The Hold Steady

Barely Breathing

You should have seen them just after midnight
when they were down on their luck and
still high from the street fight.
Talking like it wasn't really much of a big thing.
To be out on the tiles and barely breathing.

We were barely breathing.
Showing up at shows like you care about the scene still.
Where were you when the blood spilled?
They almost killed me.

It got pretty sketchy.
We tried to push forward.
Now we're pointing at the scoreboard.
And it feels so amazing.
And the crowd's going crazy.

Summer 88 was all heat and intensity.
I saw the Youth of Today at the 7th Street Entry.
There were skins in the pit.
And some of them tried to kill me.

Same club next summer.
Now they're called Shelter.
After the show I spoke with the singer.
And he tried to hand me a packet about Hare Krishna.

I said you've got to be kidding.
Who the hell is the blue guy?
But then he said something special using only his eyes.
The kids are all distracted.
No one wins at violent shows.
The kids are a distraction.
No one wins at violent shows.