Pavement - Silence Kit Lyrics






Silent kid, no one to remind you
You've got no hip, no reels to remind you
Silent kid, don't take your pawnshop home on the road, goddamn you
Silent kid, don't lose your graceful tone

This is the city life
This is the city life
Oh come on, let's talk about leaving

Come on now, talk about your family
Your sister's cursed, your father's all but damned you
Silent kid, don't listen to your grandmother's advice about Ezra
Silent kid, don't listen to them

Hand me the drumstick, snare kick, blues call upon I knew myself in
Into the spotlight, ecstasy feels so warm inside
Until five hours later, I'm chewing
Screwing myself with my hand





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Pavement Silence Kit Comments
  1. S.... L....

    forever <3

  2. F.... N....

    exactly a minute in, gives me chills everytime.

  3. W.... H....

    Blatant rip of Buddy Holly's "Everyday"

    W.... H....

    I'd say it' less of a blatant ripoff and more of a borrowed vocal melody.

  4. r.... ....

    definitely my favorite pavement song. fking awesome and really fun to play on guitar.

  5. A.... N....

    Thanks for the cowbell

  6. S.... C....

    Silence kid or silence kit? Great band!!!

  7. c.... ....

    Hey guys don't buy nestle products, they're currently rerouting water from a village in pakistan unless they buy nestle products, not to mention all the other awful shit they've done in the past. Fuck nestle.

  8. L.... ....

    It's actually called "Silence Tit". It's about a depressed pair of sentient tiddies that never talk to anyone.

  9. d.... ....

    silent kit
    its a gettin closer, moving faster than a roller coaster
    if only.....

  10. M.... L....

    1:07 - 1:17 is quite like Buddy Hollys Everyday

  11. J.... ....

    Reminds me of "Everyday" by Buddy Holly.

  12. K.... O....

    WESTING is the best album

  13. c.... #....

    Still listening 2018...

  14. b.... ....

    This is the city liiiiiiiiiiiiiiifeeeeeeee...

  15. A.... P....

    Hey heads up we all know it sounds like everyday isn't it crazy how sometimes bands sample other songs to tastefully make a statement

  16. A.... R....

    My favorite 90s album of them all.

  17. R.... G....

    #G0_TRP

  18. R.... G....

    i write everything
    i own m3
    and you?

  19. K.... E....

    Geez, what haven’t I listened to Pavement in forever?...... so good, I know what I’ll be listening to the rest of the summer

  20. M.... M....

    Silent Kid

  21. M.... S....

    Sorry to inform you, but this is their greatest song.

  22. m.... M....

    "I do not own anything." Yet you monetize it?? Scuz

  23. J.... C....

    Id rather listen to Women

  24. A.... B....

    Slanted and Enchanted and this album might be the most difficult comparisons when it comes to which is better....kinda leaning towards S&E....but this is still a damn fine album!

    A.... B....

    Update- Now I am unsure which I like better both classic albums that everyone should listen too if they are music lovers (conflicted)

  25. d.... 1....

    this is actually about wanting to turn kik notifications off but he doesn't know how because it's 1994

  26. B.... W....

    "Into the spotlight, ecstasy feels so warm inside,
    Until five hours later, I'm chewing,
    Screwing myself with my hand."

  27. c.... ....

    This is not silent kit, it's "kid." Wtf is a silent kit? I was there for the original release, must have been some stupid typo. Definitely it was silent kid. Excellent tune...

    c.... ....

    On the original back cover it was silence kit

    c.... ....

    My friend told me about this. Something about a splodge on the original album cover. It's both kid and kit

    c.... ....

    M P 👍 yes

    c.... ....

    seansho yes, SM loves his double entendre lyrics

    c.... ....

    By that logic, "wtf" is crooked rain?

  28. b.... m....

    I saw them tour this and slanted and enchanted. Great times

    b.... m....

    Got to catch Terror Twilight tour in Philly.

  29. f.... p....

    opening riff
    and the guitar says "what? ...huh?
    oh!..song ...song"

  30. D.... A....

    This song is actually called Silence Kid. It was misprinted as Silence Kit and thr name stuck on the reissues. It's about Stephen Malkmus singing to himelf as a kid, as he would be silent in thr car listening to his father play Buddy Holly on the radio. That's why this song has the tune of Everyday.

  31. T.... T....

    You only get the full effect of this song when you listen to it followed by "Elevate Me Later" and then "Stop Breathin.'" Together these tracks are about feeling lonely and isolated because your family is screwed up and your city sucks and you can't relate to society in general, and the only way you can find solace is in music, but even that doesn't make it better all of the time. It was the mid-90s, and that was how it was for you and your 1 or 2 best friends as well. But then "Cut You Hair" would come on and its all-out zaniness would make you feel a little better.

    T.... T....

    You mean, if you were high?

    T.... T....

    I love everything about this album

    T.... T....

    Explains why I had to hear this again...daddy issues. 😂

    T.... T....

