Wood

Album: Half-Light (2011)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Rostam Batmanglij described this song on his website as, "the feeling of being in bed with someone, and dreaming something wild beside them."

    The track dates back to 2011 and was re-released on a 7-inch in early 2016 alongside "EOS," after Batmanglij announced his departure from Vampire Weekend.
  • Batmanglij started the song on an airplane. He explained, "It was a beat I made on my laptop with cut up tabla and digital sitar and me trying to push myself to write the hardest, fastest, most classical violin parts I could."

    He added, "I spent years trying to figure out what to sing on top of it, even recording real string players without a vocal part written - before realizing that everything would have to clear out before my voice could enter the picture."

    It was Vampire Weekend producer Ariel Rechtshaid that helped Batmanglij finally finish the song. He recalled: "Me and Ariel ended up spending about ten days hanging out but not that much time actually making music in the studio, not at the same time anyway. Ariel was dealing with illness in his family. But one of the things we were able to accomplish was recording the lead vocal on 'Wood', it was on a sunny morning with the front door of the studio wide open. Hopefully you get some of that feeling when you listen to it."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Hawksley Workman

Hawksley WorkmanSongwriter Interviews

One of Canada's most popular and eclectic performers, Hawksley tells stories about his oldest songs, his plentiful side projects, and the ways that he keeps his songwriting fresh.

Grammar In Lyrics

Grammar In LyricsMusic Quiz

Lyrics don't always follow the rules of grammar. Can you spot the ones that don't?

Ramones

RamonesFact or Fiction

A band so baffling, even their names were contrived. Check your score in the Ramones version of Fact or Fiction.

Danny Clinch: The Art of Rock Photography

Danny Clinch: The Art of Rock PhotographySong Writing

One of rock's top photographers talks about artistry in photography, raising funds for a documentary, and enjoying a County Fair with Tom Waits.

Def Leppard Quiz

Def Leppard QuizMusic Quiz

Can you name Def Leppard's only #1 hit in America? Get rocked with this adrenalized quiz.

Supertramp founder Roger Hodgson

Supertramp founder Roger HodgsonSongwriter Interviews

Roger tells the stories behind some of his biggest hits, including "Give a Little Bit," "Take the Long Way Home" and "The Logical Song."