Recording mostly live, the band released its debut, Almost Killed Me, on French Kiss Records in March 2004 and Separation Sunday a year later. In April 2006 the band signed to Vagrant Records and entered the studio on the 1st of May to begin work on their third record, Boys and Girls in America. Released in October, it was one of the most critically acclaimed records of 2006 and reached a much larger audience than its predecessors.
The band released their fourth album, Stay Positive, recorded again with Boys and Girls in America producer John Agnello. Nicolay left the group and on May 4, 2010 the band released their fifth studio album, Heaven Is Whenever, recorded with producer Dean Baltulonis.
On July 15, 2008, Stay Positive was released. It debuted at #30 on the Billboard 200. It debuted on the UK Album Chart at #15 on July 20, the third-highest new entry. It ranked #1 on the UK Indie Chart. The album was named the best of 2008 by Entertainment Weekly. The song "Constructive Summer" was number 56 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2008.
Their seventh album, Thrashing Thru the Passion, was released in 2019. Among its songs, "Entitlement Crew" and "Confusion in the Marketplace," were considered standouts.
01-Hornets! Hornets!
The Hold Steady Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She said that the first night she met me.
She said there's gonna be a time when I'm gonna have to go with whoever's gonna get me the highest.
She said I won't be much for conversation if we go and do the rest of this.
She said I've never been much for conservation. I kinda dig these awkward silences.
She's got those bones brigade videos. she knew them back and forth.
She's slept with so many skaters. she had the place to herself.
She said I like the guy who always answers the door.
He never asks you what you came to his house for.
She said I won't be much for all this humbert humbert stuff.
I've never done so much of this. I have to try so hard not to fall in love.
I have to concentrate when we kiss.
She mouthed the words along to "running up that hill."
That song got scratched into her soul.
He's never heard the song before. but still he gets the metaphor.
He knows some people that switched places before.
She said I really like the crowds at the really big shows.
People touching people that they don't even know, yo.
I guess the heavy stuff ain't quite at its heaviest by the time it gets out to suburban Minneapolis.
We were living up at Nicollet and 66th.
With 3 skaters and some hoodrat chick.
Drove the wrong way down 169.
Almost died up by Edina High.
The Hold Steady's song "Hornets Hornets" is a story about a girl who warns the singer to never trust her at the very beginning of their relationship. She tells him that she will always choose whoever can get her the highest, and she won't be great at conversation. The girl had slept with many skateboarders and had a couple of hundred bucks while her partner had nothing but the number. The girl is infatuated with the guy who always answers the door and never asks you why you came to his house. She said she liked the large crowds at shows where people touch each other without even knowing them.
The singer describes how they live with three skateboarders and a hoodrat chick in suburban Minneapolis, and they drove the wrong way up to Edina High and almost met with an accident. The girl's love for the song "Running Up That Hill" has scratched into her soul. Despite the song's metaphorical meanings, the singer knows people who switched places before. The girl confesses that she has never done much of the "Humbert Humbert stuff" before, implying that she has never been intimate before. She concentrates when they kiss and is trying hard not to fall in love.
Line by Line Meaning
She said always remember never to trust me.
The singer warns the listener to not put much faith in what she says.
She said that the first night she met me.
The singer stated her distrustful nature from the beginning.
She said there's gonna be a time when I'm gonna have to go with whoever's gonna get me the highest.
The singer discloses that she is not loyal and will go wherever the drugs are.
She said I won't be much for conversation if we go and do the rest of this.
The artist is not good at small talk and prefers silence.
She said I've never been much for conservation. I kinda dig these awkward silences.
The artist is introverted and enjoys uncomfortable pauses instead of small talk.
She's got those bones brigade videos. she knew them back and forth.
The singer is knowledgeable and familiar with old skate videos.
She's slept with so many skaters. she had the place to herself.
The singer has sexual history with a lot of skaters and now has her own space.
She had a couple hundred bux. and he had nothing but the number.
The artist had some money and the person she was with had only a phone number to offer.
She said I like the guy who always answers the door.
The artist is attracted to the man who is always available.
He never asks you what you came to his house for.
The man is not inquisitive and doesn't question the artist's intentions.
She said I won't be much for all this humbert humbert stuff.
The singer is not interested in the game of seduction.
I've never done so much of this. I have to try so hard not to fall in love.
The artist is inexperienced in love and is trying not to get too attached.
I have to concentrate when we kiss.
The singer is not fully comfortable when kissing.
She mouthed the words along to "running up that hill."
The singer knows the lyrics to the song "Running up that Hill" and sang it silently.
That song got scratched into her soul.
The song "Running up that Hill" has a deep emotional impact on the singer.
He's never heard the song before. but still he gets the metaphor.
The man understands the message of the song without listening to it before.
He knows some people that switched places before.
The man is familiar with people who have betrayed each other in relationships.
She said I really like the crowds at the really big shows.
The singer enjoys the crowds at large music shows.
People touching people that they don't even know, yo.
The singer likes the anonymity and physical connection that comes with large crowds.
I guess the heavy stuff ain't quite at its heaviest by the time it gets out to suburban Minneapolis.
Serious issues like drugs and relationships are less severe in suburban Minneapolis compared to other cities.
We were living up at Nicollet and 66th.
The artist lived in the area of Nicollet and 66th.
With 3 skaters and some hoodrat chick.
The artist and three skaters live with a promiscuous girl.
Drove the wrong way down 169.
The singer drove against traffic on Highway 169.
Almost died up by Edina High.
The group had a near-death experience near Edina High School.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind