California English

Album: Contra (2010)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • On this track, singer Ezra Koenig Auto-Tunes his voice over a breezy, almost calypso vibe. On using AutoTune in this song, Koenig commented: "It doesn't sound like T-Pain. There's plenty of amazing music from around the world using AutoTune besides American pop."
  • For a band synonymous with New York, it may come as a surprise that Vampire Weekend have "gone Californian" on this track. Koenig explained to Mojo magazine November 2009: "When we say 'Californian,' people might think of Jefferson Airplane or Black Flag, but for us, it means a group of people, an aesthetic and a vibe. New York is essentially full of man-made things, but what makes California is the way people interact with the natural landscape. It's much more dramatic in a lot of ways than the East Coast and I think that has a deeper cultural resonance and affects the way people live."

Comments: 1

  • Stephen M Yantz from China Atm"singer Ezra Koenig Auto-Tunes his voice over a breezy, almost calypso vibe." he just sings twice and offets it a little
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles

Timothy B. Schmit of the EaglesSongwriter Interviews

Did this Eagle come up with the term "Parrothead"? And what is it like playing "Hotel California" for the gazillionth time?

80s Video Director Jay Dubin

80s Video Director Jay DubinSong Writing

Billy Joel and Hall & Oates hated making videos, so they chose a director with similar contempt for the medium. That was Jay Dubin, and he has a lot to say on the subject.

Gilby Clarke

Gilby ClarkeSongwriter Interviews

The Guns N' Roses rhythm guitarist in the early '90s, Gilby talks about the band's implosion and the side projects it spawned.

Little Big Town

Little Big TownSongwriter Interviews

"When seeds that you sow grow by the wicked moon/Be sure your sins will find you out/Your past will hunt you down and turn to tell on you."

Dino Cazares of Fear Factory

Dino Cazares of Fear FactorySongwriter Interviews

The guitarist/songwriter explains how he came up with his signature sound, and deconstructs some classic Fear Factory songs.

Dave Edmunds

Dave EdmundsSongwriter Interviews

A renowned guitarist and rock revivalist, Dave took "I Hear You Knocking" to the top of the UK charts and was the first to record Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk."