Joke About Jamaica - The Hold Steady

They used to think it was so cute when she said D’Yer 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-cocaine 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 massive nights

Some bashes and some bloody fights

Back before those two kids died