Vampire Weekend put a new spin on Post Malone and Swae Lee’s “Sunflower” on BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge. The Ivy League grads bring a more understated vibe to the chart-topping track. It comes just days after they released a single of the same name from their upcoming album, Father of the Bride, which drops May 3.
Vampire Weekend’s cover of the song, which they nicknamed “Spiderflower,” introduced a more earthy, jam-band take on the trap-inflected Top 40 track. Lead singer Ezra Koenig deviates from Post Malone’s Auto-Tune-coated vocals, while the band brought in backup singers for the chorus. Blaring synths are replaced by relaxed piano.
The band added a different feel to other elements of the song, too. The computerized trap percussion of the original became retrofitted to the hi-hats of Chris Tomson’s drum kit. The group also interpolated the cascading guitar riff from their own “Sunflower,” culminating in a guitar solo reminiscent of the Grateful Dead.
“Sunflower” is the second collab between Swae Lee and Post Malone–this time, for the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse soundtrack. It’s featured in the film as main character Miles Morales’s favorite song. The duo previously linked up on “Spoil My Night” for beerbongs & bentleys.
Their lyrics are structured around the extended metaphor of a sunflower:
Then you’re left in the dust, unless I stuck by ya
You’re a sunflower, I think your love would be too much
Or you’ll be left in the dust, unless I stuck by ya
You’re the sunflower, you’re the sunflower
Vampire Weekend’s Koenig originally panicked when he realized there was already a hit named “Sunflower.” “We have a song on this record called ‘Sunflower,‘” he told Rolling Stone. “‘God, we have to get this out!'”
The band has been releasing two singles each month since January in the run-up to their first album in six years. “Sunflower” was unveiled on March 6 alongside “Big Blue.”
Watch Vampire Weekend cover Post Malone and Swae Lee’s “Sunflower” above.
Catch up on all of Vampire Weekend’s lyrics on Genius now.
