The Hold Steady

Constructive Summer

The Hold Steady


Me and my friends 
are like the drums 
on "Lust for Life" 
We pound it out 
on floor toms 
Our psalms 
are sing-along songs 

And this whole town 
is like this 
Been that way 
our whole lives 
Just work at the mill 
until you die 
Work at the mill, 
and then you die 

We're gonna build something, 
this summer 
We're gonna build something, 
this summer 
We'll put it back together
raise up a giant ladder 
With love, and trust, 
and friends, and hammers 
(This summer!) 
We're gonna lean 
this ladder up 
against the water tower 
Climb up to the top, 
and drink and talk 
(This summer!) 

Me and my friends are like 
"Double-whiskey-coke-no-ice." 
We drink along in double time; 
might drink too much, 
but we feel fine 
We're gonna build something, 
this summer. 
Gonna build something, 
this summer. 

This summer, 
grant us all the power 
to drink on top 
of water towers, 
With love, 
and trust, and shows, 
all summer 
(Get hammered!) 
Let this be 
my annual reminder 
that we can all 
be something bigger 

I went to your schools, 
I did my detention 
But the walls are so gray, 
I couldn't pay attention 
I heard your gospel it 
moved me to tears, 
But I couldn't find the hate, 
and I couldn't find the fear 
I met your Savior, 
I knelt at his feet, 
And he took my ten bucks, 
and he went down the street 
I tried to believe 
all the things that you said, 
But my friends that aren't dying 
are already dead. 

Raise a toast 
to St. Joe Strummer 
I think he might've been 
our only decent teacher 
Getting older makes it harder 
to remember
we are our only saviors 
We're gonna build something, 
this summer