Got To Give It Up

Song by The Hold Steady 

 There are nights when I think Sal Paradise was right. 
 Boys and Girls in America have such a sad time together. 
 Sucking off each other at the demonstrations 
 Making sure their makeup's straight 
 Crushing one another with colossal expectations. 
 Dependent, undisciplined, and sleeping late. 

 She was a really cool kisser and she wasn't all that strict of a Christian. 
 She was a damn good dancer but she wasn't all that great of a girlfriend. 
 She likes the warm feeling but she's tired of all the dehydration. 
 Most nights are crystal clear 
 But tonight it's like it's stuck between stations 
 On the radio. 

 The devil and John Berryman 
 Took a walk together. 
 They ended up on Washington 
 Talking to the river. 
 He said “I've surrounded myself with doctors 
  
 And deep thinkers. 
 But big heads with soft bodies 
 Make for lousy lovers.” 
 There was that night that we thought John Berryman could fly. 
 But he didn't 
 So he died. 
 She said “You're pretty good with words 
 But words won't save your life.” 
 And they didn't. 
 So he died. 

 He was drunk and exhausted but he was critically acclaimed and respected. 
 He loved the Golden Gophers but he hated all the drawn out winters. 
 He likes the warm feeling but he's tired of all the dehydration 
 Most nights were kind of fuzzy 
 But that last night he had total retention. 

 These Twin Cities kisses 
 Sound like clicks and hisses. 
 We all tumbled down and 
 Drowned in the Mississippi River. 

 We drink 
 We dry up 
 Then we crumble to dust