In December, DrInkIng horchataI’D look psychotIc In a balaclavaWInter’s colD Is too much to hanDlepIncher crabs that pInch at your sanDals
In December, DrInkIng horchatalook DoWn your glasses at that arancIataWIth lIps anD teeth to ask hoW my Day Wentboots anD fIsts to pounD on the pavement
here comes a feelIng you thought you’D forgottenchaIrs to sIt anD sIDeWalks to Walk on
you’D remember DrInkIng horchatayou’D stIll enjoy It WIth your foot on masaDa
WInter’s colD Is too much to hanDle pIncher crabs that pInch at your sanDals
here comes a feelIng you thought you’D forgottenchaIrs to sIt anD sIDeWalks to Walk onoh you haD It but oh no you lost ItlookIng back you shoulDn’t have fought It
HORCHATA
In December, DrInkIng horchataI’D look psychotIc In a balaclavabut WInter’s colD Is 2 much 2 hanDlepIncher crabs that pInch at your sanDalsyears go by anD hearts start to harDenthose palms anD fIrs that greW In your garDenare fallIng DoWn anD nearIng the rosebeDsthe roots are shootIng up through the tool sheDthose lIps anD teeth that askeD hoW my Day Went are shoutIng up through cracks In the pavement
here comes a feelIng you thought you’D forgottenchaIrs to sIt anD sIDeWalks to Walk onoh you haD It but oh no you lost Ityou unDerstooD so you shoulDn’t have fought It
an ancIent busInessa moDern p Iece of glassWorkDoWn on the corner that you Walk each Day In passIng
the elDerly salesclerk Won’t eye us WIth suspIcIonthe Whole, Immortal corporatIon’s gIven Its permIssIon
a l Ittle staIrWaya l Ittle p Iece of carpeta paIr of mIrrors that are facIng one another
out In both DIrectIons, a thousanD lIttle julIa’sthat come together In the mIDDle of manhattan
you WaIteD s Ince lunchIt all comes at once
c h o r u s
arounD the corner, the house that moDern art buIlta house for moDern art to keep It out the closets of people Who mIght oWn Itthe sIns of prIDe anD envyanD on the seconD floor, the rIcharD serra skatepark
you WaIteD sInce lunch It all comes at once
chorus
sIt on the park Wallask all the rIght questIons“Why are the horses racIng taxIs In the WInter?”
look up at the buIlDIngsImagIne Who mIght lIve thereImagInIng your WolforDs In a ball upon the sInk there
you WaIteD sInce lunchIt all comes at once
chorus
W H I T E S K Y
I’ve got Wheels, I’ve got cutter sprayanD a healthy sense of Worthhalf of me Is the gasolInebut the other half’s the surf
so If I WaIt for a holIDay coulD It stop my fear?to go aWay on a summer’s Day never seemeD so clear
holIDay, o, a holIDay!anD the best one of the yearDozIng off unDerneath my sheetsWhIle I cover both my ears
but If I WaIt for a holIDay coulD It stop my fear?to go aWay on a summer’s Day never seemeD so clear
holIDay, stIll so far aWayour republIc on the beachI can’t forget just hoW baD It getsWhen I’m countIng on my teeth
but If I WaIt for a holIDaycoulD It stop my fear?to go aWay on a summer’s Daynever seemeD so clear
a vegetarIan sInce the InvasIonshe’D never seen the WorD bombsshe’D never seen the WorD bombs bloWn upto 96 poInt futurashe’D never seen an akIn a yelloWy Day-glo DIsplaya t-shIrt so lovely It turneD all the hIstory books grey
HOLIDAY
WoulDn’t ever gag you WIth a spoon, my only true lovenever really hearD you speak that Way, It’s unWorthy of...funny hoW that lIttle college gIrl calleD language corruptfunny hoW the other prIvate schools haD no hapa club
someone took a trIp before you came to skI In the alpsyour father moveD across the countryjust to sunburn hIs scalpcontra costa, contra munDum, contraDIct What I saylIvIng lIke the french connectIon, but We’ll DIe In la
blasteD from a DIsconnecteD lIght sWItchthrough the conDo that they’ll never fInIshbounceD across a sauDI satellIte DIshanD through your braIn to calIfornIa englIsh
no one sIts InsIDe a freezIng flat anD stays there tIl mayleafIng through a stack of a-z’s to surf the ukWaItIng WIth the WInD agaInst your faceanD gel In your haIrshIverIng In lIttle unDershIrts, but Don’t seem to care
blasteD from a DIsconnecteD lIght sWItchthrough the conDo that they’ll never fInIshbounceD across a sauDI satellIte DIshanD through your braIn to calIfornIa englIsh
sWeet carob rIce cakeshe Don’t care hoW the sWeets tastefake phIlly cheese steakbut she use real toothpaste
cuz If that tom’s Don’t WorkIf It just makes you WorseWoulD you lose all of your faIth In the gooD earth?
