Pueblo
Pavement Lyrics


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One trial down in Spanos County
Ladies always turn up to watch them fall
And the hands they bind you
They bind you like you want to be broken
But the land is comin', babe
It's coming up golden
Gold and silver streaks
When you hit them
You can't buy sand
In the gross land
Don't say what to make 'em feel

They got take it off my wrists
Jacob you move up my wrists
Jacob you move, when you move
You don't move, you don't move

Alright, I want a cigarette
All those trials and things they try to do




While wondering over why we're insane
Damn land, ho, won't you?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Pavement's "Pueblo" carry a sense of melancholy and resignation, as they describe life in Spanos County, where trials are frequent and women come to watch their men fall. The hands that bind the singer are depicted as desirable, something he wants, implying that he is ready to accept his fate. However, amidst this bleakness, there is a glimmer of hope in the form of the "golden" land that is "coming up," imbuing the scene with a sense of possibility and renewal. The chorus of the song consists of the singer's commands to Jacob, a character whose significance is not fully explained, to move up his wrists, followed by an increasingly desperate plea for a cigarette. The final lines express a sense of frustration and confusion, as the singer wonders why people are insane and longs for land to claim as his own.


Overall, "Pueblo" is a song that explores themes of loss, suffering, and the search for meaning in a harsh and indifferent world. The imagery of the land, both in its desolate and potentially fruitful forms, serves as a powerful symbol of the singer's hopes and fears, representing both the obstacles he faces and the ultimate prize he longs to attain.


Line by Line Meaning

One trial down in Spanos County
The first attempt is over and done with in Spanos County


Ladies always turn up to watch them fall
Women are always present to watch their failure


And the hands they bind you
They restrain you with suffocating power


They bind you like you want to be broken
You're tied up as if you're willing to be shattered


But the land is comin', babe
The land is on its way, my dear


It's coming up golden
It's rising up with treasures of gold


Gold and silver streaks
Lines of shimmering gold and silver


When you hit them
When you confront your obstacles


You can't buy sand
Money can't purchase sand


In the gross land
In this vast and mundane landscape


Don't say what to make 'em feel
Don't tell them what they want to hear


They got take it off my wrists
They need to release me from my binds


Jacob you move up my wrists
The name Jacob symbolizes someone who deceives


Jacob you move...when you move
Jacob only acts when he can deceive


You don't move!
You don't act!


Alright I want a cigarette
I am craving a cigarette now


All those trials and things they try to do
All of those challenges and attempts they make


While wondering over why we're insane
We question why we're driven to insanity


Damn land ho(?), won't you?
An unclear reference to a land spellbound with riches?




Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Stephen Joseph Malkmus

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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