Vogue

Album: Violet Street (2019)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Guitarist Ryan Hahn explained in a Consequence of Sound track by track that "Vogue" originated as "a minimal, delicate song on a nylon string guitar." Previously, Local Natives had been working with Arcade Fire violinist Sarah Neufeld to create a unique piece of music for the Okeechobee festival. When the band decided they wanted to add strings, they remembered the solo violin piece she had sent over which ended up being re-arranged for "Vogue."

    Violet Street producer Shawn Everett (Alabama Shakes, Kacey Musgraves) then got the band running "around this binaural microphone shaped like a human head screaming at the top of our lungs and banging on trash can lids. Pure cacophony. He took that chaos and digitally tuned it until sounded like an angelic choir."
  • Lyrically, the song is a collection of "strange phrases" which the band pulled from the comment sections of some YouTube videos and collaged them together. "Even before the violins, we knew we wanted the song to be about the human desire to feel a connection to god or a spiritual world," Hahn said. "Unexpectedly the random phrases began to paint that picture and with some minor tweaks we felt like it achieved that ascendant, heavenly quality."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Gene Simmons of Kiss

Gene Simmons of KissSongwriter Interviews

The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."

Vince Clarke

Vince ClarkeSongwriter Interviews

An original member of Depeche Mode, Vince went on to form Erasure and Yaz.

Incongruent Opening Acts

Incongruent Opening ActsSong Writing

Here's what happens when an opening act is really out of place with the headliner, like when Beastie Boys opened for Madonna.

Subversive Songs Used To Sell

Subversive Songs Used To SellSong Writing

Songs about drugs, revolution and greed that have been used in commercials for sneakers, jeans, fast food, cruises and cars.

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat WorldSongwriter Interviews

Jim talks about the impact of "The Middle" and uses a tree metaphor to describe his songwriting philosophy.

Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers

Bill Medley of The Righteous BrothersSongwriter Interviews

Medley looks back on "Unchained Melody" and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" - his huge hits from the '60s that were later revived in movies.