The Hold Steady - Joke About Jamaica lyrics

They used to think it was so cute when she said Dy'er Mak'er All the boys knew it was a joke about Jamaica She'd always find a ride back home from the bar She used to feel so stupid when they'd talk about the music Born into every single tune They used to hum against her lips with their hands on her hips They used to kiss in the car Dancing days, houses of the holy Hot child in the city in the middle of the prairie Flirting with the boys with all her charms First the laugh, then the eyes Then the touch him on the arms Then the drinks, they never seemed to cost money Saturday night was a runway that extended into Sunday And sometimes Monday Back then it was beautiful The boys were sweet and musical The laser lights looked mystical Messed up still felt magical Girls didn't seem so difficult Boys didn't seem so typical It was warm and white and wonderful We were all invincible Tired eyes, trampled under foot Dazed and confused, c-c-c-c**aine blues She hasn't gotten any eye contact tonight The boys are getting younger and the bands are getting louder And the new girls are coming up like some white unopened flowers She's pretty sure that that's where their power is Back then it was unified The punks, the skins, the greaser guys Then one summer two kids died One of them was crucified Now it's so competitive The sleeplessness and sedatives I know it sounds repetitive Every show can't be a benefit We were kids in the crowd, now we're dogs in this war We were wasps with new wings, now we're bugs in the jar We were hot soft and pure, now we're scratched up in scars We were counting carbs, now we eat in our cars The boys in the band, they know they'll never be stars Back then we weren't quite convinced Flyering and stickering The front-row girls were posturing We were all imagining Man, we had some ma**ive nights Some bashes and some bloody fights Back before those two kids died