M79 by Vampire Weekend Lyrics Meaning – Decoding the Cultural References in an Indie Anthem
Lyrics
While you’re waiting like a factory line
I’ll ride across the park
Backseat on the 79
Wasted days you’ve come to pass
So go, I know you would not stay
It wasn’t true, but anyway
Pollination, yellow cab
You walk up the stairs
See the French kids by the door
Up one more flight
See the Buddha on the second floor
Coronation, rickshaw grab
So go, I know you would not stay
It wasn’t true, but anyway
Racist dreams you should not have
No excuse to be so callous
Dress yourself in bleeding madras
Charm your way across the Khyber Pass
Stay awake to break the habit
Sing in praise of Jackson Crowter
Watch your step along the arch of
No excuse to be so callous
Dress yourself in bleeding madras
Charm your way across the Khyber Pass
Stay awake to break the habit
Sing in praise of Jackson Crowter
Watch your step along the arch of glass
Vampire Weekend, with their distinct brand of indie rock infused with baroque pop influences, has always had a knack for weaving intricate tales in seemingly straightforward songs. ‘M79’, a track from their self-titled debut album, serves as a testament to the band’s eloquent songwriting panache and their ability to pack a medley of cultural and personal references into a concise piece of music.
Casual listeners might enjoy the jaunty strings and the upbeat tempo, but a closer examination reveals layers of meaning that extend beyond the sonic pleasure. It is a song that captures the timelessness of youth and the restless desire for something more, wrapped in a series of vignettes that are both specific and universally relatable.
The Secret Decoder Ring to ‘M79’: Unveiling the Cultural Tapestry
The title itself, ‘M79’, alludes to the New York City bus line connecting the Upper East Side to the Upper West Side, a journey that encapsulates the song’s essence of transition and exploration. With mentions of ‘yellow cabs’, ‘Buddha on the second floor’, and ‘Khyber Pass’, the song becomes a vessel for varied geographical and cultural references that bridge the disparate worlds of the band’s New York City upbringing and far-off places.
These references serve as guideposts for a narrative that spans the realm of the personal and the universal, inviting the listener on a journey that is as much about physical travel as it is a metaphor for the inner journey of growth and understanding.
A Metaphorical Ride on the M79: Escaping the Factory Line of Life
The line ‘while you’re waiting like a factory line’ suggests a critique of the monotonous, mechanical existence that many fall into. The bus ride across the park is both literal and symbolic, offering an escape from this drudgery and a window into a world of organic, vibrant experiences.
It’s the movement from a life of passive waiting to active participation, a rejection of the ‘wasted days’ of the past and an embrace of the unpredictable adventures that life offers those who venture beyond their comfort zones.
Navigating the Stairs of Life and the Doors of Perception
Each verbal image in ‘M79’ is a snapshot of an experience, from walking up the stairs and encountering ‘French kids by the door’ to witnessing a ‘coronation’ or a ‘rickshaw grab’. These pictures are set pieces in the grand theater of life, where every stairway leads to new perceptions and every door opens to diverse cultures and perspectives.
By juxtaposing everyday New York City life with elements that are seemingly out of place, like the Buddha or the French kids, Vampire Weekend makes a subtle comment on the universality of urban life and the shared humanity that can be discovered in the diversity of a city’s landscape.
Undressing the Line ‘Dress Yourself in Bleeding Madras’
This phrase stands out in the song as a confounding one: ‘bleeding madras’ refers to a fabric that was known for its color that would run when wet, popular in preppy clothing. The band challenges the listener to consider the superficiality of appearances and the rejection of a carefully curated but ultimately artificial persona.
In context, it’s a prompt to strip off the pretenses, to forgo the ‘racist dreams’ and inherited biases that one should ‘not have’, and to step into a world of genuine, albeit sometimes flawed, interactions.
Iconic Lines and their Haunting Echoes
‘Stay awake to break the habit / Sing in praise of Jackson Crowter’ offers more than a catchy hook – it’s an invocation to cultivate awareness, to stay present, and to break the cyclical habits that entrap one in a stagnant existence. The lines cheer on the embrace of unique role models and a life lived in conscious choice, not habitual sleepwalking.
‘Watch your step along the arch of glass’ serves as a caution, a reminder of the fragility of the paths we tread in our quest for enlightenment or self-improvement. It’s a poetic nod to the inherent risks of seeking change, encouraging a balance between the pursuit of growth and the caution necessary to navigate life’s slippery slopes.
