September 21st, 2009 / 10:15 pm
Web Hype

Malkmus for the People! at Volume1

album-Pavement-Cut-Your-Hair

Do you think it's gonna make him change?

The great Jason Diamond of Vol 1. decided to celebrate the announcement of next year’s Pavement reunion by asking a handful of people to cite their favorite of the band’s lyrics. Those polled included Ari Messer of The Rumpus, Jens Carstensen from The Giraffes, and a few other notables, including Gigantic-editor (and Giant frequenter) James Yeh and yours truly. In fact, James and I both went a little apeshit, so you’ll find our annotated selections down at the bottom, below the civilized metered discourse.

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38 Comments

  1. Matthew Simmons

      I love the way Trigger Cut opens:

      lies and betrayals, fruit-covered nails
      electricity and lust won’t break the door
      I’ve got a heavy coat
      it’s filled with rocks and sand
      and if I lose you
      I’ll be coming back today

      Teen love and threats of suicide.

      This is nice, too:

      So what does it mean, a mistake or two
      If it’s the kind of mistake no one can trace

      It’s not Pavement, but I think Pig Lib has some badass lyrics.

      in better times a spell could save you
      the wine that we threw into a chasm came right back at you
      now it’s all so straight and narrow and the skeptics rule the nation
      the servants scream always wear black
      the stupid cinematic witchscapes give you a skewed impression of the realms of the magic arts
      yes it’s all over your head so enjoy the dim vacation
      a sermon reads never wear black

      there is no now you can tape that to your devil brow
      time came for the end my lord explain your cattle call
      what we need is a soft second serve of your fine approximations
      shepherd reed always wear black

      you find the grace in true frustration
      time came before the end my lord, explain

  2. Matthew Simmons

      I love the way Trigger Cut opens:

      lies and betrayals, fruit-covered nails
      electricity and lust won’t break the door
      I’ve got a heavy coat
      it’s filled with rocks and sand
      and if I lose you
      I’ll be coming back today

      Teen love and threats of suicide.

      This is nice, too:

      So what does it mean, a mistake or two
      If it’s the kind of mistake no one can trace

      It’s not Pavement, but I think Pig Lib has some badass lyrics.

      in better times a spell could save you
      the wine that we threw into a chasm came right back at you
      now it’s all so straight and narrow and the skeptics rule the nation
      the servants scream always wear black
      the stupid cinematic witchscapes give you a skewed impression of the realms of the magic arts
      yes it’s all over your head so enjoy the dim vacation
      a sermon reads never wear black

      there is no now you can tape that to your devil brow
      time came for the end my lord explain your cattle call
      what we need is a soft second serve of your fine approximations
      shepherd reed always wear black

      you find the grace in true frustration
      time came before the end my lord, explain

  3. Nate

      Pavement > most every other band

  4. Nate

      Pavement > most every other band

  5. Michael Schaub

      “I’ve got a lot of things I want to sell, but not here, babe…”

      I also call people “my fact-checking cuz” whenever they know the answer to a question I’ve wondered about. So much so that I think it’s getting obnoxious.

  6. Michael Schaub

      “I’ve got a lot of things I want to sell, but not here, babe…”

      I also call people “my fact-checking cuz” whenever they know the answer to a question I’ve wondered about. So much so that I think it’s getting obnoxious.

  7. Michael Schaub

      Oh, and shit, the Smashing Pumpkins slam on “Range Life.” Not because I think the lyrics are particularly great, but because it’s probably personally offensive to Billy Corgan, and I can’t look at Billy Corgan’s face or hear his voice without wanting to shove his head in a deep fryer.

  8. Michael Schaub

      Oh, and shit, the Smashing Pumpkins slam on “Range Life.” Not because I think the lyrics are particularly great, but because it’s probably personally offensive to Billy Corgan, and I can’t look at Billy Corgan’s face or hear his voice without wanting to shove his head in a deep fryer.

  9. Justin Taylor

      Nature kids, they don’t have no function.

