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."
Phantasies
Stephen Malkmus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We put our masks on and welcome the dawn
Call the huskies and collide into their fur
Fragrantly overcast
Don't be a bitter man, it could be worser
A slave in Belarus or a mountain in Japan
It's cold as shit, it's always that way
Whoa whoa
Love is some lovely fantasies
Whoa whoa
I got some lovely fantasies
And you got some lovely fantasies
Tear off the top of your memory,
It's running, running, running, running away
After hours fiction cools on the ice we drilled
And you told me you had a plan
Let's immigrate south to Sarasota
Where the marlin fishing never lets up 'til you want it to
White men go to pieces in the tropics
I bet that is a topic you'd rather not broach
Later on I'm gonna turn the heat to 10
I'll thaw your foolish dreams away
Whoa whoa
Love is some lovely fantasies
Whoa whoa
I got some lovely fantasies
And you got some lovely fantasies
Tear off the top of your memory,
It's running, running, running, running away
The first verse of Stephen Malkmus's "Phantasies" is an invitation to escape reality and go on an adventure to Alaska. The image of "coming rocket" implies a fast and exciting journey. However, the masks they put on suggest that this is not an ordinary trip; they may be doing something dangerous, or they could be protecting themselves from the cold. The mention of the huskies and their fur reinforces the Alaskan setting, but it also adds a sense of coziness and warmth, which contrasts with the "fragrantly overcast" weather.
The second verse critiques bitterness by offering perspective. Malkmus suggests that, no matter how bad things may seem, someone else could have it worse. Using examples from different parts of the world (Belarus and Japan), the verse argues that complaining about the cold is a privilege. However, the final line - "Sometimes it gets to 99 below" - complicates this argument, as it suggests that the extreme cold is not just a matter of perspective but also a reality that can be harsh and unforgiving.
The chorus suggests that love and fantasy are intertwined. The repetition of "Whoa whoa" creates a dreamy and romantic atmosphere. While Malkmus sings that "I got some lovely fantasies / And you got some lovely fantasies," the phrase "love is some lovely fantasies" implies that love itself is a fantasy, a construct that only exists in our heads. The final line, "Tear off the top of your memory, / It's running, running, running, running away," could be interpreted as a reminder to live in the present moment and enjoy one's fantasies while they last.
Line by Line Meaning
Wake up early and come rocket to Alaska
Get up early and quickly go to Alaska
We put our masks on and welcome the dawn
We put on our masks to protect ourselves and welcome the beginning of a new day
Call the huskies and collide into their fur
Summon the sled dogs and run into their fur while riding a sled
Fragrantly overcast
The air is cloudy and smells strongly
Don't be a bitter man, it could be worser
Don't be unhappy, things could always be worse
A slave in Belarus or a mountain in Japan
Even worse situations are being a slave in Belarus or living on a mountain in Japan
It's cold as shit, it's always that way
The weather is extremely cold and always has been
Sometimes it gets to 99 below
The temperature drops to 99 degrees below zero at times
Whoa whoa
Expressing surprise or excitement
Love is some lovely fantasies
Love involves some beautiful, imaginary situations
I got some lovely fantasies
I have some beautiful, imaginary situations in my mind
And you got some lovely fantasies
You have some beautiful, imaginary situations in your mind too
Tear off the top of your memory,
Recall distant memories from your mind
It's running, running, running, running away
Memories are fleeting and quickly disappearing
After hours fiction cools on the ice we drilled
We relax with fictional stories after a day of drilling ice
And you told me you had a plan
You said you had a plan
Let's immigrate south to Sarasota
Let's move to Sarasota in the south
Where the marlin fishing never lets up 'til you want it to
Where you can fish for marlin as much as you want
White men go to pieces in the tropics
White men tend to break down emotionally in tropical climates
I bet that is a topic you'd rather not broach
I bet that is a subject you'd rather not discuss
Later on I'm gonna turn the heat to 10
I will turn up the heat later
I'll thaw your foolish dreams away
I will dispel your foolish dreams
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: STEPHEN MALKMUS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind