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.
Stay Positive
The Hold Steady Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it's a pretty good feeling yea it feels pretty good
I get a lot of double takes when I'm coming round the corners
And its mostly pretty nice its mostly pretty alright
'Cause most kids give me credit for being down with it
When it was back in the day back when things were way different
When the youth of today and the early seven seconds
There's gonna come a time when the scene will seem less sunny
It'll probably get druggy and the kids will seem to skinny
There's gonna come a time when shes gonna have to go
With whoevers gonna get her the highest
There's gonna come a time when the true scene leaders
Forget where they differ and get big picture
'cause the kids at their shows, they'll have kids of their own
The sing-a-long songs will be our scriptures
We gotta stay positive
We gotta stay positive
We gotta stay positive
We gotta stay positive
When the chaperon crowned us the king and the queen
I knew that we'd arrived at a unified scene
And all those little lambs from my dreams
Well they were there too
'Cause its one thing to start it with a positive jam
And its another thing to see it all through
And we couldn't of even done this if it wasn't for you
We gotta stay positive
We gotta stay positive
We gotta stay positive
In The Hold Steady's song, "Stay Positive," lead singer Craig Finn reflects on his youth and how he and his friends would go to punk rock shows in their hometown. The opening verses describe how many of his old friends are reaching out to him again and how good it feels to reconnect with them. The song takes on a nostalgic tone when Finn remembers back to his younger days and how the youth of today (referencing punk bands Seven Seconds and Youth of Today) taught him important life lessons.
However, as the song progresses, Finn acknowledges that things have changed since then. He suggests that the youth culture of today is less "sunny" and more drug-focused, and that eventually the scene leaders will forget their differences and start to think about the big picture. The sing-a-long songs that once brought him and his friends together will become their "scriptures" as they grow older. Despite these changes, the chorus remains optimistic and encourages listeners to stay positive.
The song's overall message is one of hope and resilience, even in the face of inevitable change. Finn's lyrics encourage listeners to focus on the positive aspects of their lives, even as they grow older and the world around them changes. By holding on to the memories and lessons they learned in their youth, they can stay connected to their past while still moving forward into the future.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got a lot of old friends that're getting back in touch
I have reconnected with many old friends recently
And it's a pretty good feeling yea it feels pretty good
I am happy to have reconnected with my old friends
I get a lot of double takes when I'm coming round the corners
People are pleasantly surprised when they see me around
And its mostly pretty nice its mostly pretty alright
It's a good feeling to be recognized by others
'Cause most kids give me credit for being down with it
Most young people give me respect for being aware of trends
When it was back in the day back when things were way different
I learned about the scene during a different time period
When the youth of today and the early seven seconds
When the modern youth and classic band Seven Seconds taught me lessons
Taught me some of lifes most valuable lessons
I learned important life lessons from these experiences
There's gonna come a time when the scene will seem less sunny
There may be a time when the scene is not as positive and pleasant
It'll probably get druggy and the kids will seem to skinny
The scene may become more drug-focused and people may be too thin
There's gonna come a time when shes gonna have to go
A time may come when someone will leave
With whoevers gonna get her the highest
They may leave with whoever can get them the most high
There's gonna come a time when the true scene leaders
There may be a time when the real leaders of the scene forget their differences
Forget where they differ and get big picture
They will focus on the larger goals of the scene
'cause the kids at their shows, they'll have kids of their own
The young people who go to their shows will have their own children one day
The sing-a-long songs will be our scriptures
The songs that we all sing together will be like our holy texts
When the chaperon crowned us the king and the queen
When the authority figure recognized us as the leaders
I knew that we'd arrived at a unified scene
I understood that we were part of a cohesive community
And all those little lambs from my dreams
All of the young people who were only in my dreams are now with us
Well they were there too
They were part of our unified scene as well
'Cause its one thing to start it with a positive jam
It's easy to be positive when you start something new
And its another thing to see it all through
It's much harder to maintain positivity over time
And we couldn't of even done this if it wasn't for you
We would not have been able to achieve this without your help
We gotta stay positive
We need to maintain a positive outlook
We gotta stay positive
We need to remain optimistic
We gotta stay positive
We must keep a positive attitude
We gotta stay positive
We need to stay positive through any challenges
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: CRAIG FINN, TAD KUBLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Keith Kovalic
This song gets me through the hard times... Even have the "Stay Positive" logo tattooed on my kneecap.
PadraigTheRobot
As I get older songs and sentiments like these ring more and more true. Truly some of life’s most valuable lessons
Keep collecting that canadough Guy
highly underrated band. needs more recognition!
Tim Brown
Youth of Today & 7 seconds definitely taught me some of life’s most valuable lessons 🖤
Shaun Hopkins
"When the Youth of Today and early 7 Seconds taught me some of life's most valuable lessons." That hits home to this aging punker who grew up on those Positive Force bands....
Roderick Hager
Just a kickass band in all aspects! 💪🎸🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Holly Dawn Hewlett
Deep lyrics...way to go!!
DragonSigh
Great song!!!
K
It's called continuity, and it's one of the reasons I love them.
Jeremy Knifley
We gotta stay positive, more than ever! I had never heard this band until my family and I were at the Hard Rock Cafe in Pigeon Forge and I heard it on the tv and decided to look thesr guys up.