  10. Justin Taylor

      Nature kids, they don’t have no function.

  11. alec niedenthal

      the end of “filmore jive” is always the most exciting thing to me.

      “they pull out the plugs / and they snort up the drugs”

      and “here” tugs at something deep, man.

  12. alec niedenthal

      the end of “filmore jive” is always the most exciting thing to me.

      “they pull out the plugs / and they snort up the drugs”

      and “here” tugs at something deep, man.

  13. james yeh

      …and i could really give fuck

  14. james yeh

      …and i could really give fuck

  15. james yeh

      heh, nice link justin. love your deconstruction of “starlings.” that raw garlic must really be working for you.

      i went so apeshit, jason didn’t even post all of what i sent.

      this was another one i really liked, from the lesser known gem “Frontwards”:

      “I got style
      So much style
      Miles and miles
      So much style
      That it’s leaving”

      jason’s mention of “don’t listen to the grandmother’s advice about us” is also pretty great.

  16. james yeh

      heh, nice link justin. love your deconstruction of “starlings.” that raw garlic must really be working for you.

      i went so apeshit, jason didn’t even post all of what i sent.

      this was another one i really liked, from the lesser known gem “Frontwards”:

      “I got style
      So much style
      Miles and miles
      So much style
      That it’s leaving”

      jason’s mention of “don’t listen to the grandmother’s advice about us” is also pretty great.

  17. Kevin O'Neill

      Liked.

  18. Kevin O'Neill

      Liked.

  19. audri

      you’ve gotta pay your dues before you pay the rent

      misheard pavement lyrics are the best kind.
      KOREA KOREA KOREA KOREA

  20. audri

      you’ve gotta pay your dues before you pay the rent

      misheard pavement lyrics are the best kind.
      KOREA KOREA KOREA KOREA

  21. Michael Schaub

      Those are the best kind. For a while I thought it was “Don’t listen to your grandmother’s advice about Ezra.”

  22. Michael Schaub

      Those are the best kind. For a while I thought it was “Don’t listen to your grandmother’s advice about Ezra.”

  23. Michael Schaub

      One of my favorite Malkmus quotes came when he was drunkenly rambling on stage in Austin the only time I saw them, which I think was around ’95. He started making fun of the local university’s school color, and yelled, “I mean, I wouldn’t even wipe my ass on a burnt orange towel.” It was awesome.

      In celebration of this thread, I’m going to mix a cocktail with a plastic-tipped cigar tonight.

  24. Michael Schaub

      One of my favorite Malkmus quotes came when he was drunkenly rambling on stage in Austin the only time I saw them, which I think was around ’95. He started making fun of the local university’s school color, and yelled, “I mean, I wouldn’t even wipe my ass on a burnt orange towel.” It was awesome.

      In celebration of this thread, I’m going to mix a cocktail with a plastic-tipped cigar tonight.

  25. +!O0o(o)o0O!+

      I’ve always been partial to “Slates, Slag, Etc”:

      Male slags, slags slates and tapes
      Everything’s strained by the States
      They are the grey ones of our state I relate
      Male slags….
      And slates, break hard, break hardly
      Break the slates for Christ’s sake
      Male slags…
      Male slags, knock over your drink
      Pay for correct amount spilt
      Male slags…
      Remember slates are always outta date
      In the fine light of day they have to face
      Well I can’t give a definition
      The consequences of their plagiarisation
      Male slags
      With greedy bastard scrubbed hands
      Kill jokes, join gangs
      Kill the safety in our lands
      Male slags…
      In the cold nearly old ska Jamaican dawn
      Dead publisher’s sons
      Material hardship pawns
      The Beat, Wah! Heat
      Male slags…
      (Dog bites the dicks that feeds it)
      Male slags…
      Academic male slags
      Ream off names of books and bands
      Kill cultural interest in our land
      Male slates
      With creaky pants and scrubbed hands
      Okay mates
      Let’s get onto the valley of weights
      The valley of weights is the valley
      Where they cast off the weights
      And became trite, uptight
      Deaf and bereft
      A liberty mess
      Female slates
      Make pins of your whims
      Break your balls, suck your thoughts
      Rip off bands
      With stuck up hair and new shitty pants
      New beatniks with hoop shirts
      Big priest – give us a break
      Help me to fight the slates
      Male slags….
      How would you describe the slates?
      Don’t start improvising for God’s sake
      They are the grey ones of the state I relate
      Everythings strained by the states
      The valley of weights
      Okay mates

