Kentucky Cocktail
Pavement Lyrics


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Thought i could walk
Through any door.
Any door left unlocked.
Turnstiles click, passengers leave.
Clerks never think, feet never bleed!

Over the stalls, pacers pace.
Lasix's love can't be traced.
I've got a system, I've got the line.
I'm on the inside, right every time!





(Schnake!)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Pavement's song Kentucky Cocktail seem to convey a sense of confidence and invincibility that the singer feels while navigating his way through life. He starts off by saying he thought he could walk through any door as though he had complete control over his own destiny. He mentions turnstiles clicking and passengers leaving, possibly hinting at the passage of time and how people may come and go throughout his life, but he remains steadfast. The line "Clerks never think, feet never bleed" could imply that the singer thinks that his way of life is easy and that he doesn't have to work hard or struggle like others do.


The next verse is more obscure but suggests that the singer is talking about horse racing. The line "Over the stalls, pacers pace" and "Lasix's love can't be traced" are references to horse racing tracks and the use of a drug called Lasix to reduce bleeding in horses. The singer then talks about having a system and a line, which implies that he has a method for picking winning horses in races. He further claims to be on the inside and right every time, which could mean that he has a privileged position and always comes out on top in his personal and/or professional life. The sudden "Schnake!" at the end could be a random exclamation or a reference to snakes, which could represent danger or something unexpected.


Line by Line Meaning

Thought i could walk
Believed I have the ability to navigate my way.


Through any door.
I have confidence in myself to access any opportunity presented to me.


Any door left unlocked.
I'm optimistic about encountering easy and potentially rewarding situations.


Turnstiles click, passengers leave.
I've found myself in public transport, with others coming and going.


Clerks never think, feet never bleed!
I believe the staff and equipment at my disposal are reliable and well-kept, allowing for smooth and safe experiences.


Over the stalls, pacers pace.
I observe the horses and their progress on the track.


Lasix's love can't be traced.
The drug used on horses, Lasix, cannot be easily detected or proven as a performance-enhancing drug.


I've got a system, I've got the line.
I have a modus operandi or strategy that I believe will lead to success.


I'm on the inside, right every time!
I feel confident in my positioning, and believe I will be successful with each race.


(Schnake!)
This could be an exclamation or reaction to something sudden or unexpected, adding to the overall tone of the song and the persona of the artist.




Contributed by Austin W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

ClarkNova420

Can't believe I'm just now discovering this song.

Christopher Hamlet

This is Pavement playing in an episode of Happy Days.

justsaynoNWO

Why haven't I ever heard this song

Evocati

Baaaaaawk!!!!

Alberto Rigotti

Thesupergreat

ghostpony

nobody in the pixies can shred like SM. not even close.

Stephen Esseenyne

I promised myself to give a like if anyone mentions The Pixies and, well, you know? 😊

Peter Sun

Well malkmus had the special advantage of the NZ distortion pedal, which at least to me makes all the difference between the two in terms of the kinds of distortion he could coax out of his axe. Pixies are great band though, I have to admit as much as well, just slightly different approaches with similar outcomes.

D Thomas

that's funny

Sean M

pretty sure they can... just sayin'

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