Hype-THE BEST NEW NAMES, FIRST

Upset-DORK'S HOME FOR ALL THINGS LOUD

Festival Guides-YOUR ESSENTIAL FESTIVAL COMPANION

Hype-THE BEST NEW NAMES, FIRST

Mixtape-DORK'S BEST NEW TRACKS

Play-DORK'S NEW MUSIC FRIDAY EDIT

Upset-DORK'S HOME FOR ALL THINGS LOUD

Playlist Covers

Playlist Directory

Before Doors-LIVE SESSIONS

Music Video Directory

Down With Boring-THE DORK PODCAST

Chart Attack-UK NUMBER ONES, DISSECTED

Dork Radio

Live

Live 24/7

Dork Radio

Down With Boring

Join thousands of music lovers getting the best new tracks, exclusive interviews, and breaking news delivered straight to your inbox every week.

In print now

June 2026

Latest issue variants

Dork, June 2026 (Bleachers cover)

Bleachers

Dork, June 2026 (Myles Smith cover)

Myles Smith

Dork, June 2026 (Towa Bird cover)

Towa Bird

|

Privacy Policy|

Cookie settings

© 2026 The Bunker Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advertise on this site.

Yo La Tengo – Pencil Test (2005) | Track profile | Dork

Tracks
Yo La Tengo
Prisoners of Love (A Smattering of Scintillating Senescent Songs 1985-2003)
Pencil Test

TRACK

Pencil Test

Release date: 22nd March 2005

From Prisoners of Love (A Smattering of Scintillating Senescent Songs 1985-2003)

More on Yo La Tengo

About This Track

"Pencil Test" is a track by Yo La Tengo, from the album Prisoners of Love (A Smattering of Scintillating Senescent Songs 1985-2003), released 22nd March 2005. Full lyrics are available below.

About the Artist

Yo La Tengo

Yo La Tengo

Lyrics

Pencil Test

By the time you rejoin my side

It won't be such a thrill to see you

I'm not impressed that more or less

Everyone's just dying to meet you

Doo doo d-doo

Erasing you

Doo doo d-doo

I'm done chasing you

Lasting blast, it may not last

Are you so sure of what you're doing?

How many ways can you meet your own gaze

Before you get tired of the view?

Doo doo d-doo

Erasing you

Doo doo d-doo

I'm done chasing you

Lyrics provided by LRCLIB

View full lyrics page →

Track details

From Prisoners of Love (A Smattering of Scintillating Senescent Songs 1985-2003)

2005

Listen

Album

Prisoners of Love (A Smattering of Scintillating Senescent Songs 1985-2003)

Release year

2005

—Almost True
—Decora (Acoustic)
—Dreaming
—Tom Courtenay (Acoustic)
—Weather Shy
—Big Day Coming (Demo Version)
—Pencil Test
—Magnet
—Stay Away from Heaven
—Autumn Sweater (Kevin Shields Remix)
—Bad Politics
—Dreams

More from Yo La Tengo

Albums & EPs

By The Evening We'll Be Laughing (Live New York '92)

By The Evening We'll Be Laughing (Live New York '92)

This Stupid World

This Stupid World

Wfmu Studios, East Orange, New Jersey 4th February 1990 (Live)

Wfmu Studios, East Orange, New Jersey 4th February 1990 (Live)

There’s a Riot Going On

There’s a Riot Going On

Stuff Like That There

Stuff Like That There

Extra Painful

Fade (Deluxe Edition)

Fade (Deluxe Edition)

Popular Songs

Adventureland (The Original Score From The Motion Picture)

I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass

I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass

Explore

More tracks by Yo La Tengo

Time Fades Away

AselestineThis Stupid World

This Stupid WorldThis Stupid World

Until It HappensThis Stupid World

Apology LetterThis Stupid World

Brain CapersThis Stupid World

FalloutThis Stupid World

Miles AwayThis Stupid World

Sinatra Drive BreakdownThis Stupid World

Tonight’s EpisodeThis Stupid World

Sinatra Drive Breakdown - edit

Autumn Sweater (Bundy K. Brown, John Herndon, Douglas McCombs, and David Pajo Remix)

Autumn Sweater (μ-Ziq Remix)

There's No Goodbye Between Us

Who Has Seen the Wind?

