I love the song, but everytime I hear it I wonder what the hell he is singing about.
For example, here is a snippet of what I’m talking about:
Can anyone make any sense of it?
Here is a link to the entire lyrics:
I think it’s meant to be kind of a surreal word-collage, not a story. You don’t hear stuff like this rapped very much.
Yeah you may be right. In a way the lyrics are what make the song so cool. It wouldn’t be the same if it was some lyrics about a girl or something.
Hmm maybe my follow up question should be: What the hell do you have to be smoking to write stuff like that? 
I love the lyrics to this song, and this line in particular actually gives me a pretty clear image. The Loser is stumbling around in the dark, going to shave. They reach for the shaving cream, but grab a can of mace instead, and spray it on themselves. Hilarity ensues. I don’t know of anyone that actually sprays shaving cream directly onto their face instead of their hand first, but I’m willing to overlook this detail if my interpretation is right.
I second Marley23’s assessment. Beck’s songwriting reminds me of Dylan’s in this respect.
Beck did an episode of Futurama a while back. At one point while he’s trying to help Bender write a song he says, “it’s like the lyrics to Devil’s Haircut, I- wait, what’s that song about?”
My favorite part is “beefcake panyhose”. Its just funny. [/retardation]
Driveby body pierce!
Don’t forget the “Rhyming Beck-tionary”.
It was a parody about the whole grunge scene, so go figure.
All of Beck’s lyrics are a montage of surreal imagery. It’s like Dali but for your stereo.
It’s just a collection of images of being a trailer park loser:
- Dirtiness
- Amateur automobile racing
- Stupid ambitions
- Food stamps
- Smoking
All just thrown together for a beat and some rhymes.
Isn’t this the song he wrote in a potential producer’s office in about 30 minutes to show him what he could do? No cite but I’d heard that somewhere. Point being it may have been more stream of consciousness rather than a thoughtful composition.
Go crazy with the Cheese Whiz? Beauty.
Dammit, lieu! That cheese whiz part is my favorite line, and I was literally in here for no other reason than to work that into my post somehow.
And you’ve stolen my thunder…
And I never knew he was saying “drive-by body pierce”, so that made me laugh.
My favorite part of that is the last mumbled line…
“Know what I’m sayin’?”
Man, that’s brilliant. Of course we have no damn idea but he asks anyway.