The Hold Steady is an American rock band based in Brooklyn formed by vocali… Read Full Bio ↴The Hold Steady is an American rock band based in Brooklyn formed by vocalist/guitarist Craig Finn (ex-Lifter Puller) in 2004. Wanting to capture the sound of bands such as The Replacements and The Grifters, Finn recruited guitarist Tad Kubler (also ex-Lifter Puller), drummer Judd Counsell, and bassist Galen Polivka. In 2005 the band grew to include Franz Nicolay (of The World/Inferno Friendship Society) on keyboards and Bobby Drake took over on drums following Counsell's departure.
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.
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.
Heavy Covenant
The Hold Steady Lyrics
With the wine glass on the microwave
And the ashtray in the kitchenette
I could tell that it was difficult
To bring that sort of subject up
It was tough to bring the subject up
Sleeper city on a power play
In the garden with a day to spare
And if you know the perfect words to say
You can get it almost anywhere
That's a pretty heavy covenant
To make with someone powerless
He said he'll ask about that other stuff
If you're still prepared to pay for it
I know the perfect place to go
Slide your little phone into the airplane mode
Motel Mariposa
A little south of downtown on the frontage road
Seeing stories in the the scorch marks
Hearing bass lines in the buzzing of the lights
Call down to the desk and say we're going to need another night
We're going to stay a second night
I sell software made for offices
It increases their efficiency
Hospitals and local governments
It's a pretty heavy covenant
In the taxi to the airport
I was hoping for Tucson around ten
Staring at the skyline
Then right back at my phone to find a friend
It seems a single body is a couple different people in this one life
I'm sorry but my meeting got delayed
I'm going to be another night
First I watched him play his instruments
A resonator with a missing string
Then I asked him about the songs he did
How he decides what songs he's gonna sing
Then I asked if I could shake his hand
And I palmed him almost forty bucks
Then I asked about the other stuff
With the wine glass on the microwave
The ashtray in the kitchenette
I could tell that it was difficult
Sleeper city with the underplay
You can get it almost anywhere
If you know the perfect words to say
That's a pretty heavy covenant
To make with someone powerless
He said he'll ask about that other stuff
Met a guy in up in some music club
Gave him almost almost forty bucks
To make it safe to bring the subject up
'Cause it's tough to bring the subject up
'Cause it's tough to bring the subject up
It's a pretty heavy covenant
And the ashtray in the kitchenette
I could tell that it was difficult
To bring that sort of subject up
It was tough to bring the subject up
Sleeper city on a power play
In the garden with a day to spare
And if you know the perfect words to say
You can get it almost anywhere
That's a pretty heavy covenant
To make with someone powerless
He said he'll ask about that other stuff
If you're still prepared to pay for it
I know the perfect place to go
Slide your little phone into the airplane mode
Motel Mariposa
A little south of downtown on the frontage road
Seeing stories in the the scorch marks
Hearing bass lines in the buzzing of the lights
Call down to the desk and say we're going to need another night
We're going to stay a second night
I sell software made for offices
It increases their efficiency
Hospitals and local governments
It's a pretty heavy covenant
In the taxi to the airport
I was hoping for Tucson around ten
Staring at the skyline
Then right back at my phone to find a friend
It seems a single body is a couple different people in this one life
I'm sorry but my meeting got delayed
I'm going to be another night
First I watched him play his instruments
A resonator with a missing string
Then I asked him about the songs he did
How he decides what songs he's gonna sing
Then I asked if I could shake his hand
And I palmed him almost forty bucks
Then I asked about the other stuff
With the wine glass on the microwave
The ashtray in the kitchenette
I could tell that it was difficult
Sleeper city with the underplay
You can get it almost anywhere
If you know the perfect words to say
That's a pretty heavy covenant
To make with someone powerless
He said he'll ask about that other stuff
Met a guy in up in some music club
Gave him almost almost forty bucks
To make it safe to bring the subject up
'Cause it's tough to bring the subject up
'Cause it's tough to bring the subject up
It's a pretty heavy covenant
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave
Written by: Craig Finn, Franz Nicolay
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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