No. 13 Baby

Pixies

Got hair in a girl, that flows to her bones
And a comb in her pocket, if the winds get blown
Stripes on her eyes when she walks slow
But her face falls down, when she go, go, go
Black tear falling on my lazy queen
Gotta tattooed tit say number 13

Viva, don't want no blue eyes
La loma, I want brown eyes
Rica, I'm in a state, I'm in a state
I'm in a state, I'm in a state
I'm in a state, I'm in

Choir in the yard, in the house next door
Where a grandma brought, some songs from the shore
Six foot girl gonna, sweat when she dig
Stand close to the fire, when they light the pig
Standing in her chinos shirt pulled off clean
Gotta tattooed tit say number 13

Viva, don't want no blue eyes
La loma, I want brown eyes
Rica, I'm in a state, I'm in a state
I'm in a state, I'm in a state, I'm in a state

Viva, don't want no blue eyes
La loma, I want brown eyes
Rica, I'm in a state


Lyrics submitted by riffic

No. 13 Baby Lyrics as written by Charles Thompson

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

No. 13 Baby song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

41 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +10
    General CommentHere's FB on "No. 13 Baby" from NME in 1989:

    "This is a collage of images of when I was growing up in Los Angeles. Number 13 traditionally means bad luck, but in America, especially in the 60’s among bikers and chicanos, the number 13 is the thirteenth letter of the alphabet: M for marijuana.
    It’s a really goofy sub culture, but it’s kinda funny, and even today you can see it spray-painted on walls ‘The Meter Boys Number 13’. So it is about a Mexican girl or a Samoan girl, a boyish, sexual, adolescent collage of Southern California living."

    I always wondered what the whole number 13 was about.
    lactosefreemanon December 24, 2004   Link
  • +4
    General CommentHahaha, love it, So it's pretty obvious, He's got the Brown Feva! He's in a state of desiring a Hispanic girl, the "sweat when she dig, gonna lite that pig," part, is how we Hispanic cook carnitas REAL good, we dig a hole and let em steam cook. I bet NOONE got that pig part.
    BluePlaceboon July 11, 2012   Link
  • +3
    General CommentWhatever it's about, I think that this is the Pixies' greatest song, and that's saying a lot when talking about a band whose other works include "Debaser," "Hey," "Gouge Away," "Where Is My Mind?," etc. The outro alone is insane and totally hypnotic. Every time I hear it, I just want it to go on forever. The "I'm in a state" part is fantastic as well.
    HyperBullyon March 04, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General CommentIt's awesome isn't? The outro is so sublime it really makes discussion of the lyric seem superfluous. I am a longtime Pixies fan and have every album but this song remains my favourite, mainly because of the ending. One of those things that it's hard to put into words but I can see from the other comments here that I'm not the only one. The entire lyric might as well be nonsense (not saying it is, I'm just ignorant) but as far as I'm concerned the emotional content is well captured by the line "I'm in a state"
    spinozaon October 27, 2006   Link
  • +2
    General Commentthis song meant so much to me that i actually went and got " number 13" tatoo'ed on the side of my breast. no lie.
    jillferon May 24, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General CommentFrank's obsession with Latino Girl
    igotfakeidon August 09, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General CommentHmm, I agree with gilbag but I think it's about Frank's love for Polynesian or Hawaiian girls. There is imagery of a luau: "stand close to the fire when they light the pig." I think the Spanish thrown in is just typical Frank Black lyrics. I don't think it has any significance. There are many Pixies songs where Spanish or Spanish-type lyrics are thrown in without real significance. Take Debaser: Un Chien Andalusia is take from the film Un Chien Andalou, but changed and pronounced phonetically in Spanish. Also Crackity Jones: "la muneca," etc. Also some songs from Come On Pilgrim, and I'm sure that there are many more with Spanish thrown in randomly.
    doobeydoobeydudeon April 12, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General CommentIt's actually the tasty HILL, which I assume is refering to teh tit.

    I just found out that Black Francis studied Spanish in Puerto Rico...an island ("songs from the shore") which isn't really...a state...ok, my theory died.
    dragonkat72on December 19, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General CommentHell's Angels also often had "13" tattoos, or stitched on the back of their jackets. 13 = M for Marijuana. It was just a sign to other like minded people.
    mmcion April 26, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General CommentBest song they ever made. Black Francis is a legend for writing such a wicked song and that outro almost brings me to tears. Beautiful!
    Antique Toyon March 05, 2006   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top