Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City Album Lyrics

Morning's come you watch the red sunrise
The early day still flickers in your eyes
Ah you oughta spare your face the razor
Because no one's gonna spare the time for you

No one's gonna watch you as you go
From a house you didn't build and can't control
Ah you outta spare your face the razor
Because no one's gonna spare the time for you
You outta spare the world your labor
It's been 20 years and no one's told the truth

So listen oh
So listen oh
Don't wait
Don't wait

So listen oh
So listen oh
Don't wait
Don't wait

So keep that list of who to thank and mind
And don't forget the rich ones who were kind
Ah you outta spare your face the razor
Because no one's gonna spare the time for you
Why don't you spare the world a traitor
Take your wager back and leave before you lose

So listen oh
So listen oh
Don't wait
Don't wait

So while the sun's coming up
Cover ground
Cover ground
And if you find some love for these clowns
Turn around
Turn around

We'll be half asleep on the floor of our high school gym
Thinking of you and wondering if anyone else could begin

To listen
Listen
Don't wait
Don't wait

So listen oh
So listen oh
Don't wait
Don't wait

Got a little soul
The world is a cold, cold place to be
Want a little warmth
But who's going to save a little warmth for me

We know the fire awaits unbelievers
All of the sinners the same
Girl you and I will die unbelievers
bound to the tracks of the train

See the snow come down
It's coming on down from the highest peak
Want a little leaf,
but who's going to save a little leaf for me

We know the fire awaits unbelievers
All of the sinners the same
Girl you and I will die unbelievers
bound to the tracks of the train

I'm not excited
But should I be
Is this the fate that half of the world has planned for me?

I know I love you
And you love the sea
Wonder if the water contains a little drop little drop for me

See the sun go down
It's going on down when the night is deep
Want a little light
but who's going to save a little light for me?

We know the fire awaits unbelievers
All of the sinners the same
Girl you and I will die unbelievers
bound to the tracks of the train

If I'm born again I know that the world will disagree
Want a little grace
but who's going to say a little grace for me?

We know the fire awaits unbelievers
All of the sinners the same
Girl you and I will die unbelievers
bound to the tracks of the train

I'm not excited
But should I be
Is this the fate that half of the world has planned for me?

I know I love you
And you love the sea
Wonder if the water contains a little drop little drop for me

I'm not excited
But should I be
Is this the fate that half of the world has planned for me?

I know I love you
And you love the sea
Wonder if the water contains a little drop little drop for me

Every time I see you in the world, you always step to my girl

Back back way back I used to front like Angkor Wat
Mechanicsburg Anchorage and Dar es Salaam
While home in New York was champagne and disco
Tapes from L.A. slash San Francisco
But actually Oakland and not Alameda
Your girl was in Berkeley with her Communist reader
Mine was entombed within boombox and walkman
I was a hoarder but girl that was back then

The gloves are off, the wisdom teeth are out
What you on about?
I feel it in my bones, I feel it in my bones
I'm stronger now, I'm ready for the house
Such a modest mouse,
I can't do it alone, I can't do it alone

Every time I see you in the world, you always step to my girl

Ancestors told me that their girl was better
She's richer than Croesus, she's tougher than leather
I just ignored all the tales of a past life
Stale conversation deserves but a bread knife
And punks who would laugh when they saw us together
Well, they didn't know how to dress for the weather
I can still see them there huddled on Astor
Snow falling slow to the sound of the master

The gloves are off, the wisdom teeth are out
What you on about?
I feel it in my bones, I feel it in my bones
I'm stronger now, I'm ready for the house
Such a modest mouse,
I can't do it alone, I can't do it alone

Wisdom's a gift, but you'd trade it for youth
Age is an honor, it's still not the truth
We saw the stars when they hid from the world
You cursed the sun when it stepped to your girl
Maybe she's gone and I can't resurrect her
The truth is she doesn't need me to protect her
We know the true death, the true way of all flesh
Everyone's dying, but girl you're not old yet

The gloves are off, the wisdom teeth are out
What you on about?
I feel it in my bones, I feel it in my bones
I'm stronger now, I'm ready for the house
Such a modest mouse,
I can't do it alone, I can't do it alone
[x2]

Every time I see you in the world, you always step to my girl

[Verse 1]
You torched a Saab like a pile of leaves
I'd gone to find some better wheels
Four, five meters running round the bend
When the government agents surround you again

[Hook]
If Diane Young won't change your mind
Baby, baby, baby, baby right on time

[Verse 2]
Out of control but you're playing a role
Do you think you can go til the 18th hole
Or will you flip-flop the day of the championship?
Try to go it alone on your own for a bit

[Hook]

[Bridge]
Baby baby baby baby ride on
Baby baby baby baby ride on
Baby baby baby it's a light on
Baby baby baby it's a lifetime
Baby baby baby baby ride on
Time, time, time, time, time, time
Baby baby baby baby ride on time

[Hook]

[Verse 3]
Irish and proud, baby, naturally
But you got the luck of a Kennedy
So grab the wheel, keep on holding it tight
'Til you're tottering off into that goodnight

[Hook]

[Bridge]

[Breakdown]
Nobody knows what the future holds
And it's bad enough just getting old
Live my life in self-defense
You know I love the past, 'cause I hate suspense...

