In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
How can I make my body shed for you?
How can I make my body shed
Around your metal scars
Loretta's scars
From now on I can see the slums
Makes me nervous, makes me run
How can I make my body shed
Around your metal scars
Loretta's scars
From now on I can see the slums
Makes me nervous, makes me run
Lyrics submitted by pinkglove, edited by Methusalah, Jate, cutlunch, electrorocket
Loretta's Scars Lyrics as written by Stephen Joseph Malkmus Scott Kannberg
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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^ my comment from 6 months ago was not very helpful, so I'll try it again.
This song is about caring for someone so intensely that they want not only to comfort, but to take "Loretta's" pain and make it their own. Her emotional scars are so deep that healing is difficult, maybe even impossible. But even though her problems cause anxiety, "from now on I can see the sun" suggests that they have seen her anguish and can never unsee it, or forget how much it affected them. Loretta's scars become a thing of beauty, because they're hers. Despite the nervous fear, and no matter how tumultuous things become, they will never stop trying to shed themselves to heal Loretta's scars.
This has been my favorite Pavement song since high school.
How can I, how can I, how can I make my body shed for you?
= much love
@artslut What a brilliant interpretation of this track's lyrics! So beatifully expressed. Thank you.
I think this is a sweet-confused-sad song about a girl named Loretta who's had lots of problems in her life. Metal scars=unhealable. He's trying to figure out how to comfort her without losing too much of himself. Already the sun "makes me anxious makes me run"...he's getting sort of scared by her stories already.
What can I say, Pavement write the best drinking songs for the over-educated and under-motivated. Well, besides the Fall. Anyway, everybody knows a girl like this, you wish there was something you could do, but you just can't. Maybe it'll work out for her somehow in the end.
^ wow that's so weird... brings out the whole college theme of S+E again, ... this song is so huge, bastard must of cum'd his pants the second he wrote this bitch, I don't know how he became a master of melodies, but I want to know how..
Beautiful song, perhaps my favorite on S+E.
I think it's the description of a drug trip.
seriously?
this song is tops!!! i think that the part about 'From now on I can see the sun Makes me nervous, makes me run' is about how he has just found out how intense this girls problems are, its getting him worried but i don't think he wants to give up on her but doesn't know any other way?
I think it's actually just about how painful it might be to screw a girl with piercings ("How can I, how can I how can I, make my body shed around your metal scars?")
loretta scars is the name of a porn star.
is SM a w**ker then? I'd hate to think so because i like his music, but i hate the thought of porn. maybe then this song has much less meaning than most people here are saying.
acorm88, I agree with everything you said. Well done.
This is one of the most listened to song on my iTunes. It's infectious, and after reading some of the meanings on here, I find it to be a sad song.