| Vampire Weekend – Diplomat's Son Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| While I am not one to push artistic interpretations of music onto others I see this song having another meaning not relating to the lead singers life at all. I find that it mirrors a case having to do with a murder case. I cannot remember specifics but I just remember it had to do with a blonde girl who went out to the carribbean with her friend when she was about 18. While she was there they two men, one's father was literally a diplomat. Hence he was a diplomat's son... The man drugged the girl to get in bed with her but, he ended up killing her afterwards. His friend was involved as well. Now to connect this to the song its all in the details. If you notice the first two lines are almost desperation. It'now or never suggests he either will drug her or miss his chance. Then he mentions the moon with the riptide. The man dumped the body after he had killed her into the ocean. It then leads into the bridge before the chorus again its addressing the now or never issue and he mentions offering something to her. This could be a wide array of things mainly I think he means sex before shes even drugged because this may lead her to think hes interested in her when all he "wants to do is use" her. He mentions her in saying that hes doing it wrong but he wants it this way. This means he might force sex onto her but it doesn't matter. Then the going back to how he felt before part might suggest he might have killed her and its too late to turn back now or it may mean he cant go back to feeling remorseful for offering her sex. The part about the joint and his friend match exactly what had happened to the man who actually committed the crime because when he was interrogated for it they could not find his friend anywhere. The night he committed the murder was the last night they saw each other and the last time the man was ever seen. Then when it comes to the part about the ice cold water and traces of the other place I think it refers to after he dumped the body he could no longer feel the same he was a changed person from there on. Then the wind blowing off the river causes a current which might mean he'd be caught. The car comes in at the end because after the murder his dad the diplomat was able to stop him from getting sent to jail. If you notice the music has a very island feel as well which sets the theme. It also is happy which seems sarcastic to the lyrics and at certain parts you get caught up in the clatter of iron bars which almost takes you along the path of insanity and fear the man felt after murder. | |
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