Zurich is stained

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I have always wondered what the Pavement song 'Zurich is stained' from the album 'Slanted Enchanted' is about.

I think it might be about a gig that went badly while touring in Switzerland. But, it occured to me that the song might be saying something deeper about how Zurich as the banking capital of Switzerland is tainted by Nazi collusion, Jewish gold, etc.

It is definitely one of my favourite songs of theirs and I would be interested to know if anyone has read anthing by the band on this subject.

― T-Bone, Friday, 21 March 2003 00:06 (twenty-three years ago)

It is the Pavement song I get stuck in my head the most...I walk around singing "I am not on-half of the problem". It's not the best of theirs even on that album, tho.

I have no idea what it's about.

― Fivvy (Fivvy), Friday, 21 March 2003 00:12 (twenty-three years ago)

Analyzing Pavement songs for their meaning is like looking for the duck in a Jackson Pollack painting.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Friday, 21 March 2003 05:38 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh, I think Pavement songs have meaning. Some strike me as quite topical underneath all the knowingness.

Yay for lyric interpretation threads. I'll have one coming soon.

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Friday, 21 March 2003 05:45 (twenty-three years ago)

Funny, I've never wondered what any Pavement songs mean. In fact, it's just this second occurred to me that I'm a huge fan of various bands (Pavement, Sonic Youth, Radiohead) whose lyrics undergo extensive & exhaustive fanalysis but whose lyrics I never really pay any attention to at all. I'm sure I'm missing out here (cf Radiohead) but still, I love 'em anyway.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Friday, 21 March 2003 06:08 (twenty-three years ago)

Well, I think both SY and Radiohead do have meaning. And so does Pavement, sure, but it's usually so intentionally oblique as to neither invite nor reward literal analysis. Don't get me wrong, I love parsing lyrics, but if it's obviously only going to lead to, "Well, it kinda sounds like hes saying THIS!" then it's mostly pointless.

Just let the art wash over you. :)

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Friday, 21 March 2003 06:13 (twenty-three years ago)

Isn't Zurich well known for being very clean? In which case it's just a figure of speech. As I hear it, it's a song about being pointlessly blamed for something you don't control. Not sure where you read the nazi business.

― Kris (aqueduct), Friday, 21 March 2003 06:14 (twenty-three years ago)

zuriche = bad heroin problem in the early 90s (still today?) I think I remember around that time sm saying that was part of where the song came from. also, IIRC he said something about this (or so stark) referencing growing tensions in the band.

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 21 March 2003 06:31 (twenty-three years ago)

It is the Pavement song I get stuck in my head the most...I walk around singing "I am not on-half of the problem".

I sing that line all the time as well! Though I sing "I am not one half of the problem"...

― willem (willem), Friday, 21 March 2003 09:21 (twenty-three years ago)

I thought this was a thread relating to the borbeto alb ('zurich')

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Friday, 21 March 2003 09:23 (twenty-three years ago)

I remember analyzing the lyrics and coming to the conclusion they were about some trip to Zurich Malkmus took when he was in senior year of high school...

I forget why though.

― David Allen, Friday, 21 March 2003 12:52 (twenty-three years ago)

twelve years pass...

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CGgGxItWoAAqvQh.png

― Οὖτις, Tuesday, 2 June 2015 15:36 (eleven years ago)

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