Letra Charlemagne in sweatpants The Hold Steady

Charlemagne in sweatpants

When he's holding then the streetlights seem an awful lot like spotlites.
sometimes charlemagne gets uptight.
running numbers between bars.
running girls between the cars.
and sometimes charlemagne feels all right.
all right.

Charlemagne had eyes like a lover.
but last winter there was weather and his eyes they iced right over.
cassanova's in the corner and he's asking for a dance.
speedshooters driving round and coming down and tryna hook up with an exit ramp.

Tramps like us and we like tramps.
charlemagne's got something in his sweatpants.


Holly was supposed to be at ccd but she was down on shady streets.
she was looking round for something she could take up to a party.
and it's not like she's enslaved.
it's more like she's enthralled.
she don't need it but she likes it.
so she always makes that call.
first it makes her feel tall then it makes her feel small and it's all a sweet fleeting feeling.
they did the "been caught stealing" into "dancing on the ceiling." and you're damn right we danced.
charlemagne's got something in his sweatpants.


Do you want me to tell it like boy meets girl and the rest is history? or do you want it like a murder mystery? i'm gonna tell it like a comeback story.
'cause we when we left we were defeated and depressed.
and when we arrived we were ripping high.
we had a gun in the glovebox.
we had some sweet stuff tucked into our socks.
we had jesus christ in all his glory.