Malkmus knew fellow Pavement songwriter Scott Kannberg (aka Spiral Stairs), of the Preston School of Industry, since childhood in Stockton, California. Malkmus attended the University of Virginia, where his father is also an alumnus. While at UVA, he also met Bob Nastanovich, another member of Pavement.
Malkmus currently resides in Portland, Oregon with his partner, artist Jessica Jackson Hutchins. In 2005, Hutchins gave birth to the couple's first child, a daughter named Lottie.
In 2008 Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks released the album, Real Emotional Trash — the group’s first album with new drummer Janet Weiss from Sleater-Kinney. In 2020, Stephen released Traditional Techniques. Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine described the album as "an amiably trippy and decisively mellow psych-folk adventure."
Dark Wave
Stephen Malkmus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
you turned into a fuselage
you took a right on the new highway
and did a waltz on his jelly laze
rising rising
when your pictures is American icons rising rising
run to the riches and you tear up your shell ronde creatures
and day-glo kids with your riders on top too riding riding
you fantasize about the page
a two-horse carriage garage
take the reins down the new highway
a culvert down to the ducks and drakes
rising rising
looking mighty fake with your ? tailbone
flizing flizing
soon you’ll go to this killing time
blondie creature
multiple gear with his eyes all around you
rying rying
if you’re like me it’s not too late
The opening lines of Stephen Malkmus’s song, "Dark Wave," suggest violence, and an act of aggression towards a "him." The second line of the verse reads "you turned into a fuselage," which suggests that "you" are in fact an airplane that has undergone a transformation. The lyrics suggest that "you" have fed "his bod" a metal rod which has contributed to the transformation into an airplane.
Malkmus introduces imagery of American icons, and a new highway that leads to riches, as well as day-glo kids with riders on top. The symbol of the airplane appears to be linked to the pursuit of wealth and status. It's as if Malkmus is saying that the desire for success can cause people to transform into machines—rather than beings with feelings and emotions. The song is cryptic and doesn't necessarily have a clear narrative, but it provides interesting images and associations that provoke questions.
Overall, "Dark Wave" is a song that explores the dangers of losing one's humanity in order to pursue wealth and success.
Line by Line Meaning
you fed his bod a metal rod
You inserted a metal rod into his body forcefully.
you turned into a fuselage
You transformed into a long, slender aircraft body.
you took a right on the new highway
You chose to travel on the new path.
and did a waltz on his jelly laze
You danced gracefully on his soft, gelatinous body.
rising rising
You are ascending higher and higher.
when your pictures is American icons rising rising
Your images depict American icons also rising higher.
run to the riches and you tear up your shell ronde creatures
You race towards wealth and destroy the creatures in your way.
and day-glo kids with your riders on top too riding riding
Brightly colored children with your followers riding on top are also riding.
if you’re like me it’s not too late
It's still possible for you to relate to me and make changes.
you fantasize about the page
You dream about turning the page and starting anew.
a two-horse carriage garage
A place to store your carriage with two horses.
take the reins down the new highway
Take control of your journey on this new path.
a culvert down to the ducks and drakes
A pathway leading down to the ducks and drakes.
rising rising
You are still ascending higher and higher.
looking mighty fake with your ? tailbone
You appear shallow and insincere with your decorative tailbone.
flizing flizing
You are moving about quickly and aimlessly.
soon you’ll go to this killing time
You will soon face a period of intense difficulty.
blondie creature
A blonde creature.
multiple gear with his eyes all around you
A being with multiple gears and eyes is surrounding you.
rying rying
Suffering and crying.
if you’re like me it’s not too late
It is still possible to relate to me and make changes.
Contributed by Mackenzie O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Wallace Gaspar
Bons tempos da MTV
Mazzo Artattoo
faz mais de 10 anos que procuro esse clipe hohohohohoh GOD!
Simone Silva Gomes
Mazzo manson lembro q a uns seis anos atrás eu fiquei buscando daí encontrei kkkkk nem sabia o nome da música ou banda,só pensava no clipe que tinha umas tatoos se mexendo
lima jr
Procurei por quinze anos .
Mohamed Habchi
I love so much this song 🙏 ❤️😘✨
Metal Iommi
I've been searching for this clip for so long! thanks for the upload!
takeittothemall
Fantastic concept for a music video.
takeittothemall
I'm a little tempted to get that tattoo of Malkmus as a sailor.
Will Santos
tchu,tchu,tchu... rsrsrs Musiquinha Show! demorei mas encontrei.
Marcos Vinicius Da Rosa
Eu tb