We Can Get Together
The Hold Steady Lyrics


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She played Heaven Isn't Happening.
She played Heaven Is A Truck.
She said Heavenly was cool.
I think they were from Oxford.
I only had one single.
It was a song about a pure and simple love.

There's a girl on heaven hill.
I come up to her cabin still.
She said Husker Du got huge.
But they started in St. Paul.
Do you remember Makes No Sense At All?

Heaven is the whole of the heart.
Paradise is by the dashboard light.
Utopia is a band.
They sang Love is the Answer.
I think they're probably right.

Let it shine down on us all.
Let it warm us from within.
He wasn't just the drummer.
He was the singer's younger brother.
I still spin that single.
But it don't sound that simple.

Let it shine down on us all.
Let it warm us from within.
He wasn't just the drummer.
He was someone's little brother.
I still spin that single.
But it don't sound that simple anymore.

Heaven is whenever we can get together.
Sit down on your floor.
And listen to your records.

Heaven is whenever we can get together.




Lock your bedroom door.
And listen to your records

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Hold Steady's "We Can Get Together" express nostalgia for the music of the past as well as a desire to connect with others through music. The opening lines mention three songs with the word "heaven" in their title, suggesting a fascination with music that explores transcendent themes. The line "I think they were from Oxford" (referring to the band Heavenly) may be a reference to the British city, known for its famous university, suggesting a worldly sophistication in the singer's musical taste.


As the song progresses, the lyrics mention specific bands and songs that were important to the singer, including Husker Du's "Makes No Sense at All" and the band Utopia's song "Love is the Answer." The mention of Husker Du's origins in St. Paul, Minnesota suggests a connection to the singer's own life, perhaps indicating a sense of regional pride. The reference to "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" may allude to the Meat Loaf classic of the same name or serve as a larger metaphor for the joys of physical intimacy.


The chorus of the song, "Heaven is whenever we can get together, sit down on your floor, and listen to your records," suggests that the true pleasure of music lies in sharing it with others. The repeated line "Let it shine down on us all" echoes the sentiments of the chorus, calling for the transcendent power of music to be shared and celebrated.


Line by Line Meaning

She played Heaven Isn't Happening.
She performed a song called 'Heaven Isn't Happening'.


She played Heaven Is A Truck.
She also performed a song called 'Heaven Is A Truck'.


She said Heavenly was cool.
She complimented a band named Heavenly.


I think they were from Oxford.
She thinks the band Heavenly was from Oxford.


I only had one single.
The artist only had one single record of a song.


It was a song about a pure and simple love.
The single record contained a song about an innocent and straightforward love.


There's a girl on heaven hill.
The singer refers to a girl living on 'heaven hill'.


I come up to her cabin still.
The artist still visits her cabin on heaven hill.


She said Husker Du got huge.
The girl mentioned that a band named Husker Du became successful.


But they started in St. Paul.
However, the band Husker Du originated from St. Paul.


Do you remember Makes No Sense At All?
The girl asked if the singer remembers a song called 'Makes No Sense At All'.


Heaven is the whole of the heart.
The artist believes that heaven is the entirety of one's heart.


Paradise is by the dashboard light.
The idea of paradise is represented by the dashboard light of a car.


Utopia is a band.
Utopia is the name of a musical group.


They sang Love is the Answer.
Utopia performed a song titled 'Love is the Answer'.


I think they're probably right.
The artist agrees with the sentiment expressed in the song 'Love is the Answer'.


Let it shine down on us all.
The artist wants something to shine upon everyone.


Let it warm us from within.
The singer wishes for something to warm their insides.


He wasn't just the drummer.
The person in question was not just a drummer in a band.


He was the singer's younger brother.
This person was also the younger sibling of the band's lead vocalist.


I still spin that single.
The artist still listens to the same song on their single record.


But it don't sound that simple.
However, the artist thinks the song doesn't sound as straightforward as it used to.


Heaven is whenever we can get together.
The singer believes that heaven is when they can be together with someone.


Sit down on your floor.
The artist suggests sitting on the listener's floor.


And listen to your records.
They suggest listening to their records together with the listener.


Lock your bedroom door.
The singer recommends locking the bedroom door.


And listen to your records.
They suggest listening to records with someone in the privacy of their locked bedroom.




Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: CRAIG FINN, TAD JASON KUBLER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Neil C. Luke

The fact that this only has 218 views makes me want to cry.

Joe Lo Truglio

RIP Matthew Fletcher

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