Hey citrus, hey liquor
I love it when you touch each other
Hey whiskey, hey ginger
I come to you with rigid fingers
I see Judas in the hard eyes
Of the boys who worked in the corners
I feel Jesus in the clumsiness of young and awkward lovers

Hey bar roommate tavern
I find hope in all the souls you gather
Hey citrus, hey liquor
I love it when we come together
I feel Jesus in the clumsiness of young and awkward lovers
I feel Judas in the long odds of the rackets on the corners
I feel Jesus in the tenements of honest, nervous lovers
I feel Judas in the pistols and the pagers that come with all the powders

Lost in fog and love and faith was fear
And I've had kisses that make Judas seem sincere
Lost in fog and love and faith was fear
I've had kisses that make Judas seem sincere


Lyrics submitted by Nodima, edited by kevyn999, rhysthuryn2003

Citrus Lyrics as written by Tad Kubler Craig Finn

Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.

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Citrus song meanings
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18 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    Great song, here. What starts off as a simple ode to the alcohol the speaker is drinking turns into an observation of the city around him, keeping with the religious imagery The Hold Steady follows. He sees Jesus, the best things about the world and faith and honesty in some things (young lovers) and Judas, the worst things in the world, in the violence, crime and heartache.

    Lerxson January 31, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    yeah its "lost in fog and love and faithless fear"

    kylethelionon October 30, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    "hey barroom, hey tavern"

    jagstangon April 24, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    pretty sure it's "I feel Jesus in the tenderness of honest, nervous lovers." Tenements? naah.

    gravearchon June 29, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    it's about the various feelings a person has on the journey to getting wasted. There are places like bars, taverns and dorms where people feel alright and safe. There are good feelings associated with the hook-ups one makes when getting wasted blah blah blha. Then there's the bad feelings like the anxiety of dealing with drug dealers on street corners, to whom your happiness/satisfaction is the least of their concern. perhaps more literally it can be taken as song about alcohol being more wholesome than cocaine, meth or junk.

    carlwinslowon October 03, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    don't mean to nitpick, but i hear it as: "lost in love and faithless fear."

    one of my favourite tracks off the new album, to me it's a tribute to that certain kind of drunk where you're kind of floating and observing everything. you see everything, but you're above it all. that's how i heard it, but carlwinslow's interpretation is really, really awesome and enticing.

    kemekongkaon October 06, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Tenderness, not tenements.

    I'm surprised these guys aren't huge yet. Seriously. I love this band.

    Lightbluenesson October 12, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think it has to do with people drinking away their lives. You see jesus and judas in all the areas that result from getting drunk. expanding on what kemekongqka said, you may be "floating and observing everything" from heaven, because when you get a drink in your hand your just gone.

    rossismadon November 29, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The juxtaposition of Jesus and Judas is interesting. On the surface it seemed as though Judas loved Jesus, but Judas betrays Jesus. Similarly, perhaps he is saying that drugs may seem to induce love, but it betrays it. Drugs betrays the lovers...

    Suesam7on February 12, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    In a rather large, rambling nutshell: hes drunk, hes kissing them and it means nothing. but the act of kissing is someone goes hand in hand with love or atleast attraction so the fact that he feels nothing for this person is making it an insincere act. basically saying drink/drugs makes you do stuff you wouldnt otherwise do. and i love the way he compares it to judas, so poetic.

    selfishisgorgeouson July 26, 2007   Link

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