Horchata

Album: Contra (2010)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This joyous afro-pop confection is the opening track on New York indie rock band Vampire Weekend's sophomore album Contra. The song was originally released as a free download on October 5, 2009 on the band's website.
  • Frontman Ezra Koenig explained what Horchata is for a European audience to the British musical publication, the NME: "It's always been one of my favourite drinks." he declared. "I don't know if you can find much Horchata in England, it's a sweet Mexican rice drink, usually served cold."
  • Koenig told The Sun December 11. 2009: "I actually wrote that song in New York and then took it on the road with us and worked on it. Horchata actually reminds me of New York as I drink it all the time back home but it's easier to get in New York than in California."
  • The percussionist on this track is a Brazilian named Mauro Refosco, who previously had been in David Byrne's band and later in 2009 joined Thom Yorke's solo outfit.
  • In the track-by-track production notes provided by the band, multi-instrumentalist/producer Rostam Batmanglij explained this song: "It opens with a harmonium drone like you might find in Bollywood music, Ezra's voice comes in with a kind of Buddy Holly echo, he's doubled by a Kalimba thumb piano, which is intertwined with his vocal melody—there's actually a few melodies going on at once—and a subby bass drum thumping, and then suddenly you get a deep house synth and a mass of our voices: me and Ezra and some womens' voices as well. And they're all soaked in this classic '80s reverb. One of the goal's for this record was to use vocals as a texture, as an instrument."
  • Koenig told the NME February 16, 2010: "'Horchata' was a melody that I'd had in my head going back to when I was a teacher - I remember singing it when I was fixing up my classroom. It took a long time to grow and become a proper song. We started recording it before we had finished writing it because we wanted to experiment with sounds and rhythms."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

David Clayton-Thomas of Blood, Sweat & Tears

David Clayton-Thomas of Blood, Sweat & TearsSongwriter Interviews

The longtime BS&T frontman tells the "Spinning Wheel" story, including the line he got from Joni Mitchell.

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.

Oliver Leiber

Oliver LeiberSongwriter Interviews

Oliver Leiber talks about writing and producing hits for Paula Abdul, and explains his complicated relationship with his father, the songwriter Jerry Leiber.

Billy Joe Shaver

Billy Joe ShaverSongwriter Interviews

The outlaw country icon talks about the spiritual element of his songwriting and his Bob Dylan mention.

Marvin Gaye

Marvin GayeFact or Fiction

Did Marvin try out with the Detroit Lions? Did he fake crazy to get out of military service? And what about the cross-dressing?

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine Band

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine BandSongwriter Interviews

Harry Wayne Casey tells the stories behind KC and The Sunshine Band hits like "Get Down Tonight," "That's The Way (I Like It)," and "Give It Up."