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.
The Only Thing
The Hold Steady Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I knew that she would leave.
For a while I couldn't breathe.
I couldn't even breathe.
Sure she's still with you
But first she was with me.
What tangled webs we weave.
She's sleeping at a storage space by the airport.
The only thing she talks about is TV.
The only thing that tethers us together
Is the thing that most matters at the end of the night.
Ashes to ashes and dust in the spotlight.
Flying all around like a fist in a fight.
Tired of always feeling frustrated.
This town was so much fun.
When there weren't so much police.
We didn't have to watch our speed.
First she's down in Texas.
Then she went back to Tennessee.
What tangled webs we weave.
For a while I couldn't breathe.
I couldn't even breathe.
She's sleeping at a storage space by the airport.
The only thing she talks about is TV.
The only thing that tethers us together
Are these dreams.
Last night her teeth were in my dreams.
In my dreams.
It's the thing that most matters at the end of the night.
Ashes to ashes and dust in the spotlight.
Floating all around like a nurse in the night.
Tired of always feeling frustrated.
She's been senseless.
She's been sad.
It got bad around March or April then I thought it got better.
She's been wasted.
She's been honest.
She's got a necklace. It looks pretty expensive.
I'd like to know where she got it.
Sure she's still with you.
But first she was with me.
I've been trying to get in touch with her.
Last night her teeth were in my dreams.
She's sleeping at a storage space by the airport.
The only thing she talks about is TV.
The only thing that tethers us together
Are these dreams.
Last night her teeth were in my dreams.
"The Only Thing" by The Hold Steady is a song about love, loss, and tangled relationships. The opening line, "Once you cut her loose, I knew that she would leave," suggests that the singer's relationship with the woman was complex and unstable. He was aware that she would eventually leave him, and he struggled to come to terms with it.
He goes on to describe the woman's current situation - sleeping at a storage space by the airport, talking only about TV. The singer feels a sense of connection to her, but it's a tenuous one, based only on their shared dreams. At the end of the night, when everything else is stripped away, it's their dreams that bring them together.
The song is filled with references to tangled webs, frustration, and feeling lost. The singer seems to be struggling to make sense of his feelings and his place in the world. The repeated line, "last night her teeth were in my dreams," adds to the sense of unease and uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
Once you cut her loose.
Once you broke up with her.
I knew that she would leave.
I expected her to leave after you broke up with her.
For a while I couldn't breathe.
I was upset and struggling to cope.
I couldn't even breathe.
I was feeling suffocated by my emotions.
Sure she's still with you
She's still your girlfriend.
But first she was with me.
She was previously in a relationship with me.
What tangled webs we weave.
We created a complicated and messy situation.
She said some things I don't believe.
I'm skeptical of some of the things she's told me.
She's sleeping at a storage space by the airport.
She's currently living in a storage unit near the airport.
The only thing she talks about is TV.
Her only topic of conversation is television.
The only thing that tethers us together
Is the thing that most matters at the end of the night.
Our shared interest in watching TV is what connects us and makes us feel together at the end of the day.
Ashes to ashes and dust in the spotlight.
We are all mortal and one day we will die and be forgotten.
Flying all around like a fist in a fight.
The chaos and unpredictability of life and relationships.
Tired of always feeling frustrated.
I'm sick of always feeling unsatisfied or disappointed in these relationships.
This town was so much fun.
This place used to be a lively and enjoyable environment.
When there weren't so much police.
Back when we didn't have such a strong police presence or increased surveillance.
We didn't have to watch our speed.
We could drive as fast as we wanted without fear of getting caught.
First she's down in Texas.
She lived in Texas for a while.
Then she went back to Tennessee.
She returned to Tennessee after being in Texas.
Are these dreams.
The only thing that connects us now are the dreams we share.
Last night her teeth were in my dreams.
I had a dream about her teeth last night, perhaps representing my anxiety and worry about the situation.
She's been senseless.
She's been acting foolishly or recklessly.
She's been sad.
She's been feeling down or depressed.
It got bad around March or April then I thought it got better.
She was struggling in March or April but I thought things had improved after that.
She's been wasted.
She's been abusing drugs or alcohol.
She's been honest.
She's been truthful with me about her struggles.
She's got a necklace. It looks pretty expensive.
She has an expensive-looking necklace that I'm curious about.
I'd like to know where she got it.
I want to learn more about the necklace and where she acquired it.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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Ethan Whittaker
So, what I glean from this song is that this girl is pregnant with this dude's kid and that is the "only thing that tether's (them) together." Basically he is proclaiming the kid as his, that he was with her first. Maybe got an abortion when it got "better" but I am just spitballing here(teeth dreams are common with pregnancy is the big leap I am making here but thats what I have heard)