This song is Ezra reflecting on a breakup and on the give/take/competition/thinking that couples do about each other after they separate. It's a modern turn on a Springsteen-style track. Where Springsteen would have been all passion and focus on the present moment, Ezra's getting at the subterfuge that defines modern urban love, especially after a separation.
"You torched a Saab like a pile of leaves
I’d gone to find some better wheels"
Her 'torching the Saab' represents that she threw away what they had together, but it was his fault too -- he'd already started looking for other relationships.
"If Diane Young won’t change your mind,"
'Diane Young' represents getting old -- so the lyric could read 'If gettin' old won't change your mind'. It's a reference to the Diane Young Anti-Aging Salon on E 79th st in UES manhattan -- and also a double entendre for 'dying young'. He's saying that the existence of the anti-aging salon (and things like it) should remind her that she might die young -- she will get old -- she won't be young forever, and maybe that realization should make her think twice about their relationship.
"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"
She's playing the role of the young, single, urbane woman, but is she really willing to go all the way with it and risk being single forever? Good luck...
"Irish and proud, baby, naturally
But you got the luck of a Kennedy
So grab the wheel, keep on holding it tight
As I go it alone into that moonlight"
She's too proud to give their relationship another shot, but can she really handle being on her own? Can she really steer her own life without him? Is she really willing to risk losing him forever?
"Nobody knows what the future holds
Said it’s bad enough just getting old
Live my life, they say it’s too fast
You know I love the past, ’cause I hate suspense..."
This is the crux of the song -- Ezra's getting old and he's starting to give up worrying about what will happen between them. He loves thinking about this past relationship because it's a person that he knows and he'd rather not endure the "suspense" of getting to know and falling for anyone new...
"If Diane Young won't change your mind
Baby, baby, baby, baby right on time."
But if getting old hasn't changed her mind about giving him another shot, then that's "right on time" -- i.e., it isn't meant to be yet, and he's cool with that.
This song is Ezra reflecting on a breakup and on the give/take/competition/thinking that couples do about each other after they separate. It's a modern turn on a Springsteen-style track. Where Springsteen would have been all passion and focus on the present moment, Ezra's getting at the subterfuge that defines modern urban love, especially after a separation.
"You torched a Saab like a pile of leaves I’d gone to find some better wheels"
Her 'torching the Saab' represents that she threw away what they had together, but it was his fault too -- he'd already started looking for other relationships.
"If Diane Young won’t change your mind,"
'Diane Young' represents getting old -- so the lyric could read 'If gettin' old won't change your mind'. It's a reference to the Diane Young Anti-Aging Salon on E 79th st in UES manhattan -- and also a double entendre for 'dying young'. He's saying that the existence of the anti-aging salon (and things like it) should remind her that she might die young -- she will get old -- she won't be young forever, and maybe that realization should make her think twice about their relationship.
"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"
She's playing the role of the young, single, urbane woman, but is she really willing to go all the way with it and risk being single forever? Good luck...
"Irish and proud, baby, naturally But you got the luck of a Kennedy So grab the wheel, keep on holding it tight As I go it alone into that moonlight"
She's too proud to give their relationship another shot, but can she really handle being on her own? Can she really steer her own life without him? Is she really willing to risk losing him forever?
"Nobody knows what the future holds Said it’s bad enough just getting old Live my life, they say it’s too fast You know I love the past, ’cause I hate suspense..."
This is the crux of the song -- Ezra's getting old and he's starting to give up worrying about what will happen between them. He loves thinking about this past relationship because it's a person that he knows and he'd rather not endure the "suspense" of getting to know and falling for anyone new...
"If Diane Young won't change your mind Baby, baby, baby, baby right on time." But if getting old hasn't changed her mind about giving him another shot, then that's "right on time" -- i.e., it isn't meant to be yet, and he's cool with that.
Vampire Weekend themselves stated that Diane Young is a wordplay for dying young. youtube.com/watch#!
Vampire Weekend themselves stated that Diane Young is a wordplay for dying young. youtube.com/watch#!