Summer Babe (Winter Version)

most of the objects that don't seem to make sense together are just metaphors, obviously

"Ice baby, I saw your girlfriend and she was eating her fingers like they're just another meal"

talking to his friend, saying the friend and the friend's girlfriend aren't getting on too well. eating your fingers like they're just another meal means chewing your fingernails, symbolizing that she in nervous.

"but she waits there in the levee washes mixin' cocktails with a plastic-tipped cigar"

so she's drinking her sorrows away while the relationship isn't working

"My eyes stick to all the shiny roses you wear on the protein delta strip in an abandoned house but i will wait there i'll be waiting forever... i'll wait and wait and wait..."

the "you" here is different from inital you of course because SM's friend doesn't wear dresses. but anyway, means that SM thinks some girl looks good and keeps trying to meet her but is either too nervous or she ignores him.

"Minerals, ice deposits daily, dropped off the first shiny robe"

everyday SM visits her or tries to meet her but she's very unpredictable

"i've got a lot of things i want to sell, but not here, babe-- tortuuurreeee..."

you've have to be a charismatic person to sell things to people, but he feels twitchy and nervous around her

"every time i sit around i find i'm shot"

every time SM isn't working on getting his relationship up with this girl he feels dead and purposeless

"you're my summer babe"

his summer is entirely him trying to get with this girl. the summer babe isn't his summer romance, she is his summer. (you're my summer, babe)

hope that makes sense

Song about a guy who want's his friend's ex but can't have her because she doesn't know he's even alive. He sees her in a bar, beeing all cool and stirring her drink with some cheep stogie. And when he sees her she's like ice; no expression, just a vapid, stoney exterior. The shiny roses are probably a neckalce around her neck between her breasts. Hence the protien delta strip. But she's a fucking idiot and doesn't have much in her head, there's your abandoned house. But he's hopeful in the possibility that she might notice him and his infatuation with her. He wants to approach her but he lacks the will or the ability. And she's just so cold towards any advance. She's give him the warm fuzzies (summr babe) but she's so cold towards him (winter version.) And when he sits around obsessing over her, he's love struck and heart broken. Everytime he sits around he finds he's shot (through the heart).

i think some of you are looking a bit too deep. not that stephen malkmus isn't a genius or anything, but i don't think you should be reading it word for word analyzing ever f**king syllable. The meaning is plain and simple: steverino has a girlfriend during the summer...she breaks up with him after. there ya go. please dont yell at me

An alternative I've heard is that a good part of this is hinting about female masturbation. That doesn't mean this is the correct interpretation, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was a second meaning to whatever is being suggested above. See for yourself.

The first pavement song i ever listen. Someone lost in the early 90ies a MC in my car. I never found out who lost it but afterwards i and all my mates became Pavement-addicted. Mysterious as this songs. ;)

For me it is about male and female masturbation and about the relationship towards people who (partial) have sexuals dreams of (each) the other.

The first lines definitely describe the female mastubation:

• eating her fingers like there is no other meal (can't stopp using fingers)
• she waits there (have some experience)
• levee washes (Levee was a redlight destrict in Chicago next to a river)
• mixing cocktails (cock!, cocktail as emotional and vaginal fluid)
• plastic-tipped cigar (a vibrator or dildo)

The second part describes the relation ship and view of the story teller:

• shiny roses on protein delta strip (pubic hair, first time exitement)
• abandoned house (there is no finger or cigar in this house, so there is no more female masturbation)
• i'll be waiting forever...(maybe he is unexperienced, unable to cheat his friend, Ice Baby, or its just his dream)

The third strophe adresses to his masturbation:

• Minerals, ice deposits daily, dropped off (it is sperm, ice is the color, dropped off with laugh)
• the first shiny robe (means his male pubic hair)
• i've got a lot of things i want to sell, but (he is ready)
• not here, babe-- tortuuurreeee...(but just in this dream, and therefore torture)

This is where Low fi Indie rock was born! Instant classic.

but what does this song mean?

Better yet, what's up with the (winter version) bit? :)

Great song. I'm guessing this song is just random things that you think about when you're missing someone.

I thought it was a girl he was dating in the summer, but then she dumped him, and now it's winter...huntmstr's explanation makes sense too, though.