    @piccoli carini so right

  32. A.... O....

    From the opening riff, he's got us hooked, and, Stephen, we'll rattle by your rush. :)

  33. D.... B....

    10 people are lost souls

  34. T.... M....

    new favorite song

  35. L.... D....

    dude, fabulous irony, taking the corny rollercoaster song and making it a consoling anthem to a depressed suburban youth who represents like, a zillion people in middle class america

  36. h.... ....

    >silence kiT
    REEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

    h.... ....

    If you have the cd, it appears to say silence kit. although the lyrics say otherwise.

  37. G.... S....

    "Every day is 'a gettin' closer. Goin' faster than a rollercoaster...." Just sayin'.

    G.... S....

    Definitely a lift of that melody. Nothing that hasn't been done many times before.

    G.... S....

    100% love these guys and everything they do. It's just my job to call it when I hear it.

    G.... S....

    I could see it being intentional

  38. L.... C....

    Such an underrated Pavement song

    L.... C....

    + Lauren...Aren't they all :)

  39. C.... G....

    best ever

  40. A.... B....

    00:19 to 00:38 is my favorite pavement moment ever.

    A.... B....

    Nice Cowbell. Woohoo!!! No sarcasm. Love it. Nice 20 second selection Andrew-you'll go far.

    A.... B....

    Andrew Burr underwhelming tbh

  41. d.... d....

    Buddy Holly all the way

  42. d.... d....

    "I do not own anything" ...love it
    Long live Pavement

  43. W.... C....

    kit.. the black car davey hastle-hoff drove in knight rider.

    maybe the car is an artistic version of a kid kinda like small wonder or alf.

  44. K.... K....

    Good album.

  45. w.... ....

    Actual name: silence KidThe verse melody might sound a bit like buddy holly's everyday, but that s where the comparisons end. Everything else is pavement

    w.... ....

    +wreyoG the track name is "silence kit"...

    w.... ....

    +PeteosRD Nope, it's mistaken for that because the "d" in Kid was initially hidden under an inset of the first record pressing and Pavement, being Pavement, were too lazy to change it; while later vinyl pressings would correct this, for unknown reasons the CD bears the original vinyl track listing. The actual song is "Silence Kid," which also makes a good deal more sense in regards to the rest of the lyrics.

    w.... ....

    Ahh the mid 90s can't replace these epic moments . thanks Pavement

  46. m.... ....

    That intro is perfect. Gives me the chills

  47. B.... 7....

    smashing pumpkins are still better...   remember there fued back in the day

    B.... 7....

    @cancer ㅤ
    Was trying to be a little nice but you're right.

    B.... 7....

    @BROOKS 74 The difference being that Pavement's entire discography is perfect while over half of the stuff The Pumpkins made was utter shit.

    B.... 7....

    +TheOfficialAkatsuki Pumpkins stole "1979" from Sometime Sweet Susan's song "Point"

    B.... 7....

    Nah... they fell off after 2 albums ... Pavements every album is perfect.

  48. T.... ....

    The theory that this was largely about their fired drummer Gary Young is an intriguing  one...

    T.... ....

    Headstands and cabbage

  49. 1.... ....

    Anyone else hear Buddy Holly?

    1.... ....

    +Duskworker I think it is, they have quite a bit of old rock influence throughout their discography. Buddy Holly is actually pretty interesting because he was one of the first singer songwriters. I have a bunch of early demos recorded in his apartment.

    1.... ....

    The Weezer song?😂

    1.... ....

    Elvis Costello did they ever release those demo's?

    1.... ....

    just search for the apartment tapes. theyre widely available

    1.... ....

    What's with these homies dissing my girl?!

  50. P.... ....

    Yeah. There was an inkblotch on the print of the original setlist on the album artwork. They just decided to keep it because, well, Pavement.

  51. F.... C....

    If it's driving you nuts, the tune is to "Everyday" by Buddy Holly

    F.... C....

    But it's not though, so....

    F.... C....

    Yeah, it actually totally is. Different key, but the verse is exactly the same progression.

    F.... C....

    The intro is also very similar to All Right Now by Free

    F.... C....

    @Chris Clark it's not exactly the same progression, "Everyday" is I-IV-V, whereas the verses in Silence Kit are just I-IV for the main part (and I-V-vi-IV7 for the ends of verses). BUT, the point still stands, it's absolutely an intentional quote of the Crickets song

    F.... C....

    I mean you can fight it all you want but it is a buddy holy rip soooo

  52. c.... ....

    Yeah, this is Silent Kid.  I had the original CD...

    c.... ....

    crv110 l love this

  53. c.... ....

    The genius of this song could only be understood as it is the 1st song on the 2nd album, and the 1st album happens to be one of the greatest ever. Therefore, there is a lot of symbolism and in that context, with the enormous weight of Slanted and Enchanted hanging over it like Damocles' sword, this may be the greatest song ever.

  54. t.... ....

    when i was in new york at the time it was mr. pavement that took over please i had headphones and i bought thm for 3$ at the subway i listened to pavement on tape for like the next 5 months

  55. d.... p....

    What is it Stephen says at the beginning? Is it "What's up Scott?"