[Verse 1:]
One look sent knees to the ground,
Young bloods can't be settling down
Young hearts need the pressure to pound,
So hold me close my baby

[Pre-Chorus:]
Don't lie, I want 'em to know
God's love die young, is he ready to go?
It's the last time running through snow
Where the vaults are full and the fire is bold

[Chorus:]
I want to know, does it bother you?
The low click of a ticking clock
There's a lifetime right in front of you
And everyone I know

[Verse 2:]
Young turks, young Saturday nights
Young hips shouldn't break on the ice
Old flames, they can warm you tonight
So keep it cool, my baby

[Pre-Chorus 2:]
Don't lie, I want 'em to know
Got love feelings and the tournament's gold
It's the last time running through snow
Where the vaults are full and the is bold

[Chorus 2:]
I want to know, does it bother you?
The low click of a ticking clock
There's a headstone right in front of you
And everyone I know

[Pre-Chorus 3:]
Don't lie, I'm want 'em to know
God's love die young, are you ready to go?
It's the last time running through snow
Cause the fire can't last and the winter's cold

[Chorus]

A gardener told me some plants move
But I could not believe it
Till me and Hannah Hunt
Saw crawling vines and weeping willows
As we made our way from Providence to Phoenix

A man of faith said
Hidden eyes could see what I was thinking
I just smiled and told him
That was only true of Hannah
And we glided on through Waverley and Lincoln

Our days were long our nights no longer
Count the seconds, watching hours
Though we live on the US dollar
You and me, we got our own sense of time

In Santa Barbara, Hannah cried
And missed those freezing beaches
And I walked into town
To buy some kindling for the fire,
Hannah tore the New York Times up into pieces

If I can't trust you then damn it, Hannah
There's no future, there's no answer
Though we live on the US dollar
You and me, we got our own sense of time

I took your counsel and came to ruin
Leave me to myself, leave me to myself
I took your counsel and came to ruin
Leave me to myself, leave me to myself

Oh I was made to live without you
But I'm never going to understand, never understand
Oh I was born to live without you
But I'm never going to understand, never understand

Hold me in your everlasting arms
Looked up, full of fear, trapped beneath the chandelier that's going down

I thought it over and drew the curtain
Leave me to myself, leave me to myself
And I'll only consider it as you played the hallelujah
Leave me to myself, leave me to myself

If you've been made to serve the master you'd
Be frightened by the hokum and be frightened by the night
Could I've been made to serve the master
Well I'm never going to understand, never understand

Hold me in your everlasting arms
Looked up, full of fear, trapped beneath the chandelier that's going down
Hold me in your everlasting arms
Looked up, full of fear, trapped beneath the chandelier that's going down

Hold me in your everlasting arms

Bend the finger back, snap!
Break your hip, break your toe
Break it til your left hand's straight
Hit me with a wood bat,
Hit me with a canister
Just found my soul, drive away

Bend the finger back, snap!
Owwww, owwww, owwww
Hurt for days
Hit me with a wood bat
Hit me like a Yankee
Like the South that never had a slave

They said the kid willing is a dummy on a line
Sympathy that early, the sun will never shine
Everybody wants you, but baby you are mine
Baby, you're not anybody's fool

Listen with a heart attack
The industry is calling
You can show me where to find a searcher's knife
Visit every now
How did I do the punishment?
The punishment I needed all my life

Bend the finger back, snap!
Owwww, owwwww, owwww
First draft

Listen to the motor
And listen to the ambulance
It's harder letting me for being wired

They said the kid willing is a dummy on a line
Sympathy that early, the sun will never shine
Everybody wants you, but baby you are mine
Baby, you're not anybody's fool

You know that I'm awakened and the road down is wide
A sense of curiosity and yes, they coincide
Everyone was shy, we took 'em for a ride
Baby, you're not anybody's fool

Bend the finger back, snap!
Break your hip, break your toe
Break it till your left hand's straight
Hit me with a wood bat,
Hit me with a canister
Just found my soul, drive away

Bend the finger back, snap!
Owwww, owwww, owwww
Hurt for days
Hit me with a wood bat
Hit me like a Yankee
Like the South that never had a slave

They said the kid willing is a dummy on a line
Sympathy that early, the sun will never shine
Everybody wants you, but baby you are mine
Baby, you're not anybody's fool

The obstacle is broken and intelligence is fine
The city getting down like a country in decline
Every once and now I look you in the eyes
Baby, you're not anybody's fool

See ya next year in Jerusalem
You know, the one at 103rd and Broadway?
Cause this Orthodox girl fell in love with the guy at the falafel shop
And why not?
Should she have averted her eyes and just stared
at the laminated poster of the Dome of the Rock?

