The Hold Steady - Big Cig

She says she always smoked cigarettes
Ever since she was seven
She always likes the big ones best
You get more for yr money

I know that she's gorgeous
I can't take her serious
She looks kinda ridiculous
With her Malibu 120s

Some nights she's a scientist
She pulls me into experiments
Squeezes hard and
Charts the forward progress

Some nights she's a pharmacist
She's got some pills some in her purse
One to wake you up
One if yr nervous
And I serve my purpose

Burns on her skirt and smoke in her eyes
I serve my purpose
We power down and try to socialize
I serve my purpose
She can probably find a better guy
I serve my purpose
She used to fool around with some friends of mine

That's fine
I mostly dig
Her and her big cigs

We met at a benefit
It was a pretty big opening
Her therapist says it's dangerous
The way she seeks validation

Some nights she's a magic trick
Some nights she's a sinking ship
She pokes around with a paper clip
She's the pistol at the party
Once we get started

Burns on her skirt and smoke in her eyes
I serve my purpose
We power down and try to socialize
I serve my purpose
She can probably find a better guy
I serve my purpose
She used to fool around with some friends of mine

That's fine
I mostly dig
Her and her big cigs

I'm pretty sure we both agree
We can both take some liberties
We all have our anxieties
This little tryst is hard to quit
So we just sit here and live with it

Burns on her skirt and smoke in her eyes
I serve my purpose
We power down and try to socialize
I serve my purpose
She can probably find a better guy
I serve my purpose
She used to fool around with some friends of mine

It's not love
It's not even a crush
That's fine
I mostly dig
Her and her big cig