Best Friends Arm
Pavement Lyrics


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? ? ? liar
(I can see, I can see, I can see, I can see)
? ? ? ? ah come on, let's go
(I can see, I can see, I can see, I can see)

Yeah baby I've lost ? ? ?

? ?
(I can see, I can see, I can see, I can see)
Everybody looks like
(I can see, I can see, I can see, I can see)
When you lay that down with an eight-eight track, everybody laughs
But they don't know what you're sayin'
(I can see, I can see, I can see, I can see)
? ? ? I guess if not...
(I can see, I can see, I can see, I can see)





Keep it under your best friend's arms [x9]
Keep it under

Overall Meaning

your best friend's arms [x9]


Pavement's song, Best Friends Arm, appears to be a rather cryptic ode to personal secrets being kept under proverbial lock and key, as suggested by the repeated refrain, "Keep it under your best friend's arms." The lyrics hint at the theme of hidden secrets as the persona laments the loss of something, possibly trust or connection, while jokingly referencing an "eight-eight track" that nobody understands. The use of the phrase "I can see" seems to suggest a heightened level of awareness or insight, giving the singer a sense of clarity regarding the context of personal secrets and how they affect relationships.


The song title 'Best Friends Arm' is a play on words, almost as if the singer is saying it's better to keep your secrets close to your chest rather than having your best friend's arm tied behind their back. The idea behind the song could be that people depend on having someone in their lives who they can confide in and have complete trust - this could be a reference to a romantic partner or a close friend. The repetition of "I can see" could also signify someone who's insightful and sees through the façade of others, where the lack of trust could be due to their sense of perception.


Line by Line Meaning

??? liar
Someone is being called out for being a liar, but it's not clear who exactly.


(I can see, I can see, I can see, I can see)
This seems to be a repeating refrain that doesn't have a clear meaning on its own.


??? ah come on, let's go
Someone is urging someone else to come along quickly, but it's not clear where they're going.


Yeah baby I've lost ???
The artist has lost something or someone, but it's not clear what or who it is.


(I can see, I can see, I can see, I can see)
This refrain repeats again, without further clarification.


Everybody looks like
The singer is observing that everyone around them appears a certain way, but we don't know what way that is yet.


(I can see, I can see, I can see, I can see)
Another repetition of the refrain.


When you lay that down with an eight-eight track, everybody laughs
If someone puts down a certain kind of music, everyone laughs at it.


But they don't know what you're sayin'
The people laughing at the music don't actually understand what the lyrics of the song mean.


(I can see, I can see, I can see, I can see)
Repetition of the refrain again.


??? I guess if not...
There's something someone could do, but it's not clear what and it's also not clear what the consequences might be.


(I can see, I can see, I can see, I can see)
Another round of the repetitive refrain.


Keep it under your best friend's arms [x9]
Something needs to be kept hidden and safe, and the singer suggests keeping it under a trusted friend's protection.




Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: STEPHEN MALKMUS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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