Keasby Nights
Catch 22 Lyrics

It was the summer of '95 (so what?!)
Narrator sets the scene, establishing a dismissive attitude, as this point in their life has little significance to the story to unfold.

In the backyard, shaving the old plies.
Narrator was doing a mundane task, harmless but not without risk.

Feeling so strong (strong!), something went wrong (wrong!)
Narrator expresses confidence and self-assurance that soon becomes shaken by a mishap.

Straight into my finger, what a stinger, it was so long.
Narrator accidentally hurt themselves and felt the consequences acutely.

I still remember that day, like the day that I said that I swear, I'll never hurt myself again, but it seems that I'm deemed to be wrong, to be wrong, to be wrong.
Narrator recalls an earlier promise to themselves after a similar incident, but despite their intentions, they experience setbacks and make mistakes.

Gotta keep holding on... they always played a slow song.
Narrator resolves to persevere despite setbacks, but comparison to a slow song implies a looming sense of dread or foreboding.

When they come for me, I'll be sitting at my desk, with a gun in my hand, wearing a bulletproof vest, singing "my, my, my, how the time does fly, when you know you're gonna die by the end of the night."
Narrator envisions a future confrontation, where they are prepared to defend themselves against anticipated threats, and paradoxically expresses the fast passage of time in a dire moment.

I still remember when we were young and fragile then. No one gave a shit about us because times were tougher then.
Narrator recalls their own and/or their community's vulnerable past and describes a challenging environment.

Feeling so good (good!), cruising the hood (hood!), straight into the real world, rich kids never understood.
Narrator relishes a sense of freedom and empowerment in their reality, in contrast to the insulated and privileged surroundings of others.

But I don't care. I can fade away to anywhere. Don't stop because you might get dropped! and if you do, who's going to pick you up? Well I won't.
Narrator asserts their individuality and self-sufficiency, rejecting social pressures or expectations that might hold them back.

When they come for me, I'll be sitting at my desk, with a gun in my hand, wearing a bulletproof vest, singing "my, my, my, how the time does fly, when you know you're gonna die by the end of the night."
Narrator reiterates their earlier vision of a dangerous yet imminent future, perhaps almost taunting any possible opponents.

When they come for me, I'll be sitting at my desk, with a gun in my hand, wearing a bulletproof vest. My, my, my, how the time does fly, when you know you're gonna die by the end of the night.
Repeated chorus underscores the inevitability of a tense situation and the rapid pace of events leading up to it.

When they come for me, I'll be sitting at my desk, with a gun in my hand, wearing a bulletproof vest. My, my, my, how the time does fly, when you know you're gonna die by the end of the night.
Repeated chorus underscores the inevitability of a tense situation and the rapid pace of events leading up to it.

When they come for me, I'll be sitting at my desk, with a gun in my hand, wearing a bulletproof vest. My, my, my, how the time does fly, when you know you're gonna die by the end of the night.
Repeated chorus underscores the inevitability of a tense situation and the rapid pace of events leading up to it.