The Swish
The Hold Steady Lyrics

Pills and powders, baby, powders and pills
We were relying on drugs to get through the night.

We spent the night last night in Beverly Hills
We were in a high-class area, but it didn't save us from what happened.

This chick, she looked just like Beverly Sills
The woman we saw resembled a famous opera singer.

We got killed
Something happened to us, possibly violent or dangerous, in Beverly Hills.

Tights and skirts, baby, skirts and tights
We used to go out and party, and the women wore revealing clothing.

We used to shake it up in Shaker Heights
We would party in a city called Shaker Heights.

This chick, she looked just like Patty Smythe
We saw a woman who looked like a famous singer from the past.

She seemed shaky but nice
The woman appeared nervous, but friendly.

She said my name's Rick Danko, baby
The woman introduced herself as Rick Danko, possibly a fake name.

People call me One-Hour Photo
This woman goes by the nickname 'One-Hour Photo.'

I got some hazardous chemicals
She has dangerous drugs or chemicals with her.

So drive around to the window
The woman wants us to come to her car to get the drugs.

She said my name's Robbie Robertson but people call me Robo
Another woman introduces herself with a fake name and nickname.

I blew red, white and blue right into a tissue
She snorted drugs and blew her nose into a tissue.

I came right over the counter just to kiss you
She was so attracted to us that she climbed over a counter to kiss us.

Ginger and Jack and four or five Feminax
We were taking multiple drugs at once.

Psycho eyes and a stovepipe hat
We saw someone who appeared to be mentally unstable and wearing a strange hat.

A ray of light from tight white rayon slacks
We noticed a woman's tight white pants in a suggestive way.

We got cracked
Something happened to us, possibly related to the drugs we were taking.

Shoes and socks, baby, socks and shoes
More discussion of clothing when we used to go out and party.

We spent the night last night in Newport News
We were in a different city, Newport News, when something happened.

This chick, she looked just like Elizabeth Shue
We saw a woman who resembled the famous actress Elizabeth Shue.

We got bruised
Something physically harmful happened to us in Newport News.

She said my name's Steve Perry, baby
Another woman introduces herself by a fake name, possibly another famous person's name.

People call me Circuit City
She refers to a famous electronics store chain.

I'm so well connected
She implies that she has a lot of resources and connections within the drug trade.

My UPC is dialed into the system
She makes a reference to the store's inventory system as a way of boasting about her access to drugs.

She said my name's Neal Schon but people call me Nina Simone
Yet another woman introduces herself with a fake name and nickname, both of which are the names of famous musicians.

Some people call me Andre Cymone
This woman also mentions another famous musician's name as a nickname for herself.

'Cause I survived the '80s one time already
She references the 1980s as a time when she was likely involved in drugs and other reckless behavior.

And I don't recall it all that fondly
She doesn't have positive memories of that time.

So hold steady
She tells us to maintain our composure and caution.

It was a blockbuster summer
The summer was full of excitement and adventure.

Moving pictures got us through to September
Movies helped us pass the time and entertained us throughout the summer.

They made a movie about me and you
Someone made a film about our experience, likely with some degree of artistic license or exaggeration.

They made it half nude and half true
The movie was partially accurate but also contained explicit content.

It was a bloodsucking summer
The summer was difficult, possibly due to the prevalence of drugs and other dangerous situations.

I spent half the time trying to get paid from our savior
She worked hard to get money, possibly for drugs or other illegal activities.

Swishing though the City Center
We were moving around the city center in a fluid, possibly drug-fueled, way.

I did a couple favors for these guys who looked like Tusken Raiders
She did some illicit work for dangerous people who resembled the fictional characters from Star Wars known as Tusken Raiders.