Here is some background information on Clear Heart Full Eyes from the No Future Songfacts . In early 2011 Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn challenged himself to write a new song every day in his Brooklyn apartment for his first solo album. "I had written a bunch of songs that were outside of the norm for The Hold Steady, a little quieter and perhaps more narrative," he said. "I wanted to gain some experience and insight into the process of making a record by working with new people." Finn enlisted producer Mike McCarthy (Spoon) and traveled to an Austin, Texas studio far away from his New York comfort zone. He hooked up with some local musicians there, including members of Phosphorescent and White Denim and sang his vocals live, keeping takes to a minimum and completed recording in a few days. The resulting album, Clear Heart Full Eyes was released on January 24, 2012 on Vagrant Records.
Ninety Bucks
Craig Finn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Puts Popov in a paper cup
It's like she's trying to burn her insides clean
She shimmers like some gasoline
All smoke and shaky hands
Shuts the shades and hits me with her plan
Go back and get certified
Stick with it and finally see it through
I'm sick of all this wilderness
The businessmen on business trips
The distance goes beyond the rate and time
But school don't start until early Fall
I went ahead and made a call
Sometimes I can push ahead
Some nights the wheels just spin
Nathan, you're my only friend
Well, Caesar is in a car right now
He says isn't far right now
If I'm short when he shows up he'll be so pissed
Because credit is something he don't do
Cash is king and three for two
I've seen him use his hands to make a fist
I know that I've been in and out
Connections they get frayed and fraught
Clouded with a million little lies
The medication sometimes works
The drinking probably doesn't help
The shepherd should still love the lambs he's lost
Because the flock can wander from his eyes
The hills are huge the valley is wide
The traffic on the 405
The way those wheels just spin
Nathan, you're my only friend
So thank you for the ninety bucks
Get your coat
Give me a hug
Now it's probably time for you to leave
Go back to your little house
Your driveway and your pull-out couch
And come back at the same time in a week
The lamb can wander from the flock
In shopping malls and parking lots
Sometimes the shepherd brings him back
Some nights the wheels just spin
Nathan, you're my only friend
The song "Ninety Bucks" by Craig Finn is a poignant reflection on a night spent with a struggling friend who asks for money and opens up about her life. The first verse begins with the friend, who is never named, asking for $90 to buy Popov vodka. She is clearly struggling with some kind of inner pain, and the vodka is her way of trying to cope. Her hands are shaky, and she wants to shut out the world by closing the shades. Despite her own pain, she encourages Nathan to pursue his own dreams, telling him to get certified as an x-ray technician and follow through with his schooling. She expresses her own dissatisfaction with her current situation, tired of the monotony of her daily life and the distance between her and the businesspeople who only visit her area on trips.
The second verse shifts the focus to Caesar, another friend of Nathan's who can be violent and is only concerned with cash over credit. It's clear that the singer has a history with this group of people, one that is sometimes fraught with "a million little lies." The painkiller medication that the friend is on sometimes helps, but other times the drinking spirals out of control. Despite all of this, the singer reminds Nathan that he is the only friend she really has, and she is grateful for his help.
Line by Line Meaning
She said Nathan I need ninety bucks
The singer (a woman) asks Nathan for $90.
Puts Popov in a paper cup
She immediately uses the money to buy alcohol and proceeds to drink it.
It's like she's trying to burn her insides clean
The woman drinks to forget or numb something painful in her life.
She shimmers like some gasoline
The woman's behavior and appearance reflect the effects of alcohol.
All smoke and shaky hands
The woman's hands are trembling and she appears nervous while smoking.
Shuts the shades and hits me with her plan
The woman devises a plan to change her life and convinces the singer (Nathan) to help her.
Go back and get certified
The woman's plan involves going back to school to get certified in a new profession.
X-ray tech and MRIs
The woman considers becoming a medical professional and performing X-rays and MRIs.
Stick with it and finally see it through
The woman is determined to succeed and complete her new career path.
I'm sick of all this wilderness
The woman is tired of feeling lost and aimless in her life.
The businessmen on business trips
The woman is tired of seeing others succeed in their careers while she remains stagnant.
The distance goes beyond the rate and time
The woman feels disconnected from others and behind in life, despite not physically being far from them.
But school don't start until early Fall
The woman must wait sometime before she can begin school.
I went ahead and made a call
The singer (Nathan) helps the woman by enrolling her in school before it starts in the fall.
Sometimes I can push ahead
The singer is a friend to the woman and is willing to help her when she asks.
Some nights the wheels just spin
Sometimes life doesn't go as planned and it feels like no progress is being made.
Nathan, you're my only friend
The woman trusts Nathan and relies on him for support.
Well, Caesar is in a car right now
Caesar (another friend or acquaintance) is on his way to the woman's location.
He says isn't far right now
Caesar is close by and won't take long to arrive.
If I'm short when he shows up he'll be so pissed
The woman owes Caesar money and he will be angry if she doesn't have all of it when he arrives.
Because credit is something he don't do
Caesar won't lend money and expects to be paid back immediately.
Cash is king and three for two
Caesar offers deals for quick cash payments.
I've seen him use his hands to make a fist
Caesar is intimidating and will become violent if crossed.
I know that I've been in and out
The woman recognizes that she has gone through ups and downs in her life.
Connections they get frayed and fraught
The woman's relationships with others have suffered because of her struggles.
Clouded with a million little lies
The woman has lied to others and herself about her life and problems.
The medication sometimes works
The woman is taking medication or has tried using it to cope with her problems.
The drinking probably doesn't help
The woman's drinking likely makes her problems worse.
The shepherd should still love the lambs he's lost
Even when others are lost in life, they are still deserving of love and compassion.
Because the flock can wander from his eyes
People can easily lose sight of their goals and direction in life.
The hills are huge the valley is wide
Life can be full of challenges and obstacles that seem insurmountable.
The traffic on the 405
The challenges of life can be as mundane as heavy traffic on a highway.
So thank you for the ninety bucks
The woman thanks Nathan for helping her financially.
Get your coat
The woman is ready for Nathan to leave.
Give me a hug
The woman appreciates Nathan's kindness and gesture of support.
Now it's probably time for you to leave
The conversation between the woman and Nathan is over and it's time for him to go.
Go back to your little house
The singer (the woman) is dismissing Nathan and telling him to continue with his life.
Your driveway and your pull-out couch
The woman is alluding to Nathan's humble living conditions (living in a small house with a pull-out couch).
And come back at the same time in a week
The woman and Nathan have made plans to meet again at the same time next week.
The lamb can wander from the flock
People can lose their way in life and become separated from their goals and purpose.
In shopping malls and parking lots
People's paths and goals can be lost even in the most mundane of places.
Sometimes the shepherd brings him back
People can return to their goals and find their direction in life with help and support from others.
Some nights the wheels just spin
Sometimes life feels stuck and it feels like no progress is being made.
Nathan, you're my only friend
The woman values Nathan's friendship and support in her time of need.
Writer(s): CRAIG A. FINN, JOSH DAVID KAUFMAN
Contributed by Ian V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.