Darlin' don't you go and cut your hair
Do you think it's gonna make him change?
"I'm just a boy with a new haircut"
And that's a pretty nice haircut
Charge it like a puzzle,
Hit me wearin' muzzles
Hesitate to die, look around, around,
The second drummer's drowned
His telephone is found

Music scene is crazy,
Bands start up each and every day
I saw another one just the other day
A special new band
I remember lying
I don't remember lies
I don't remember what

But I don't care,
I care,
I really don't care
Did you see the drummer's hair?

Advertising looks and chops a must
No big hair!
Songs mean a lot
When songs are bought
And so are you
Bitch, rant down to the practice room
Attention and fame so
Career, career, career



Lyrics submitted by TheInvisibleOne

Track duration: 03:05

"Cut Your Hair" as written by Stephen Malkmus

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing

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Cut Your Hair song meanings
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40 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:I don't think he changes the word from "career" to "Korea". I think Malkmus is trying to say chorea, which is another term for Huntington's disease. He's possibly talking about the drug-addled brains and dementia that older rock stars encounter due to drug use from pressure and fame. e.g. Ozzy Osbourne.
    Flag throwawayon December 16, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:I agree with pretty much all of the interpretations so far.

    "darlin' don't you go and cut your hair
    do you think it's gonna make him change?"

    It's basically saying to don't change for the record company, it's not they're going to change and treat you any better.
    Flag TheRandomGuyon March 12, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:CRCR is a quasi-concept album about being in a band and how the band progresses.

    Silent Kit= the band is warming up/practicing, just getting started.
    Cut Yr Hair= the band is sort of making it, dealing with corporate rock, etc.
    Range Life= band's getting bitter
    Fillmore Jive= the band is now passe and no one gets them anymore.

    Obviously not all the songs fit in to this theme, and even the songs I mentioned don't fully fit. But that's the Pavement way.
    Flag TheKnifeBusinesson October 15, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:don't get me wrong though, I think their haphazard arrangement of words and common phrases is brilliant
    Flag mauraruam5on April 23, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Pavement lyrics should not be on this site... because they have no meaning. Malkmus himself referred to them as "sublime nonsense." take them for what they're worth, what the band meant them to be.
    Flag mauraruam5on April 23, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"feeds right down to the practice room" as in "The pressure to sell records feeds down to the practice room, creating tension." Is anyone else familiar with this figure of speech?
    Flag MadLlamaRashon March 04, 2009   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:It works itself pretty clearly, but it can deeper. The person is telling other people "to keep it real" with there image. He might also fall into it something, "I don't remember lie'n" part.
    Flag trapperon February 05, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It's not 'charge' or 'judge'; he says, "Charts are like a puzzle" i.e. music charts. Other people mentioned most of the other corrections.

    Okay let me lay it out:

    Darlin' don't you go and cut your hair
    Do you think it's gonna make him change?
    I'm just a boy with a new haircut
    And that's a pretty nice haircut
    Charts are like a puzzle, hitmen wearin' muzzles
    Hesitate ya die, look around, around, the second drummer drowned
    His telephone is found

    Music scene's crazy, bands start up each and every day
    I saw another one just the other day
    A special new band
    I dont remember lying
    I don't remember a line
    I don't remember a word but I don't care, I care, I really don't care
    Did you see the drummer's hair?

    Advertiser looks and chops a must
    No big hair!!
    Songs mean a lot
    When songs are bought
    And so are you
    [This way] down to the practice room
    Pretention and fame's a career, career, career, career, Korea, Korea


    Only part I'm not quite sure of is what he's yelling right after "And so are you".
    Flag DanDieselon January 28, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:And it's 'Face right down to the practice room'
    Flag teapoton December 04, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Jut listened again, and it's definitely 'Hitmen wearin muzzles'
    Flag teapoton December 04, 2008   Link

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