You Are a Light
Pavement Lyrics
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The way you pissed inside
The brain file technology drives
Show me you dots now.
Who was it that said the world
Was mainly all divorces and spare change?
Let's lethalize our slingshots
And swallow propane
The calm in the day
You are the liiiight
The calm in the day
Senior year abroad I ripped
The pea out of the pod
In store for three months
Of exile in spain
Where was the danger?
Watch out for the gypsy children
In electric dresses
They're insane
I hear they live in crematoriums
and smoke your remains
You are the liiiight
The calm in the day
You are the liiiight
The calm in the day
I drive a stick
Gotta love it
Automatic
Oh everybody's gotta ride in something
High life, lived, comatosed him!
Bring it on in
I hope it arrives by monday
Dry ice, skid, button the strippers and ??????
I have to die on sunday!
I rake in, laundry-matt spenders, and ??????
Who rolls with the isolater
Gotta roll cause i am the isolater
The lyrics to Pavement's song "You Are a Light" are characteristic of the band's signature non-sequitur style. The song consists of disjointed and seemingly unrelated phrases, as if the words were strung together on a whim. However, beneath the apparent randomness, there are some themes that seem to emerge. The opening lines of the song suggest a lack of trust and a rejection of technology, as the singer is "tangled in the midst of all the trust" and references the "brain file technology" driving them. The subsequent lines evoke a sense of restlessness and a desire for excitement, as the singer talks about "lethalizing slingshots" and "swallowing propane."
The second verse introduces the idea of danger, as the singer warns to "watch out for the gypsy children in electric dresses," who are apparently insane and live in crematoriums. This allusion to death and the macabre is balanced by the song's chorus, which describes the subject of the singer's admiration as "the light" and "the calm in the day." The final verse features more seemingly unrelated phrases, including a reference to a stick shift, an allusion to drug use with "dry ice," and a mention of strippers. Through it all, the singer seems to be searching for something elusive, perhaps a sense of purpose or meaning in their life.
Overall, the song can be interpreted as a reflection on the contradictions and paradoxes of modern life. The juxtaposition of seemingly dissonant images and ideas suggests a struggle to reconcile the chaos and disorder of the world with a desire for stability and order. The subject of the singer's admiration may represent a beacon of hope or a metaphorical anchor amid the confusion and uncertainty of the world around them.
Line by Line Meaning
Tangled in the midst of all the trust
Lost in a web of trust issues and uncertainty
The way you pissed inside
The hurtful impact of your actions
The brain file technology drives
The overwhelming influence of technology on our minds
Show me your dots now
Reveal your true intentions and motives
Who was it that said the world
Questioning a cynical world view
Was mainly all divorces and spare change?
Rejecting a bleak interpretation of life
Let's lethalize our slingshots
Using a symbol of childhood to invoke rebellion
And swallow propane
Engaging in dangerous, destructive behavior
You are the liiiight
A message of hope and positivity
The calm in the day
A soothing presence amidst chaos
Senior year abroad I ripped
Telling a personal story of self-discovery
The pea out of the pod
Breaking free from conformity and tradition
In store for three months
Anticipating a transformative experience
Of exile in Spain
A metaphor for stepping out of one's familiar surroundings and comfort zone
Where was the danger?
Expressing disappointment at not finding excitement or adventure
Watch out for the gypsy children
An ominous warning of the unknown dangers that lurk everywhere
In electric dresses
Describing the unfamiliar and bizarre
They're insane
Implying that those who are different are crazy
I hear they live in crematoriums
Spreading a false, sensational rumor
and smoke your remains
Exaggerating the perceived danger
I drive a stick
Bringing up a trivial detail about oneself
Gotta love it
Emphasizing a sense of enjoyment or enthusiasm
Automatic
Describing a different kind of car transmission
Oh everybody's gotta ride in something
Bemoaning the necessity of transportation
High life, lived, comatosed him!
Critiquing the emptiness and excess of a certain lifestyle
Bring it on in
Issuing a call to action
I hope it arrives by monday
Expressing a mundane desire or wish
Dry ice, skid, button the strippers and ??????
Using absurd imagery and nonsensical language
I have to die on sunday!
Making a dark, fatalistic statement
I rake in, laundry-mat spenders, and ??????
Continuing the sense of randomness and nonsense
Who rolls with the isolater
Describing someone who isolates themselves from others
Gotta roll cause I am the isolater
Embracing a sense of isolation as a personality trait
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
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