Cut Your Hair
Encyclopedia
"Cut Your Hair" is a song
by American
rock band Pavement
from their second album, Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
. It was written by Pavement songwriter and lead singer Stephen Malkmus
. The song snidely attacks the importance of image in the music industry. In one verse, Malkmus sarcastically recites a fictitious ad looking for a musician to join a band: "advertising looks and chops a must/ no big hair".
The song was released as a single and became the band's best-selling and most popular song. Both B-sides are included on the reissue Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain: LA's Desert Origins
. The unlisted B-side track on the 12" version of the single is an instrumental recording of "Rain Ammunition," and has never been reissued.
In May 2007, NME
magazine placed "Cut Your Hair" at number 28 in its list of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever.
Each band member has different clothes on when they go back to the bench. After their haircuts, all the band members leave the barbershop very quickly, with Ibold taking a magazine he had been looking at.
In an alternate version of the video, a black-and-white TV in the barber shop played a loop of the band acting silly in Malkmus's apartment.
, in which Butt-Head said of the video, "This is supposed to be funny".
and A Very Brady Sequel
. It is available as a downloadable track for Guitar Hero 5
.
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock band Pavement
Pavement (band)
Pavement is an American alternative rock band that formed in Stockton, California in 1989. In their career, they achieved a significant cult following, and they were called the best band of the 1990s by prominent music critics Robert Christgau and Stephen Thomas Erlewine...
from their second album, Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain is an album released by Pavement in 1994. With this album, the band abandoned the lo-fi sound displayed on Slanted and Enchanted...
. It was written by Pavement songwriter and lead singer Stephen Malkmus
Stephen Malkmus
Stephen Joseph Malkmus is an indie rock musician and icon, and a member of the band Pavement. He currently performs with Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks.-Early years:...
. The song snidely attacks the importance of image in the music industry. In one verse, Malkmus sarcastically recites a fictitious ad looking for a musician to join a band: "advertising looks and chops a must/ no big hair".
The song was released as a single and became the band's best-selling and most popular song. Both B-sides are included on the reissue Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain: LA's Desert Origins
Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain: LA's Desert Origins
Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain: LA's Desert Origins is a double album by Pavement released on October 26, 2004. It contains the band's second album, Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain in its entirety, as well as 37 of the band's other songs from that era, 25 of which were previously unreleased...
. The unlisted B-side track on the 12" version of the single is an instrumental recording of "Rain Ammunition," and has never been reissued.
In May 2007, NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
magazine placed "Cut Your Hair" at number 28 in its list of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever.
Track listing
- "Cut Your Hair"
- "Camera" (R.E.M.R.E.M.R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
cover) - "Stare"
- unlisted track (12" only)
The video
The video, released in 1994, was relatively simple, showing the band sitting on a bench at a barber shop, waiting to get their hair cut. Some strange things happen to each band member when they go and sit on the barber's chair:- Mark IboldMark IboldMark Ibold is a New York-based bass guitarist, member of the indie band Pavement from 1992 to 1999, and again as of their 2010 reunion. He is also currently in the alternative rock band Sonic Youth....
- He shakes his head to mess up his hair and then sneezes. The viewer finds out that he sneezed out a cat. He then gives it to the barber and goes back to the bench. - Scott KannbergScott KannbergScott "Spiral Stairs" Kannberg is a musician best known for being a founding member of the indie-rock band Pavement.-Career:...
- He comes up to the barber's chair dressed in a clothed gorilla suit and gets his hair cut. We then see him back in human form, and he goes back to the bench. - Bob NastanovichBob NastanovichRobert "Bob" Nastanovich is a member of the indie rock band, Pavement, as well as former member of 1990s bands Ectoslavia, and Pale Horse Riders...
- When he gets up, he trips over the table of magazines in front of the bench they are sitting on. He tries to drink something out of a flask, and then attempts to drink the barber's BarbicideBarbicideBarbicide is a translucent blue disinfectant solution manufactured by King Research. It was invented in 1947 by Maurice King and marketed heavily by his brother, James King, around the United States...
cleaning solution but the barber won't let him. - Stephen MalkmusStephen MalkmusStephen Joseph Malkmus is an indie rock musician and icon, and a member of the band Pavement. He currently performs with Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks.-Early years:...
- The barber gives him a platter, a king's scepter, a martini, and a paper crown. We see a closeup of him with a tear rolling down his cheek. - Steve West - He asks the barber to cut his hair. Just as he is about to do so, we see that West is suddenly wearing a lizard costume. The barber shakes his head, refusing to give him a haircut.
Each band member has different clothes on when they go back to the bench. After their haircuts, all the band members leave the barbershop very quickly, with Ibold taking a magazine he had been looking at.
In an alternate version of the video, a black-and-white TV in the barber shop played a loop of the band acting silly in Malkmus's apartment.
In popular culture
The video was shown on an episode of the animated series Beavis and Butt-HeadBeavis and Butt-Head
Beavis and Butt-head is an American animated television series created by Mike Judge. The series originated from Frog Baseball, a 1992 short film by Judge. After seeing the short, MTV signed Judge to develop the concept. Beavis and Butt-head originally aired from March 8, 1993 to November 28, 1997...
, in which Butt-Head said of the video, "This is supposed to be funny".
Soundtrack appearances
"Cut Your Hair" was featured on the soundtrack to Jackass: Number TwoJackass: Number Two
Jackass Number Two is a 2006 American comedy film. It is the sequel to Jackass: The Movie , both based upon the MTV series Jackass. Like its predecessor and the original TV show, the film is a compilation of stunts, pranks and skits...
and A Very Brady Sequel
A Very Brady Sequel
A Very Brady Sequel is a 1996 comedy film and sequel to 1995’s The Brady Bunch Movie. Both films are parodies-homages of the classic 1969–1974 television sitcom The Brady Bunch. The film was directed by Arlene Sanford and stars Shelley Long and Gary Cole as Carol and Mike Brady. The film was a box...
. It is available as a downloadable track for Guitar Hero 5
Guitar Hero 5
Guitar Hero 5 is a music video game and the fifth main entry in the Guitar Hero series. The game was developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane and Activision, and released internationally in September 2009 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, 3 and Wii consoles...
.