The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady
A song about fame, and the relative distance between the super-famous and the semi-famous. “Star 18” is a reference to old phone service codes (think *69 for last call return) and possibly also to young fame (Mariel Hemingway, mentioned in the song, is best-known for starring in Woody Allen’s Manha...
[Verse 1]
I know we made plans to meet in Spokane
But the way I make plans, you gotta take it with a grain of salt
Got jammed in Alabama and I was trying to get all of it resolved
I'm sure it seems like it's a perfect fit
But trust me, man, 'cause I've been up in it
And at dawn I had to crawl back home through the quicksilver sprawl
To tell the truth, if I were you, I'd rather sleep over than telecommute
'Cause when you're in the same room
I think we make a much better connection
[Chorus 1]
Hemingway at Cafe Select
Donna Summer in the discotheque
Once you get good, you can get it wherever you are
Sloppy city in the upper deck
Trippin' hard on the self-neglect
Now let me hold the money, 'cause he wants you to wait in the car
[Verse 2]
Sorry I'm late, I got caught in a mosh
With this dude who said he used to play with Peter Tosh
But he never brought it up again once I said, man, I don't believe you
And I looked over this great expanse
And I saw some kid pissin' on his parachute pants
And in one split second I figured out that he was one of your crew
The amphetamines did what the amphetamines do
And she was chewing through her cheek at the National Zoo
And the dress she was wearing made a nice case for natural selection
[Chorus 2]
So hold Steady at the Comfort Inn
Mick Jagger's at the Mandarin
Once you get good, you can get it wherever you are
Notify the next of kin
Mariel Hemingway with perfect skin
And some creep with a camera who said he's gonna make you a star
You gotta wait in the car
[Bridge]
Once upon a time I had a meeting with a man in a mansion
He pulled a few strings just to demonstrate how it's all connected
[Chorus 3]
Disseminating from a central source
Hemingway on the Ketchum porch
Once you get good, you can get it wherever you are
So hit me back when it's back in style
Star 18 on the rotary dial
And let me hold the money 'cause he wants you to wait in the car
You gotta wait in the car
Star 18 was written by Craig Finn & Tad Kubler & Bobby Drake & Galen Polivka & Steve Selvidge & Franz Nicolay.
Star 18 was produced by Josh Kaufman.
The Hold Steady released Star 18 on Tue Jul 17 2018.