In December, drinking horchata
I'd look psychotic in a balaclava
Winter's cold is too much to handle
Pincher crabs that pinch at your sandals

In December, drinking horchata
Look down your glasses at that aranciata
With lips and teeth to ask how my day went
Boots and fists to pound on the pavement

Here comes a feeling you thought you'd forgotten
Chairs to sit and sidewalks to walk on

You'd remember drinking horchata
You'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 forgotten
Chairs to sit and sidewalks to walk on
Oh you had it but oh no you lost it
Looking back you shouldn't have fought it

In December, drinking horchata
I'd look psychotic in a balaclava

Winter's cold is too much to handle
Pincher crabs that pinch at your sandals
Years go by and hearts start to harden
Those palms and firs that grew in your garden
Are falling down and nearing the rosebeds
The roots are shooting up through the tool shed
Those 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 forgotten
Chairs to sit and sidewalks to walk on
Oh you had it but oh no you lost it
You understood so you shouldn't have fought it.

Here comes a feeling you thought you'd forgotten
Chairs to sit and sidewalks to walk on

Here comes a feeling you thought you'd forgotten
Chairs to sit and sidewalks to walk on



Lyrics submitted by ElleDriver, edited by dodgerblue

Track duration: 03:26


Horchata song meanings
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46 Comments

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  • 0
    My Interpretation:for me, i think this song could be about about growing older. He's talking about how when he was younger, he remembers drinking horchata in winter, and dressing up for laughs in a balaclava. I think the lines that most support my theory are "lips and teeth that ask how my day went," making a reference to your parents asking that question when you get home. Later, when his parents are dead, he can still hear them asking him from under the ground (lips and teeth that asked how my day went, are shouting up through cracks in the pavement). Another thing is when your a kid everything seems new and exiting, told in "chairs to sit and sidewalks to walk on." When you get older, your heart "starts to harden." One last thing is that when i was younger i, unlike most people, really didn't want to grow up. Some people eventually told me that i should just enjoy it while it lasted, and not fight it. For that reason the lines "Oh, you had it but oh no you lost it, looking back you shouldn't have fought it" really hit me.
    Flagged fewqacacon May 15, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I'd really love to know how Vampire Weekend gets their inspiration for their music. I love them, but no way would I have been able to put together some meaning tot his song without reading through these comments.
    Flag Leenzoon December 27, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:To me...this song is about Ezra's love for his pet cat "mrs meowsner". I saw in an interview that he loves her dearly and she is his favorite part of the day. His cat loves horchata, hence the name of the song. They probably spend weeknights writing music together and drinking horchata. This is just a silly song dedicated to Ezras cat
    Flag Vampirefanclubon January 25, 2012   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation:I feel like this song's about losing a great relationship or losing paradise. There's a very summery, happy feeling to the song, and the lyrics (In December, drinking horchata/I'd look psychotic in a balaclava/Winter's cold is too much to handle/Pincher crabs that pinch at your sandals) make me think of tropical islands and vacations. It could be that there was this wonderful relationship that was like being in paradise but everything's gone wrong and now it's ending. Also, I could see it as meaning that there was this summer paradise that the speaker went to and loved, but now it's falling into disrepair or has been bought out (sort of like paving paradise to put up a parking lot). They thought they'd had this perfect place to escape to, but now they've lost it...

    Just my two cents. Love the song! :)
    Flag IndependenceDayon January 25, 2012   Link
  • +3
    My Interpretation:I think people take this song as someone in a warm climate during December talking about a time he had in a cold climate. I disagree. I think the reason why the narrator is drinking Horchata in the cold is because the person he ends up referring to used to do so. It's just a strange thing the couple liked to do together. I think this is pretty apparent from the second verse where the other person is looking down on another summer drink while wearing boots. Boots are usually only worn in winter, so it leads to me conclude that they were just drinking cold drinks in winter--something that really isn't that strange.

    So he's drinking Horchata and while he's drinking he's remember how he felt when he was with this person. The "chairs to sit and sidewalks to walk on" line is pretty indicative of that time during love where everything feels incredibly new. Even something as simple as walking down the street feels new and beautiful.

    Unfortunately for the narrator, despite loving how he felt, he fought his feelings and everything turned sour. The sidewalks that felt so new and wonderful scream at him and everything he created fell apart.

    I really like the last line, "You understood so you shouldn't have fought it." It's interesting to me because it suggests that the narrator knew that he was in love and enjoyed their couple quirks, and yet still tore the relationship apart. The song is kind of like narrator slapping himself, saying what an idiot he was for letting this strange, beautiful person go.

    It is worth noting that when I heard this song for the first 10 times, I did not immediately jump to the conclusion about it being a romantic relationship. I just thought it was about any deep emotional relationship. I also thought it might be about a family because it is set in December. Now I would say it was about a romantic relationship, but it is vague enough to be applied to many circumstances.
    Flag ladylibertineon January 05, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:The music, I feel, has a tropic vacation vibe to it. The xylophone sounds like an imitation of steel drum style of playing. The tom drumming sounds like something I would imagine hearing on a pacific island in a drum circle.

    In December, drinking horchata
    I'd look psychotic in a balaclava
    Winter's cold is too much to handle
    Pincher crabs that pinch at your sandals

    When I hear the lyrics in first verse matched with the music I see a man in his low to mid thirty's. I picture him sitting in a tropical environment by himself. He's from a northern area. A balaclava would be common place this time of year in his hometown, in his current environment it would look ridiculous. The cold is to hard to deal with alone.

