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I Hope This Whole Thing Didn't Frighten You Lyrics
I heard the Cityscape Skins are kind of kicking it again
heard they finally got some discipline
running up the score and stocking up
like its World War IV
I heard that some are getting sprung
and some are back in
you know it's always back and forth
and most of them are dead and some of them
don't even live here anymore
So when I brought you back here for Christmas
I didnt think we would see them
I guess I shouldve explained
(Chorus)
There was a side of this city I didnt want you to see
Theres just these guys that I know we go back pretty deep
and I hope this whole thing didnt frighten you
there were times that it terrified me
I know what they said, I dont know if its true
I hope this whole thing didnt frighten you
They're building a bunker down by the river
someone said thats where theye been getting together
theyve got masks for the gas
theyre sleeping in bulletproof vests
I guess shepard came out of St Cloud with a little ideology
its a different way of thinking, man
a view to the future
Jesus, this might be a mess
For me it was mostly the music
a crew to go to the shows with
I guess I should've explained
(Chorus)
They never care if it's true
as long as they got something to prove
and they always got something to prove
and they run from the dudes
and they cranked up the tunes
I can tell this whole thing kind of frightened you
(Chorus)
I saw you look at their shoes
I saw you look at their teeth
I can tell this whole thing kind of frightened you
saw you tappin your arm like
you wanted to cruise
I can tell this whole thing kind of frightened you
heard they finally got some discipline
running up the score and stocking up
like its World War IV
I heard that some are getting sprung
and some are back in
you know it's always back and forth
and most of them are dead and some of them
don't even live here anymore
I didnt think we would see them
I guess I shouldve explained
There was a side of this city I didnt want you to see
Theres just these guys that I know we go back pretty deep
and I hope this whole thing didnt frighten you
there were times that it terrified me
I know what they said, I dont know if its true
I hope this whole thing didnt frighten you
someone said thats where theye been getting together
theyve got masks for the gas
theyre sleeping in bulletproof vests
I guess shepard came out of St Cloud with a little ideology
its a different way of thinking, man
a view to the future
Jesus, this might be a mess
a crew to go to the shows with
I guess I should've explained
as long as they got something to prove
and they always got something to prove
and they cranked up the tunes
I can tell this whole thing kind of frightened you
I saw you look at their shoes
I saw you look at their teeth
I can tell this whole thing kind of frightened you
saw you tappin your arm like
you wanted to cruise
I can tell this whole thing kind of frightened you
Song Info
Submitted by
stiggler23 On Feb 02, 2014
More The Hold Steady
Stuck Between Stations
You Can Make Him Like You
First Night
Citrus
Chillout Tent
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Lyrics are rough but I think most of them are correct.
As far as the song goes, sounds like a guy taking his girlfriend back to his old stomping grounds and running into his old gang, the Cityscape Skins which have made appearances in other Hold Steady songs. They're starting to cause trouble again and he didn't think they would still be around. No idea who the "he" could be though. Possibly Gideon since he was part of the gang?
I love that these lyrics are already up here. Can't wait for the new album.
I love that these lyrics are already up here. Can't wait for the new album.
yeah i think the narrator being gideon makes a lot of sense. there's always this sense that gideon was never a full cityscape skin, he just had the tattoos, or at least it was all in the past for him; same here where he's justifying it by saying they were just a crew to go to shows with.
what i'm wondering is whether this establishes a link between the skins and the camps down by the banks of the river? except it's a bunker? red herring? i never read the two as especially connected before.
mostly i like the awkwardness of the transition from the verses, which are totally standard craig finn half-talking-half-singing riffing on whatever and spitting nonsequiturs, to the choruses which are pretty full-on stadium rock. it's a pretty perfect combination and i'm now realizing the faux-stadium verses on (e.g.) parts of Heaven is Whenever are part of why i don't listen to that album much.
I think this song is a continuation of Ask Her For Adderall