anD If It’s all a curseanD We’re just gettIng Worsebaby, please Don’t lose your faIth In the gooD earth
blasteD from a DIsconnecteD lIght sWItchthrough the conDo that they’ll never fInIshbounceD across a sauDI satellIte DIshanD through your braIn to calIfornIa englIsh
CALIFORNIA ENGLISH
unsentImentaltravelIng arounDsure of myselfsure of It noW
but you Were stanDIng there so close to melIke the future Was supposeD to beIn the aIsles of the groceryanD the blocks uptoWn
I rememberremember Wellbut If I’D forgottencoulD you tell?
In the shaDoW of your fIrst attack,I Was questIonIng anD lookIng backyou saID, “baby, We Don’t speak of that”lIke a real arIstocrat
compounD to compounDlazy anD safeWanteD to leave ItWanteD to WaIt
When the taxI Door Was open WIDe,I pretenDeD I Was horrIfIeD
by the unIform anD gloves outsIDeof the courtyarD gate
you’re not a vIctImbut neIther am InostalgIc for garbage Desperate for tIme
I coulD blame It on your mother’s haIror the colors that your father Wearsbut I knoW that I Was never faIryou Were alWays fIne
TAXI CAB
RUN
every Dollar countsanD every mornIng hurtsWe mostly Work to lIveuntIl We lIve to Work
she saID,“you knoWthere’s noWhere else to go”but changIng rolesIt struck me that the tWo of us coulD run
WorlDs aWay from carsanD all the stars anD barsWhere a lIttle bIt of conDensatIon means so muchanD a lIttle bIt of change Is all your lIttle fIngers touch
I saID,“you knoWthere’s noWhere else to go”but changIng rolesIt struck me that the tWo of us coulD run
honey, WIth youIs the only honest Way to goanD I coulD take tWobut I really coulDn’t ever knoW
honey, WIth youanD a battereD raDIo
We coulD try
so leaD my feet aWaycuz all they’ll Do Is stayanD I Don’t thInk your eyeshave ever lookeD surprIseD
she saID,“you knoWthere’s noWhere left to go”but WIth her funDIt struck me that the tWo of us coulD run
honey, WIth youIs the only honest Way to goanD I coulD take tWobut I really coulDn’t ever knoW
honey, WIth youanD a battIn raDIo
We coulD try
COUSINS
you founD a sWeater on the ocean floorthey’re gonna fInD It If you DIDn’t close the Dooryou anD the smart ones sIt outsIDe of theIr sIghtIn a house on a street they WoulDn’t park on at nIght
DaD Was a rIsk-takerhIs Was a shoemakeryou, greatest hIts 2006 lIttle lIst-maker,hearD coDes In the meloDIesyou heeDeD the callyou Were born WIth ten fIngers anD you’re gonna use em all
InterestIng colors I DIscovereD myselfIf your art lIfe Is grItty, you’ll be toastIng my healthIf an Interest In culture shoulD be lInIng the Wall,When your bIrthrIght Is Interest you coulD just accrue It all
me anD my cousIns anD you anD your cousInsIt’s a lIne that’s alWays runnIng
me anD my cousIns anD you anD your cousInsI can feel It comIng
you coulD turn your back on the bItter WorlD
GIVING UP THE GUN
chorus
I hearD you play guItarDoWn at a seeDy barWhere skInheaDs useD to fIght
your tokugaWa smIleanD your garbage styleuseD to save the nIght
you felt the comIng WavetolD me We’D all be braveyou saID you WoulDn’t flInch
but In the years that passeDsInce I saW you lastyou haven’t moveD an Inch
chorus
I see you shIne In your Waygo on, go on, go on
chorus
your sWorD’s groWn olD anD rustyburnt beneath the rIsIng sunIt’s lockeD up lIke a trophyforgettIng all the thIngs It’s Done
anD though It’s been a long tImeyou’re rIght back Where you starteD fromI see It In your eyes that noW you’re gIvIng up the gun
When I Was 17I haD WrIsts lIke steelanD I felt complete
anD noW my boDy faDesbehInD a brass charaDeanD I’m obsolete
but If the chance remaIneDto see those better DaysI’D cut the cannons DoWn
my ears are bloWn to bItsfrom all the rIfle hItsbut stIll I crave that sounD
DIPLOMAT’S SON
It’s not rIght but It’s noW or neveranD If I WaIt coulD I ever forgIve myself?
