Sophomore year
You rushed for an average of eight and a third yards per carry
All eyes were on you
Junior year
Blew your knee out at an out town game
Nowhere to go but down, down, down
Nothing but the ground left for you to fall to

By July
You'd made a whole bunch of brand new friends
People you used to look down on
And you'd figured out a way to make real money
Giving ends to your friends and it felt stupendous
Chrome spokes on your Japanese bike

But selling acid was a bad idea
And selling it to a cop was a worse one
And a new law said that seventeen year old's could do federal time
You were the first one

So I sing this song for you, William Stanaforth Donahue
Your grandfather rode the boat over from Ireland
But you made a bad decision or two, yeah


Lyrics submitted by springheeledCJ, edited by KingQwerty

Fall of the Star High School Running Back Lyrics as written by John Darnielle

Lyrics © PACIFIC ELECTRIC MUSIC

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Fall of the Star High School Running Back song meanings
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    General Comment

    Some other thoughts:

    "Your grandfather rode the boat over from Ireland, but you made a bad decision or two."

    This makes me think the kid's family has a history to be proud of. It probably involves Irish immigrants coming here with no money looking for The American Dream(TM).

    Generations later the family has done well. They are affluent and living in the suburbs, but the grandchildren are brats. They probably think grandpa is uneducated and kind of crazy. They are embarrassed by his weird accent. They take everything for granted and have no respect for anything.

    What happens in the song is only going to bring shame to the grandfather who has worked so hard his whole life for the family.

    j1eron March 31, 2010   Link

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