It's a Hold Steady Type of Day, or, An Ode To Summer In Cleveland

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.

This whole town is lifeless.
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'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.

Summer grant us all the power to
drink on top of watertowers.
With love and trust and
shows all summer.
Get hammered.
Let this be my annual reminder that
we could all be something bigger.

I went to your schools.
I did my detention.
But all the walls were so grey that
I couldn't pay attention.
I read 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 his feet.
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 Saint Joe Strummer.
I think he might have been our only decent teacher.
Getting older makes it harder to remember.
We are our only saviors.

We're gonna build something this summer.