  26. +!O0o(o)o0O!+

      OH WAIT! SORRY! That’s a song by THE FALL! My bad, yo.

  27. +!O0o(o)o0O!+

      I’ve always been partial to “Slates, Slag, Etc”:

      Male slags, slags slates and tapes
      Everything’s strained by the States
      They are the grey ones of our state I relate
      Male slags….
      And slates, break hard, break hardly
      Break the slates for Christ’s sake
      Male slags…
      Male slags, knock over your drink
      Pay for correct amount spilt
      Male slags…
      Remember slates are always outta date
      In the fine light of day they have to face
      Well I can’t give a definition
      The consequences of their plagiarisation
      Male slags
      With greedy bastard scrubbed hands
      Kill jokes, join gangs
      Kill the safety in our lands
      Male slags…
      In the cold nearly old ska Jamaican dawn
      Dead publisher’s sons
      Material hardship pawns
      The Beat, Wah! Heat
      Male slags…
      (Dog bites the dicks that feeds it)
      Male slags…
      Academic male slags
      Ream off names of books and bands
      Kill cultural interest in our land
      Male slates
      With creaky pants and scrubbed hands
      Okay mates
      Let’s get onto the valley of weights
      The valley of weights is the valley
      Where they cast off the weights
      And became trite, uptight
      Deaf and bereft
      A liberty mess
      Female slates
      Make pins of your whims
      Break your balls, suck your thoughts
      Rip off bands
      With stuck up hair and new shitty pants
      New beatniks with hoop shirts
      Big priest – give us a break
      Help me to fight the slates
      Male slags….
      How would you describe the slates?
      Don’t start improvising for God’s sake
      They are the grey ones of the state I relate
      Everythings strained by the states
      The valley of weights
      Okay mates

  28. +!O0o(o)o0O!+

      OH WAIT! SORRY! That’s a song by THE FALL! My bad, yo.

  29. +!O0o(o)o0O!+

      Regardless who wrote it, the jewel in the middle of those lyrics is this:

      Academic male slags
      Ream off names of books and bands . . .
      Kill cultural interest in our land

  30. +!O0o(o)o0O!+

      Regardless who wrote it, the jewel in the middle of those lyrics is this:

      Academic male slags
      Ream off names of books and bands . . .
      Kill cultural interest in our land

  31. Catherine

      ‘walk with your credit card in the air, swinging nachos (??) like you just don’t care’

  32. Catherine

      ‘walk with your credit card in the air, swinging nachos (??) like you just don’t care’

  33. Adam R

      Serpentine Pad:

      “Everyone knows you do
      Why won’t you admit it?
      Screw you!”

  34. Adam R

      Serpentine Pad:

      “Everyone knows you do
      Why won’t you admit it?
      Screw you!”

  35. james yeh

      heh totally

  36. james yeh

      heh totally

  37. Michael Miller

      Texas Never Whispers:

      Don’t hold your breath too long
      This tunnel is a Texas mile
      Callow teasing yellow eyes
      Bleacher dates the second prize
      Cherry pickin’ favorites
      My dash was locked
      I guess I feel fine

  38. Michael Miller

      Texas Never Whispers:

      Don’t hold your breath too long
      This tunnel is a Texas mile
      Callow teasing yellow eyes
      Bleacher dates the second prize
      Cherry pickin’ favorites
      My dash was locked
      I guess I feel fine