Well, you mesmerize me
Stop criticizing me
You know, I'm solo that way
And I'm heading for the Cape

I'm on a raft, can't turn back
Stimulate the open chords
I'm on a raft, can't turn back

(Louder!)

You're an ocean of honey
Painfully funny, yeah
And the tears that you grow
Are coming up early

I'm on a raft, can't turn back
And you stimulate the open chords
Rats, in the bath, of the shaft

You're a Nestea splash
Sunkist two-thousand class
All the towelers of thongs
And a heavy, line, oh

Down the golden groves
All around this funky place
Damn, damn, damn
All the forty-niners


Lyrics submitted by summerbabe

Raft Lyrics as written by Stephen Malkmus

Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Raft song meanings
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4 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment

    The most obvious love song by Pavement- really underrated. I can't believe no one has commented. This should have been on an actuall album allong with Camera or something- atleast its on the extended part of Crooked, but its too good for that. I love how its so energetic with such a slow tempo (for the song type). It's obviously a love song though- the raft reffering how he's hopelessly in love with someone, every day more so- like on a raft- you keep going, "can't go back". However, the girl doesn't like him but he still likes her. The ending is saying how the rest of the town seems so plain/ boring (in comparison?) I think. Amazing

    TheGreatOzmasteron July 29, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Just thought I should mention that the last stanza there is:

    Damn the gold-diggers All around this funky place Damn, damn, damn all the forty-niners...

    Absolutely fantastic song - picked up the "Crooked Rain x2" reissue on a lark, but I'm really digging what I'm hearing so far.

    spukeesanon December 29, 2006   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning

    Great song about unrequited love. I personally wish this song was included on the regular edition of CRCR, but at least we did get it on the re-issue. One of Pavement's best bass lines also.

    Stoneyon March 16, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The love song thing is up front, but I think it's also about what it's like to have a unique artistic vision completely asymmetrical to your time, which can be very scary and alienating. This is a good song because it's a positive, adventurous spin on rejecting the world in favor of your own vision (whatever that world might be.) This could be a personal interpretation, but I'm pretty confident in it.

    normandsorton January 17, 2015   Link

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