No Tan Lines
Pavement Lyrics


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Deviances anticipated
Triple-X or at least R-rated
San Tropez the middle of May
There's no tan lines tonight
No tan lines tonight,
But trench it
Rev it
It's time to shit
Spit in the sauna
Will be come close
With you, aww yeah

Princess with a cold killer instinct
Winked at me from across the ice rink
Leather uppers soft for the spins
But she gives it away without a rest
Language barrier in the motherland
Language barrier in the Pathan grain
Yeah, aww yeah
You will be my candy striper
Junior Leaguer
Bedpan wiper




Convalescent enema essence
I live to be gray, I live to be gray!

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of the song “No Tan Lines” sets up the mood as one of hedonism, indicating the anticipation of indulging in sexual or sensual pleasures, with a hint of deviance. The reference to San Tropez in the middle of May sets up the location as a luxurious and exotic holiday destination, perhaps with the promise of sexual adventures to be had. The chorus “There's no tan lines tonight” further emphasizes the carefree attitude towards sexuality and nudism.


The subsequent lines in the verse describe an encounter with a woman, whom the singer describes as a “Princess with a cold killer instinct”, indicating that she is someone who is powerful, assertive and knows what she wants. The language barrier in the motherland and the Pathan grain suggests the possibility of the singer encountering different cultures and languages while travelling. The lines “You will be my candy striper, Junior Leaguer, Bedpan wiper, Convalescent enema essence” seem to be a role-play or fantasy, with the singer imagining himself as a senior person in a hospital or care-giving institution, while the woman becomes his subordinate who will take care of his needs. The final line “I live to be gray” may signify the singer's acceptance of a boring and uneventful life, as an opposite to the excitement of the moments he has just experienced.


Line by Line Meaning

Deviances anticipated
I expect us to be doing some improper things


Triple-X or at least R-rated
Our activities will be at the level of inappropriate content


San Tropez the middle of May
We'll be in San Tropez in the middle of May


There's no tan lines tonight
We will have zero visible tan lines tonight


No tan lines tonight,
Absolutely no signs of a sunburn on my body tonight,


But trench it
Let's go all out together


Rev it
Speed up the process of what we're doing


It's time to shit
It's time to get things done now


Spit in the sauna
Let's have a steamy session together


Will be come close
we will get physically closer


With you, aww yeah
Being with you is highly pleasing


Princess with a cold killer instinct
A lady with an apathetic cold heart but highly attractive


Winked at me from across the ice rink
She caught my attention by winking from the other side of the ice rink


Leather uppers soft for the spins
Her ice skating boots are made of leather and are comfortable for spins


But she gives it away without a rest
She reveals a lot of herself without hesitation


Language barrier in the motherland
Communication problems in our birth country


Language barrier in the Pathan grain
Language is another hurdle to overcome in our relationship even in Pathan grain


Yeah, aww yeah
Yes, absolutely fascinating indeed


You will be my candy striper
I want you to be my nurse in distress


Junior Leaguer
Perfect Junior Leaguer lady (perfect wife in society and business)


Bedpan wiper
Someone willing to take care of the sickest in the world


Convalescent enema essence
I want to feel cared for in moments of intensified vulnerability


I live to be gray, I live to be gray!
I aspire to continue a simple, conflict-free, and colorless existence




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

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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