And then blood, blood, blood, blood, blood, blood, blood, bloooood
And then blood, blood, blood, blood, blood, blood, blood, bloooood

Remembrances of holy days in Tarrytown and Rye
I don't wanna live like this, but I don't wanna die

Remembrances of generous hearts that couldn't bear to try
I don't wanna live like this, but I don't wanna die

Remembrances of holy days in Tarrytown and Rye
I don't wanna live like this, but I don't wanna die

Only in the way you want it
Only on the day you want it
Only with the one stand and every single day you want it
Only in the way you want it
Only on the day you want it
Only with the one stand and every single day you want it
You, you

City with the weight upon it
City in the way you want it
City with the safety of a never-ending place on it
City with the weight upon it
City in the way you want it
City with the safety of a never-ending place on it
You, you

We worshipped you,
Your red white hand
Won't we see once again
In foreign in soil, in foreign land,
Who will guide us through the end?

Calling on the treasure wanna call me on the semi
Wanna call in for the wizard who always speak spam
Calling on the treasure wanna call me on the semi
Wanna call in for the wizard who always speak spam
You, you

Any chance of peace you want any kind of place
You want to live a bit of live to get suited finer days
Any chance of peace you want any kind of place
You want to live a bit of live to get suited finer days
You, you

We worshipped you,
Your red white hand
Won't we see once again
In foreign in soil, in foreign land,
Who will guide us through the end?

[Verse 1:]
Oh, sweet thing
Zion doesn't love you
And Babylon don't love you
But you love everything
Oh, you saint
America don't love you
So I could never love you
In spite of everything

[Pre-Chorus:]
In the dark of this place
There's the glow of your face
There's the dust on the screen
Of this broken machine
And I can't help but feel
That I've made some mistake
But I let it go
Ya Hey [x3]

[Chorus:]
Through the fire and through the flames
(Ya hey [x2], Ut Deo, ya hey [x2])
You won't even say your name
(Ya hey [x2], Ut Deo, ya hey [x2])
Through the fire and through the flames
You won't even say your name
Only "I am that I am"
But who could ever live that way?
(Ya Hey [x2])
Ut Deo, Ya Hey
Ut Deo, Deo

[Verse 2:]
Oh, the motherland don't love you
The fatherland don't love you
So why love anything?
Oh, good God
The faithless they don't love you
The zealous hearts don't love you
And that's not gonna change

[Pre-Chorus:]
All the cameras and files
All the paranoid styles
All the tension and fear
Of a secret career
And I think in your heart
That you've seen the mistake
But you let it go
Ya Hey [x3]

[Chorus]

Outside the tents, on the festival grounds
As the air began to cool, and the sun went down
My soul swooned, as I faintly heard the sound
Of you spinning "Israelites"
Into "19th Nervous Breakdown"

[Chorus]

[Refrain:]
Through the fire and through the flames
You won't even say your name
Only "I am that I am"
But who could ever live that way?
(Ya Hey [x2])
Ut Deo, Ya Hey
Ut Deo, Deo

[Verse 1:]
Hudson died in Hudson Bay,
The water took its victim's name
The river's rise told Riverside
To change their names again

A stranger walked in through the door,
Said all apartments are pre-war
We laughed and asked him for his name
He stayed until the end

We watched the Germans play the Greeks
We marked the 99 year lease,
Our fathers signed
Which I declined to try and comprehend

[Chorus:]
Over and over again, all these never-ending visions
Over and over again like a prize that's changing hands
The time has a come,
The clock is such a drag
All you who changed your stripes can wrap me in the flag

The legendary wooden gate
The first established real estate
Is lost in time like all the crimes that won this pleasant land (land, land)

[Chorus]

Hudson died on Hudson Bay,
But I was born on Sudden Place
The rising tide helped me decide to change my name again
Some tend to linger on and some may case from Babylon
Some will roam their ruined home, rejoicing 'till the end

[Chorus:]
Over and over again, all these never-ending visions
Over and over again like a prize that's changing hands
The time has a come,
The clock is such a drag
All you who changed your stripes can wrap me in the flag

The lines are drawn,
The map is such a drag
All you who changed your stripes can wrap me in the flag

You take your time, Young Lion
You take your time, Young Lion
You take your time, Young Lion
You take your time, Young Lion