Giant Lyrics
I used to read Thrasher magazine
Looking at pictures of skateboarders
California
So envy me
S.O.S. LAPD
Docking the yacht in such low waters
How a sutra
Eighty percent still agree
They're winning 'cause it pleases God,
We're losing 'cause pleas
At the duty-free
Gifts are wine and Hennessy
Beautifully made with such fine water
Robert Smithson
And an ancient sea
Spiral Jetty baby cheese
Leaving the rock with such, blocked for the
Coliseum
Eighty percent still agree
They're winning 'cause it pleases God
We're losing 'cause pleas
Eighty percent still agree
They're winning 'cause it pleases God
We're losing 'cause pleas
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Does anyone else see the similarities in the first verse to Biggie's "Juicy"?
Was just going to say the same myself.
Was just going to say the same myself.
Intro is just like Biggie's 'Juicy'.
Intro is just like Biggie's 'Juicy'.
It was all a dream I used to read Word Up magazine Salt'n'Pepa and Heavy D up in the limousine Hangin' pictures on my wall Every Saturday Rap Attack, Mr. Magic, Marley Marl I let my tape rock 'til my tape popped Smokin' weed and bamboo, sippin' on private stock Way back, when I had the red and black lumberjack With the hat to match
It was all a dream I used to read Word Up magazine Salt'n'Pepa and Heavy D up in the limousine Hangin' pictures on my wall Every Saturday Rap Attack, Mr. Magic, Marley Marl I let my tape rock 'til my tape popped Smokin' weed and bamboo, sippin' on private stock Way back, when I had the red and black lumberjack With the hat to match
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I think this song isn't supposed to make sense, but a collective amount of words. I don't think it's meant to be anything than fun to listen to. I enjoy singing this song.
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Another rap reference: "Envy me" is in the hook from 50 Cent and the Game's song, "Hate It or Love It." There's probably other rap references in there too but I don't know them.
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[Verse 1:] It was all a dream I used to read Thrasher Magazine, looking at pictures of skateboarders California
So envy me, S.O.S. L.A.P.D. Docking the yacht in such low waters Alizontra
[Chorus:] Now it's a different game 80 percent still agree The winning cause, it pleases God The losing cause pleases me
[Verse 2:] At the duty-free, Gifts of wine and Hennessey Beautifully made from such fine waters Robert Smithson
An ancient scene, Spiral Jetty, favorite cheese Leaving the rocks in such blind order Colosseum
[Chorus: x2]
Now it's a different game 80 percent still agree The winning cause, it pleases God The losing cause pleases me
Yes! I'm almost positive you have the correct lyrics. Thank you.
Yes! I'm almost positive you have the correct lyrics. Thank you.
I agree, with kariberryoh, your lyrics are perfect. It is most definitely "The winning cause" and "The losing cause." Thank you for posting the right lyrics.
I agree, with kariberryoh, your lyrics are perfect. It is most definitely "The winning cause" and "The losing cause." Thank you for posting the right lyrics.
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This doesn't even make any sense. What I've got:
it was all a dream I used to read Thrasher magazine looking at pictures of skateboarders California so envy me S.O.S. LAPD docking the yacht in such low waters (?)
now it's a different game 80% still agree: they're winning 'cause it pleases God we're losing 'cause (?)
at the duty-free gifts are wine and Hennessy beautifully made with such fine water Robert Smithson and an ancient sea spiral cheddar baby cheese leaving the rocks with such black (?) Coliseum
now it's a different game 80% still agree: they're winning 'cause it pleases God we're losing 'cause (?)
now it's a different game 80% still agree: they're winning 'cause it pleases God we're losing 'cause (?)
if he says "robert smithson" which i think you're right about, that would make it "spiral jetty" instead of "cheddar." robert smithson is an artist who made this crazy thing called spiral jetty in the great salt lake in utah...
if he says "robert smithson" which i think you're right about, that would make it "spiral jetty" instead of "cheddar." robert smithson is an artist who made this crazy thing called spiral jetty in the great salt lake in utah...
http://factoidz.com/images/user/10754.gif
http://factoidz.com/images/user/10754.gif
and if that's true then the "ancient sea" line fits too.
and if that's true then the "ancient sea" line fits too.
don't know what that has to do with baby cheese....
don't know what that has to do with baby cheese....
probably because some cheeses have a spiral design
probably because some cheeses have a spiral design
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Even though this isn't technically the place for this I love the song so I'll put in my two cents on a few lyric interpretations:
For the chorus I think the last two lines are: the winning clause it pleases God the losing clause pleases me
Also in the second verse i think the first two lines are "a peculiar three gifts of wine and Hennessy"
No, i'm pretty sure it's not "a peculiar three..." If you've ever been to an international airport, the duty-free stores always have expensive alcohol in their windows. Also, wine and hennessy do not equal 3 gifts...
No, i'm pretty sure it's not "a peculiar three..." If you've ever been to an international airport, the duty-free stores always have expensive alcohol in their windows. Also, wine and hennessy do not equal 3 gifts...
that's why it's a "peculiar" three
that's why it's a "peculiar" three
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Would the "coliseum" refer to the USC football stadium??
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SOS is a troubled youth program instituted by the LAPD, look it up, not sure how it fits in though
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I think it's about how very privileged people can make a big deal out of their small problems. This is what I think of the chorus: Many people think that they're doing well in life because god likes them or whatever, or they've been blessed and all that; But then when it comes time to wonder why poor people are poor, they say that they're lazy and are just begging for money from the government. Not exactly sure on the 80% still agree. maybe it's just saying not many are on the side of the poor? Maybe thats the percentage of religious people who say that they do well because of god. I'm not sure, but there's more there.
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I'm not totally sure on the song meaning, but I will try my best! But knowing Vampire Weekend, this song definitely has some type of meaning, it is not just a random gathering of words. So here it goes! Verse 1: The first line is similar to the Biggie smalls 'Juicy' lyric, but instead suggests a skaters magazine called 'Thrasher'. The California is probably about the album 'Contra' being inspired by California. California also has a stereotype of skateboarders and surfers. The part about envy me could refer to the Game's song featuring 50 cent, 'hate it or love it' which talks about 'under dogs on top' and uses the lyrics 'envy me.' For the lyrics about boats and yachts: Many call Vampire Weekend 'Yacht rock' music, which is music from the 80's and 70's that had a smooth sound, also thought of as "cheesy pop." These lyrics can refer to crashing that stereotype, as 'docking the yacht in low water's could result in a crash. This also explains the S.O.S piece. I'm not sure about the L.A.P.D. part, but it refers to the Los Angeles Police Department, another California reference. The next line is not definite, it may be, alizontra, how a sutra, or alice ultra. If it is sutra, sutra is a thread that holds things together, mostly aphorisms which are original thoughts written in a memorable form or with few words. This can be a Hindu literary composition. In someways, this is how I feel that the song is written, with short phrases and words. Alice Ultra is a toy based off Tim Burtons Alice in Wonderland film. They could be referring to falling in to a hole of fame and money that distorts perceptions.
Hook: Some think the 80 percent is referring to pollspeak, a website for college sports polls. It's talking about people having a natural attraction for the underdog, which can be what Vampire Weekend is. This also reaches back to the Game ft. 50 Cent's song.
Verse 2: The duty free line can have two meanings. The first is about buying alcohol at and airport, saying you are a jet setter, but not enough of a success to have a bottle service, making a joke about rappers who put themselves in a position of wealth. Rappers seam to be famous for liking hennessy. This could also refer to the bands jewish origins. Jews are stereotyped as being 'cheap,' making fun of people who make fun of them, they are saying they buy their fine wine at duty free shops because it costs less. 'Beautifully made..' can refer to making something out of nothing, like fine wine out of water.. this leads into the next thing. Robert Smithson was an artist who used nature as his medium. His origins are the same as the bands, the New York/ New Jersey area. The ancient scene part could mean, "Robert Smithson’s most famous work, Spiral Jetty (1970), is constituted from ancient forms from the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Maybe here as an intentional contrast to “An ancient business, a modern piece of glasswork” from the band’s single “White Sky”" The cheese could refer to money. "The land under Spiral Jetty is about to be impacted by oil drilling interests, possibly creating the disorder (or maybe Smithson interfered with the natural order in the first place by putting a label onto it)
Reminiscent of “Under the rocks and stones, there is water underground,” an equally mysterious line from “Once In A Lifetime” by Talking Heads. “Giant” also has that elliptical (druggy!) vibe, what with the “Time isn’t holding up” incantations and the “This is not my beautiful wife!” self-doubt" The colosseum is another beautiful work that was once "decadent but is now empty and massive."
Basically, the song seams to be about Vampire Weekend being and underdog that is slowly climbing to the top, breaking all the limits that everyone else has seam to set for them.