, Christine Hucal, David T. Walker, Bernard Purdie, James Gadson and Blake Mills.
Aunt Leslie
Vulfpeck Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sharpen the view, the news, the color TV
Filter the truth through you to me
Whatโฒs not to trust it's just your family
Ring the phone, my dear Aunt Leslie
Letโฒs have a word, a talk
Ohhh-over exposed, I blew out, and tried to make it right
That's when Leone came into frame, yeah
A shadow cloaked the danger of your high stakes game
Ring the phone, my dear Aunt Leslie
Let's have a word, a talk
What have you sold
What have you done with Leone
(Film knows all)
Ring the phone, my dear Aunt Leslie
Letโฒs have a word, a talk
What have you sold
What have you done with Leone
The opening lines of โAunt Leslieโ reveal a sense of gratitude towards the titular character, who act as a guide through life's complex realities. Aunt Leslie served as a reliable โlensโ through which the singer saw the world, aiding in their perception of the world around them. With Aunt Leslie's help, the singer could see things in a sharper, more vivid way - be it from watching the news or a color TV. But most notably, the singer saw the truth filtered through Aunt Leslie, an infallible source of knowledge that formed a bond of trust between them. But then we have a sudden shift in tone; as Leone comes in, an interesting character, the previously warm and appreciative tone of the song changes to a more suspenseful and mysterious one. Leone adds an element of danger to Aunt Leslie's otherwise โsafeโ world. And with that, the song infers a warning that not everything we see, even with Aunt Leslie's help, might be what it seems. The reference to Leone and the missing details sprinkled throughout the rest of the song provoke a sense of intrigue, encouraging a closer inspection of the world's machinations.
The song is reportedly inspired by the director Sergio Leone, who is known for his outstanding Spaghetti Westerns. The use of the name โLeoneโ could be a nod to his innovative style of cinematography. The โhigh-stakes gameโ might be a reference to the tense standoffs and shootouts so common in Leone's films, and Aunt Leslie's knowledge could be seen as the only thing keeping the singer safe in this dangerous world. Everything significant in the song is kept mysterious or omitted, encouraging people to draw their inferences all through different interpretations of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
You were the lens I used to see
You helped me see things clearly and in focus
Sharpen the view, the news, the color TV
You made everything more vivid and exciting
Filter the truth through you to me
You provided me with your perspective and opinions
What's not to trust it's just your family
You were trusted because you were family, it was assumed you had my best interest at heart
Ring the phone, my dear Aunt Leslie
Call me, Aunt Leslie
Let's have a word, a talk
I need to speak with you about something important
In the dark room, you were the light, yeah yeah
You illuminated the situation when it was difficult to see
Ohhh-over exposed, I blew out, and tried to make it right
I made a mistake and tried to correct it
That's when Leone came into frame, yeah
When I was trying to fix the mistake, Leone became involved
A shadow cloaked the danger of your high stakes game
The situation became more risky and complicated
What have you sold
What did you give away or sell
What have you done with Leone
What happened to Leone
(Film knows all)
The recording may have evidence of what has occurred
Writer(s): Jack Stratton
Contributed by Jordan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@DuckieMcduck
That trombone massages the prostate of my soul. Thank you.
@jwaj
I-
@synthgreen5648
You didn't need to make such a visual comment.
@tamie341
It gives me a sloppy handy.
@TheScrambles1
Mine too! Mine too!
@UOFKfan100
Gives me pink sock ๐
@griffinskubish3554
Whenever you hear that little opening Vulf jingle, you know you're about to hear some good shit.
@FritoBanditoMusicVideos
๐ค๐คฉ๐ค
@Jagooon
Where is this jingle coming from? It sounds like an old videogame tune.
@luke6587
@Kazma Rtopilon Listen to the Christmas in L.A Instrumental