My iPod #169: Pavement - Carrot Rope

This song has been in the back of my mind since I started "My iPod". Ever since I started from 'A', the thought of doing the article for this track has been stirring in the brain. It is one of my favourites, by my other most liked band apart from They Might Be Giants. I could chat so much rubbish about it. This may be a long post.

I can remember watching the video for the first time like it was yesterday. But it was in June 2010, when my sister was preparing to come back from her first year of university. I could not be bothered to join my mum on the ride there; she went with my aunt instead. But I went onto YouTube to watch some Pavement videos, and I realised that I had never heard any other singles by the band that weren't "Cut Your Hair", "Shady Lane" and "Stereo". "Carrot Rope" appeared on the side, I clicked on it and the rest is history.

The video begins with a shot of the band in bright yellow raincoats, and then skips to the band dancing along to the song in front of blue tarpaulin. That is the whole video. But it is so enjoyable to watch them goofing off.

When watching it for the first time, I got the idea that this must have been their last single before they broke up in 1999. That is not just because Stephen Malkmus is joined by, not only Spiral Stairs, but the bassist Mark Ibold on vocals in the first verse, but the sound of the song itself gave off a real 'we've been Pavement, it has been fun' feeling. It is very heartwarming.

What is the song about? No one knows. The lyrics are quite surreal and confusing at times, but it is not to think over them so much.

"Carrot Rope" is the last song on the band's last album "Terror Twilight".

Jamie.