The Summer (Live)Wfmu Studios, East Orange, New Jersey 4th February 1990 (Live)

Tried so Hard (Live)Wfmu Studios, East Orange, New Jersey 4th February 1990 (Live)

Yellow Sarong (Live)Wfmu Studios, East Orange, New Jersey 4th February 1990 (Live)

Casper the Friendly Ghost (Live)Wfmu Studios, East Orange, New Jersey 4th February 1990 (Live)

Farmer John (Don and Dewey) [Live]Wfmu Studios, East Orange, New Jersey 4th February 1990 (Live)

Interview (Live)Wfmu Studios, East Orange, New Jersey 4th February 1990 (Live)

Barnaby Hardly Working (Live)Wfmu Studios, East Orange, New Jersey 4th February 1990 (Live)

The One to Cry (Live)Wfmu Studios, East Orange, New Jersey 4th February 1990 (Live)

Oklahoma USA (Live)Wfmu Studios, East Orange, New Jersey 4th February 1990 (Live)

Griselda (Live)Wfmu Studios, East Orange, New Jersey 4th February 1990 (Live)

Emulsified (Live)Wfmu Studios, East Orange, New Jersey 4th February 1990 (Live)

Here Comes My Baby (Live)Wfmu Studios, East Orange, New Jersey 4th February 1990 (Live)

Andalucia (Live)Wfmu Studios, East Orange, New Jersey 4th February 1990 (Live)

Whispering Hope (Alice Hawthorne) [Live]Wfmu Studios, East Orange, New Jersey 4th February 1990 (Live)

Smile a Little Smile for Me

Blues Stay Away From Me

It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry

Wasn't Born to Follow

Wasn’t Born to Follow

Georgia considers the two blue ones (Thursday)

Georgia thinks it’s probably okay (Tuesday)

James gets up and watches mourning birds with Abraham (Wednesday)

Ira searches for the slide, sort of (Friday)

James and Ira demonstrate mysticism and some confusion holds (Monday)

ShortwaveThere’s a Riot Going On

Esportes CasualThere’s a Riot Going On

Above the SoundThere’s a Riot Going On

For You TooThere’s a Riot Going On

She May, She MightThere’s a Riot Going On

Dream Dream AwayThere’s a Riot Going On

Let's Do It WrongThere’s a Riot Going On

View all tracks by Yo La Tengo →

Eight Candles
Wasn't Born to Follow
Above the SoundThere’s a Riot Going On
5:41
Andalucia (Live)Wfmu Studios, East Orange, New Jersey 4th February 1990 (Live)
5:00
Apology LetterThis Stupid World
4:17
AselestineThis Stupid World
3:50
Aselestine
Autumn Sweater (Bundy K. Brown, John Herndon, Douglas McCombs, and David Pajo Remix)
Autumn Sweater (μ-Ziq Remix)
Barnaby Hardly Working (Live)Wfmu Studios, East Orange, New Jersey 4th February 1990 (Live)
4:45

Showing 10 of 50

If you like Yo La Tengo

Built to Spill

Built to Spill

Pavement

Pavement

Galaxie 500

Galaxie 500

Stereolab

Stereolab

The American Analog Set

The American Analog Set

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks

Wilco

Wilco

Guided by Voices

Guided by Voices

Sebadoh

Sebadoh

Belle and Sebastian

Belle and Sebastian

READ MORE ABOUT YO LA TENGO

READ MORE ABOUT YO LA TENGO

READ MORE ABOUT YO LA TENGO

READ MORE ABOUT YO LA TENGO

No coverage available for Yo La Tengo yet.