Every time I see you in the world
You always step to my girl

Back, back, way back, I used to front like Angkor Wat
Mechanicsburg, Anchorage and Dar es Salaam
While home in New York was champagne and disco
Tapes from L.A. slash San Francisco
But actually Oakland and not Alameda
Your girl was in Berkeley with her Communist reader
Mine was entombed within boombox and Walkman
I was a hoarder, but girl, that was back then

The gloves are off
The wisdom teeth are out
What you on about?
I feel it in my bones
I feel it in my bones
I'm stronger now
I'm ready for the house
Such a modest mouse
I can't do it alone
I can't do it alone

Every time I see you in the world
You always step to my girl

Ancestors told me that their girl was better
She's richer than Croesus, she's tougher than leather
I just ignored all the tales of her past life
Stale conversation deserves but a bread knife
And punks who would laugh when they saw us together
Well, they didn't know how to dress for the weather
I can still see them there, huddled on Astor
Snow falling slow to the sound of the master

The gloves are off
The wisdom teeth are out
What you on about?
I feel it in my bones
I feel it in my bones
I'm stronger now
I'm ready for the house
Such a modest mouse
I can't do it alone
I can't do it alone

Wisdom's a gift, but you'd trade it for youth
Age is an honor, it's still not the truth
We saw the stars when they hid from the world
You cursed the sun when it stepped to your girl
Maybe she's gone and I can't resurrect her
The truth is she doesn't need me to protect her
We know the true death, the true way of all flesh
Everyone's dyin', but girl, you're not old yet

Gloves are off
The wisdom teeth are out
What you on about?
I feel it in my bones
I feel it in my bones
I'm stronger now
I'm ready for the house
Such a modest mouse
I can't do it alone
I can't do it alone
Gloves are off
The wisdom teeth are out
What you on about?
I feel it in my bones
I feel it in my bones
I'm stronger now
I'm ready for the house
Such a modest mouse
I can't do it alone
I can't do it alone

Every time I see you in the world
You always step to my girl


Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings, edited by hoopdadoop, menano, dqgirl

Step Lyrics as written by Ezra Koenig David A. Gates

Lyrics © DAVID GATES D/B/A KIPAHULU MUSIC

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Step song meanings
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  • +3
    My Interpretation

    For me, the 'girl' in the song is New York City. Different parts of the song touch on the ways people relate to the city--belonging to it, making competitive claims of ownership etc.

    harleywinkon April 25, 2013   Link

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