    In December, drinking horchata
    Look down your glasses at that aranciata
    With lips and teeth to ask how my day went
    Boots and fists to pound on the pavement

    There are glasses now; he has met someone on his vacation. This person is special. What she says and who she is as a person is most important. They spend time together exploring and getting to know each other.

    Here comes a feeling you thought you'd forgotten
    Chairs to sit and sidewalks to walk on

    After meeting this person he is starting to remember what it is like to fall in love. The chairs and sidewalks are the highlights of his time here.

    You'd remember drinking horchata
    You'd still enjoy it with your foot on Masada

    They grow older together and no matter where they are it's just like where they met. (Massada is in Israel)

    Winter's cold is too much to handle
    Pincher crabs that pinch at your sandals
    Here comes a feeling you thought you'd forgotten
    Chairs to sit and sidewalks to walk on
    Oh you had it but oh no you lost it
    Looking back you shouldn't have fought it

    She dies; the winter is hard to handle again. He goes back to wear they met and does the things they did together alone. The forgotten feeling of being alone is no longer forgotten. Even though they are alone now and hurting they would not change it.

    In December, drinking horchata
    I'd look psychotic in a balaclava
    winter's cold is too much to handle
    Pincher crabs that pinch at your sandals
    Years go by and hearts start to harden
    Those palms and firs that grew in your garden
    Are falling down and nearing the rosebeds
    The roots are shooting up through the tool shed
    Those lips and teeth that asked how my day went
    Are shouting up through cracks in the pavement

    The pain of the loss fades but she is not forgotten. The house they had becomes disheveled because no one lives in it anymore. He now lives where they met and fell in love. As he walk's the streets they walked together he remembers her.

    Here comes a feeling you thought you'd forgotten
    Chairs to sit and sidewalks to walk on
    Oh you had it but oh no you lost it
    You understood so you shouldn't have fought it.

    The last part reminds me of a round. Like it's a story that repeats itself over and over. Like it's not just his story.

    I think it's a really sweet song about true love and that person that will always be apart of you.
    Flag jonthoyton September 18, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I drank horchata in December just so I could sing this song to myself.
    Flag aynon March 16, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:really? the song is simple... its just about the seasonal changes.. winters cold is to much to handle.. pincher crabs that pinch at ur sandals (is just the cold winter.. sandals refering to spring/summer).. i'd look phsycotic in a balaclava (in winter).. here comes a feeling you thought you'de forgotten (winter to spring).. chairs to sit and sidewalks to walk on (spring/summer)... you'de remember drinking horchata (winter)... you'de still enjoy it. years go by and hearts start to harden (life)... Those palms and firs that grew in your garden are falling down and nearing the rosebeds (fall- plants are dying)... oh you had it but o no u lost it (summer to fall to winter) :(

    song is genius i love it! but i don't think it goes any deaper.. i heard the ppl from vamp are assholes so why would they give a fuck about a girl/breakup... other songs by them have personal meaning but i don't think this song really does
    Flag MatthewHeritschon March 04, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:In Mexico, horchata is a slang term for orgy.
    I know it doesn´t have anything to do with the song, just a fun fact.
    Flag eiirpon December 26, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I see it more as a story, so let me break it down for you.

    (In December drinking Horchata)
    The month is December, but he's drinking Horchata. A drink with a rice base, sweetened, known for calming nerves, but no one ever said where he was is warm.

    (I'd look psychotic in a balaclava)
    The reason he'd look psychotic in a balaclava(Ski Mask) is because of the high temperatures, thus not allowing for a ski mask to be appropriate attire.

    (Winter's cold is too much to handle)
    Cold, not meaning in the literal sense, but in the emotional sense. Winter is meant for people to come together, and he is alone.

    (Pincher crabs that pinch at your sandals.)
    He's standing on a beach, which is why pincher crabs are mentioned, and standing still for a long duration of time, allowing pincher crabs to get close enough to pinch at his sandals.

    (Look down your glasses at the Aranciata.)
    An alcoholic beverage, which means he's turned to alcohol to sooth the pain.

    (with lips and teeth to ask how my day went, boots and fists to pound on the pavement)
    Everyone's heart analyzes the way they feel, and his makes him break down randomly, and he falls to his knees often pounding on the pavement.

    (Here comes a feeling you thought you'd forgotten, Chairs to sit, and sidewalks to walk on)
    Meaning he thought he'd gotten over the pain, but the feeling returns, making him either have to have a seat, or take a walk.

    (You'd remember drinking horchata, you'd still enjoy it with your foot on masada.)
    Making reference to YOU, the listener, because he isn't enjoying it. The pain is too much to bear for himself.

    (Oh you had it, but oh no you lost it, Looking back you shouldn't have fought it.)
    He's now speaking to himself, and regretting his decision.)

    (Years go by and hearts start to harden)
    as most do with catastrophic break ups, or he just plain got up, and left.

    (Those palms and firs that grew in your garden are falling down, and nearing the rose beds
    The roots are shooting up through the tool shed.)
    He was the provider of a home, and making reference to the garden growing wild, and dying. He feels, and accepts that he's abandoned his family.

    (Those lips and teeth that asked how my day went are shouting up through cracks in the pavement)
    Again making reference to his heart analyzing the way he feels, and this time feeling that the world itself is judging him for his misdeed.

    (You understood so you shouldn't have fought it.)
    He understood that all men grow up, and must provide for a family, and yet he couldn't accept his ascension to adulthood. Having left it all, he now has the only thing he's escaped with.

    His Regret.

    Hope you like my interpretation. :)
    Flag marcoco123on December 05, 2010   Link

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