  56. N.... ....

    It's called Silence Kid. A future reference to youtube viewers.

    N.... ....

    Neph it's called silence kit

  57. A.... W....

    I heard he wanted to call it noise kit but he lost all his instruments

  58. N.... ....

    I hate how Pavement took music so seriously.

  59. C.... ....

    It's Science Kit

  60. t.... ....

    No no, it's actually called "silent fit", a song about a kid with laryngitis struggling to express himself to his friends who assume he is playing charades.

  61. d.... ....

    Its actually called silent clit, written about Billy Corgans stoic vagina.

  62. E.... W....

    its really called science kid. its about a juvenile goat that is fascinated with organic chemistry.

  63. S.... d....

    The song is actually called "Silent Shit". Stephen wrote this song when he got back from a girls house after a hell of a party. He crashed at her place and had to shit in the middle of the night. He had to take a really "Silent Shit" because he didn't want to wake the girl.

  64. D.... S....

    if you peel back the paper the hands are holding in the picture you will find a roll of duct tape. this is your silent kit,apply to mouth and ears as needed

  65. I.... ....

    This comment section is a mind fuck.

  66. O.... P....

    It's silent kid. check wikipedia

  67. h.... ....

    It's silent kiss, written about malkmus' 4 year torrid love affair with hellen keller

  68. p.... ....

    You're all wrong, it's actually "Silence Kip", written for Stephen's uncle Kip (on his mother's side) with multiple personality disorder.

    p.... ....

    Kip Winger?

  69. T.... ....

    The song IS called Silence Kid.

  70. T.... ....

    it's silence kid.

  71. J.... G....

    yeah and the lyrics sound like it would be kid too. like it would fit, you know?

  72. J.... ....

    Because it is. They are intentionally using the melody

  73. Z.... ....

    Also, in the reissue he talks of the song as being 'Silence Kid'.

  74. C.... ....

    Reminds me of beavis and butthead...

  75. h.... ....

    oh...im sorry lord

  76. i.... ....

    god didn't die.. im still alive

  77. h.... ....

    Wow I didn't know god died and made you the king of the universe, he may or may not own anything depending on his interpretation of the word "own", however more importantly you have no say on whether something is profound or poetic that's just silly to think that you have such omnipotent judgement

  78. m.... o....

    hippocritical tipster

  79. i.... ....

    So? He never called it a metaphor, he called it poetry.

  80. t.... ....

    Every metaphor is a lie.

  81. c.... ....

    It may have been a long time . . . but it is silence KID. Due to an ink splodge on the back of the original artwork, the song "Silence Kid" has become erroneously known as "Silence Kit". This misnomer persisted when designer Mark Ohe printed it onto the back of the re-issue Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain. :)

  82. 0.... ....

    This and "Feel" are pretty similar openers if that's what you were getting at.

  83. T.... C....

    a masterpiece from pavement, don't matter how many times I've listen this song, i can't never be bored.

  84. f.... y....

    Typical hipster.

  85. R.... ....

    It's pretty crazy how you know this is gonna be a brilliant album just 1:08 into it when Malkmus sings that note.

  86. s.... ....

    @DylanBarrett23 it actually is both. Pavement is just screwing with us.

  87. D.... B....

    @MajorRagtime It actually is "Silence Kid", malkmus' hand-written lyrics clarify. pavement kicks ass!

  88. o.... ....

    am i the only one who thinks this has big star written all over it?

  89. A.... B....

    I love this song so much. Im glad to say I was born 95, and my taste in music has not gone mainstream...

  90. A.... R....

    Melody during the verses sounds like a looser, sloppier take on Buddy Holly's "Everyday"

  91. h.... ....

    But they still listed it on the back of the L.A. Desert origins album as silence kit just as a running joke. Cos the ink blodge on the back of the original crooked rain, crooked rain CD made it look like silence kit. End of argument

  92. h.... ....

    It's definately silence kid. Look in the L.A. Desert origins album booklet. Clear for all to see on the Stephen Malkmus original track notes in there.

  93. S.... ....

    @TheRunningamuck I think it actually is supposed to be "Silence Kid" but because of the blotch on the original printing, people started calling it "Silence Kit." Then they printed it as "Silence Kit" on the reissue as kind of a joke

  94. A.... B....

    I like to think that the recording is called "Silence Kit," but the song itself is called "Silence Kid."

  95. J.... ....

    poetry is when it's a bit confusing but then you realise that's because it had more meaning than you thought it did.

  96. s.... ....

    @kingny17 you're a hipster

  97. A.... B....

    need mo cowbell??

  98. p.... ....

    @TheMudski I think you´re right, though. Just because people can´t think beyond their own economy, doesn´t make your statement false.
    Take Indians ( Native Americans) for example: They thought the world and everything on it belonged to the gods of nature and they were just 'borrowing' it to stay alive, they didn't own anything and were migrating to keep the lands from being 'used up'. That is also why Europeans have 'bought' the lands so cheaply, they were claiming their 'ownership'. :)

  99. i.... ....

    @TheMudski
    No it doesn't make any sense. Nice try though.