Classical

Vampire Weekend's song 'Classical' delves into the unsettling idea that cruelty, over time, becomes normalized and even revered. The lyrics open with a stark contrast between times of war and peace, highlighting how the educated class once knew what to do but now seems lost. This sets the stage for a broader commentary on societal decay and the cyclical nature of human behavior. The line 'Four hundred million animals competing for the zoo' paints a grim picture of humanity's struggle for dominance and survival, suggesting a bleak outlook on our collective future.

The chorus, 'Untrue, unkind and unnatural / How the cruel, with time, becomes classical,' serves as the song's central thesis. It reflects on how actions and behaviors that are initially seen as cruel or unjust can, over time, become accepted and even celebrated as part of the cultural fabric. This idea is further explored through metaphors like 'walls fall, shacks shake / Bridges burn and bodies break,' which signify inevitable change and destruction. The question 'which classical remains?' challenges the listener to consider what aspects of our culture will endure and how they will be remembered.

The imagery of a 'temple's gone, but still a single column stands today' and a 'staircase up to nothingness inside your DNA' evokes a sense of lingering legacy and inherent emptiness. These lines suggest that while physical structures and societal norms may crumble, the essence of what they represented persists in our collective consciousness. The song ultimately leaves us with a haunting reflection on the permanence of cruelty and the ways in which it becomes ingrained in our history and identity.