on a nIght When the moon gloWs yelloW In the rIptIDeWIth the lIght from the tv’s buzzIng In the house
cuz I’m gonna cut It Where I cananD then I’m gonna Duck out behInD themIf I ever haD a chance It’s noW thenbut I never haD the feelIng I coulD offer that to you
to offer It to you WoulD be cruelWhen all I Want to Do Is use, use you
he Was a DIplomat’s sonIt Was ‘81
DresseD In WhIte WIth my car keys hIDDen In the kItchenI coulD sleep Wherever I lay my heaD
anD the sIght of your tWo shoes sIttIng In the bathtublet me knoW that I shoulDn’t gIve up just yet
cuz I’m gonna take It from sImonanD then I’m gonna Duck out behInD themIf I ever haD a chance It’s noW thenbut I never haD the feelIng I coulD offer that to you
to offer It to you WoulD be cruelWhen all I Want to Do Is use, use you
he Was a DIplomat’s sonIt Was ‘81
I knoW, you’ll sayI’m not DoIng It rIghtbut thIs Is hoW I Want It
I can’t go backto hoW I felt beforethere’s—
that nIght I smokeD a joInt WIth my best frIenDWe founD ourselves In beDWhen I Woke up he Was gone
he Was the DIplomat’s sonIt Was ‘81
lookIng out at the Ice-colD Water all arounD meI can’t feel any traces of that other place
In the Dark When the WInD comes racIng off the rIverthere’s a car all black WIth DIplomatIc plates
I THINK UR A CONTRA
I haD a feelIng oncethat you anD IcoulD tell each other everythIngfor tWo months
but even WIth an oathWIth truth on our sIDeWhen you turn aWay from meIt’s not rIght
I thInk ur a contra
my revolutIon thoughtsyour lIttle arroWs of DesIreI Want to trace them to the sourceanD the WIre
but It’s not useful noWsInce We’ve both maDe up our mInDsyou’re goIng to Watch out for yourselfanD so WIll I
I thInk ur a contraanD I thInk that you’ve lIeDDon’t call me a contratIl you’ve trIeD
you WanteD gooD schools anD frIenDs WIth poolsyou’re not a contra
you WanteD rock anD roll, complete controlWell, I Don’t knoW
never pIck sIDes never choose betWeen tWoWell I just WanteD youI just WanteD you
you saID,“never pIck sIDesnever choose betWeen tWo”Well I just WanteD youI just WanteD you
I thInk ur a contraanD I thInk that you’ve lIeDDon’t call me a contratIl you’ve trIeD
vampIre WeekenD Is ezra koenIg, rostam batmanglIj, chrIstopher tomson, anD chrIs baIo
musIc by chrIs baIo, rostam batmanglIj, ezra koenIg, anD chrIstopher tomsonexcept tracks 5 anD 10, musIc by rostam batmanglIj anD ezra koenIglyrIcs by ezra koenIg except tracks 1 anD 9: lyrIcs by rostam batmanglIj anD ezra koenIg
ezra koenIg: leaD vocals; guItar on tracks 3,4,6, anD 7; keyboarD on track 1; pIano on track 10; programmIng on track 8rostam batmanglIj: pIano; backgrounD vocals; vocal harmonIes; keyboarDs; harpsIchorD; vss-30; Drum; synth; sampler programmIng; leaD vocals on brIDge of track 9; guItars on tracks 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, anD 10; shakers, hanD Drum, snares on track 9chrIstopher tomson: DrumschrIs baIo: bass; backgrounD vocals on tracks 2 anD 4; aDDItIonal synth on track 4
aDDItIonal musIcIans:mauro refosco – marImbas, rebolo, zabumba, shekere, shakers, auxIlIary percussIon on track 1marcus farrar – shekere, auxIlIary percussIon on track 1lIbby gery – vocals on track 8anne Donlon – vocals on tracks 1,8nat balDWIn – Double bass on tracks 1, 5, 8jonathan chu – vIolIn, vIola 1, 4, 5, 9hamIlton berry – cello on tracks 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10seth rosenfelD – cello on track 8jesse novak – aDDItIonal InstrumentatIon on track 8jeff curtIn – hanD Drums on tracks 8, 10, shakers on track 10shane stoneback – shaker on track 10 all tracks proDuceD by rostam batmanglIjstrIng arrangements by rostam batmanglIjall tracks mIxeD by rostam batmanglIj anD justIn gerrIsh except track 2, mIxeD by rostam batmanglIj, mIxIng assIstant shane stonebackengIneereD by rostam batmanglIj, shane stoneback anD justIn gerrIsh, assIsteD by fernanDo loDeIroexcept track 7 engIneereD by rostam batmanglIj anD tIto fuentes, assIsteD by melchor m
recorDeD at treefort stuDIos In Dumbo, brooklyn; topetItuD In mexIco cIty, mexIco; avatar stuDIos nyc In manhattan; hIcks anD joralemon In brooklynall tracks mastereD by emIly lazar at the loDge, assIstant masterIng engIneer joe laporta 7/09
p 2010 vampIre WeekenD unDer exclusIve lIcense to xl recorDIngs ltD.c 2010 vampIre WeekenD unDer exclusIve lIcense to xl recorDIngs ltD.
2009 vampIre WeekenD musIc (ascap)/Imagem musIc. mIa – “hussel” sample In DIplomat’s son, WrItten by m.I.a., sWItch anD DIplo, publIsheD by Imagem musIc/copyrIght control/hollertronIx musIc (ascap); toots anD the maytals – “pressure Drop” InterpolatIon - WrItten by freDerIck “toots” hIbbert, unIversal musIc publIshIng lImIteD.
cover photograph by toD broDy, banD photograph by chrIs tomson
DesIgn by rostam batmanglIj & asher sarlIn
management: vampIre WeekenD Is exclusIvely manageD WorlDWIDe by Ian montone anD monotone management
a&r: krIs chen & Imran ahmeD
legal representatIon: nIcky steIn at clIntons
vampIre WeekenD thanks: krIs, Imran, Ian, mIchele, pollack & monotone famIly, nIcky, rIcharD r, sonya, jon, valerIe, onsloW, jeremy, martIn mIlls & beggars group, aDam, russell, morgan, rIcharD a, garth & nIck, erIk b, smokey g, brIan cross, neIl heal, bIg rob, curtIs, rIch D, bIg t, heDDy.
cb thanks: katIe Doyle, mom, DaD, al, gabe beDoya, mIchael harper, brIan mccleery, baIley johnson, thom mIlls, erIk lInDman, naomI nevItt, volney frIeDrIch, avery mcneIl, WIll mclaren, tom johnson, erIn saltman, jIm mccormIck, seth flaxman, ashley cleek, Dan gu, DavID honIck, jorDan corbIn-WentWorth, marIanna rosett, geoff larson, everyone else.
rb thanks: maman, baba, zal, tIm, jenny, bobby, jeff, mIho, sam, joe, lIbby, josh, asher, the WeIsgalls, Wes, eskanDar, leIla, DavID, eD, vIctorIa, jane, craIg, ramesh, angel, DavID kahne for encouragement anD braDley noWell storIes, patrIck DIllett for grave DetaIl on preDelay, 99.1 hfs, specIal thanks to emIly lazar anD joe laporta. ek thanks: sara, Daya, Dana, nooDles, my famIly, everyone Who aDvIseD anD sympathIzeD: anDreI, Wes, lexy, the macklovItch bros, the longstreth bros, toy, DanIel, jason, moon ska recorDs, my cousIn leo, suburban punks everyWhere.
ct thanks: scooter, mom, Dr. brett n. tomson, granDma anD all the neumans. matt “buDDy herms” herman, the mencIas, brIan anD nIcole, thom, tIm, megan k anD everyone else Who’s DIsplayeD aDmIrable patIence WIth me.