Small Stakes
Spoon Lyrics


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Small stakes
Give you the blues
But you don't feel taken
Don't think you've been used

'Cause it's alright Friday night to Sunday
It feels alright keeps your mind on the page
Oh yeah small stakes ensure you the minimum blues
But you don't feel taken and you don't feel abused
Small stakes tell you that there's nothing can do
Can't think big, can't think past one or two and alright!
Yeah alright!

Me and my friends
Sell ourselves
Short but feel
Very well

We feel fine
Aw we feel fine

And small time danger in your midsize car
I don't dig the stripes but I'll go for har mar
The big innovation on the minimum wage
Is lines up your nose but your life on the page so c'mon
Tell me I'm wrong

Small stakes
Will kill me
When you're stuck
In back of the line

It feels alright Friday night to Sunday
Aw it feels alright keeps your mind on the page

And small stakes bring you where you're caught in a rut
You feel so uptight you just want to throw it all up




And small stakes leave you with the minimum blues
Can't think big, can't think past one or two so c'mon

Overall Meaning

Spoon's Small Stakes is a song about being content with just the bare minimum and not trying to take risks or pursue anything more significant. The lyrics explore the idea that small stakes won't necessarily make you feel taken advantage of or used, but they can kill you when you're stuck in the back of the line. The song talks about how it's alright to just stick to the minimum and maintain a monotonous life instead of trying to achieve grander things.


The opening lines of the song, "Small stakes give you the blues, but you don't feel taken, don't think you've been used" set the tone for the rest of the song. It's acknowledging that settling for less might not feel great, but it's not necessarily a bad thing. The song continues with the lines "Me and my friends sell ourselves short but feel very well, we feel fine, we feel fine." This highlights the idea that it's not just the singer who is content with small stakes, but it's a part of their friend group's ideology as well.


The chorus of the song, "It feels alright Friday night to Sunday, it feels alright keeps your mind on the page," emphasizes that sticking to small stakes allows them to maintain a certain level of comfort throughout the weekend. It's about being content with just getting by and not needing more to feel satisfied. However, the song ends on a different note, with the lyrics "small stakes leave you with the minimum blues, can't think big, can't think past one or two" reminding us that this mentality doesn't come without consequences.


Overall, Small Stakes is a reflection on the benefits and drawbacks of living life with minimal risks and low expectations. It questions whether it's better to take a chance and potentially fail or to live a safe, predictable life.


Line by Line Meaning

Small stakes
Low risk or small investments


Give you the blues
Cause sadness or depression


But you don't feel taken
Don't feel exploited


Don't think you've been used
Don't believe you've been taken advantage of


'Cause it's alright Friday night to Sunday
Weekend is a respite from worries


It feels alright keeps your mind on the page
Keeps you focused on the present


Oh yeah small stakes ensure you the minimum blues
Low risk investments cause less stress


But you don't feel taken and you don't feel abused
You feel comfortable, not exploited


Small stakes tell you that there's nothing can do
You have very limited options or opportunities


Can't think big, can't think past one or two and alright!
Small stakes limit your visions or goals


Me and my friends
Informal group of people


Sell ourselves
Undervalue or underestimate ourselves


Short but feel
Undervalued but content


Very well
Satisfied with limitations


We feel fine
Content with low expectations


And small time danger in your midsize car
Minor risk in everyday circumstances


I don't dig the stripes but I'll go for har mar
Personal preference for variety or uniqueness


The big innovation on the minimum wage
Mundane details of a low-paying job


Is lines up your nose but your life on the page so c'mon
Prioritizing drug use over long-term goals


Tell me I'm wrong
Challenge me if you disagree


Small stakes will kill me
Limited opportunities can be suffocating over time


When you're stuck in back of the line
When you have no opportunities to move ahead


And small stakes bring you where you're caught in a rut
Underestimating yourself leads you nowhere


You feel so uptight you just want to throw it all up
Overwhelmed with limited options


And small stakes leave you with the minimum blues
Low risk investments cause less stress


Can't think big, can't think past one or two so c'mon
Small stakes limit your visions or goals




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DANIEL BRITT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@jpegwithallthecrust2649

It's always nice to randomly get some Spoon in your subscription feed at 10 in the morning

@temple13

My very first Spoon concert they opened with this song. I was baked. Amazing show, They are the best live band. SPOON!!

@mithileshpatil7639

Listening to this at 10:30 pm just before sleeping is just satisfying 💯

@AnEarfulTV

This album got me through some tough times. Who's with me?

@chibuye92

I've been getting back into Spoon lately and couldn't be more happier with this. They're amazing, they always get it right

@HughMorristheJoker

Greatest tambourine performance I've heard 👏

@austinf.243

YES. More Spoon.

@lesleyannenewsted7545

What a fun window into the studio! Thanks for sharing! ❤️
(And on a side note, Britt hunched over the keyboard on the floor made me immediately think of Schroeder. 😅)

@ElectricBloom7

Me too! I’ve got a postcard with Schroeder on my night stand and was like “yep, can’t see a difference!”

@WiloPolis03

Year late but it makes me think of the evolution image where the final guy is hunched over a computer

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