Just Stay Lyrics

Lyric discussion by splitintwo 

Cover art for Just Stay lyrics by Kevin Devine

the album version is:

"I found my fickle friend out in the alley way He said, You don't look so good. I said, Hey doc, that's great. You started practicing? I never got the note. So let's shake and trade and be on our way. Let's go, go, go.

So here we are again, inside your neon shrine, sharing a chopping block beneath embarassed light that tries to hide from us it tucks itself away. So we both grab hold and say no you don't. Just stay, just stay.

The morning's hot and harsh, my notebook fills itself. The words come thick with sweat, it feels like someone else is writing all of this, someone I just can't believe. when I mop my brow, set my pen back down, it's still me, still me.

And I'm grabbing at a feeling now that I can't ever name. Some sign post to remind me how I wanted things this way.

And she says, 'it's pretty but you hate yourself, I can hear it clear as day.' And I say, 'when i sing like this, it sounds worse than it is. I'm okay, okay. I'm okay, okay. Just stay, just stay.'

the first verse is a drug deal second verse they're doing the drugs the third is the next next day he feels beside himself and not himself as he writes of the past night(s) 4th verse he plays the song for a girl and she thinks hes depressed but really he wants his life that way

The "just stay just stay" in the first verse references to the feeling that he enjoys when he is on the drugs he bought (possibly coke because of the chopping block). Once the feeling fades he feels even better around the girl. He wants her to stay. Sadly, the feeling he gets around her may last just as short a time as the high he wanted to remain. Especially if she looks at him as hating himself...

i agree with both of you :)

but to be more specific:

first verse, he refers to his friend/dealer as being a doctor, which is ironic. he's being sarcastic by asking 'you started practicing? i never got the note' like, his dealer should be the last person to comment on his condition and the way he's living his life. but his friend supplies him with drugs, and then kevin self medicates with said drugs, trying to find something that will last and maybe balance his brain.

So here we are again, inside your neon shrine, (neon shrine= tripping/rolling/drug room. usually painted...