The Death of the Punchline

Gemini genuflects and says a Hail Mary

For his money on the Monday night game

The girl in the sequins let him buy her a sea breeze

But he still don't think she's using her real name

Me, I'm on the border with my back in the corner

The way it's been since we closed out the war

I've seen this whole scene play out here before

Gemini flying high 'til he screams when he sees what the scorе is

Back in my homeland, our heroes wеre hardcore

Man, our martyrs booked the matinee shows

The theme of our prom was Banned in DC

And the last dance was We Gotta Know

My date came in late wearing clove cigarettes

Like some Uptown, Dracula debutante

The sketch looked like extras from the set of River's Edge

And the streaks kind of seemed like old astronauts

From back in the fifties, floating freely on black and white TVs

Baring their teeth to sell junk in the ads before movies

I got out of the service and got in some business

With a guy that I met at Fort Jackson

He said Pensacola's under his cousin's control

But he could probably cut me in on some action

Long story quick, my partner got sick

But he showed me how to shake the right hands

Stayed in the pits, took a hit to the head

Now I'm trying to manage some bands

I'm looking for sad kids writing anthems for the big time

Hands in the air and a flag at half mast on the grapevine

Mourning the American Dream and the death of the punchline

I was watching the news and they showed me this dude

Who made two billion bucks playing videos

I printed up cards that said "Seeker of Stars"

For the people I don't already know

I haven't hit yet but I'm sharping my pitch

And this one guy brought me out to his restaurant

When he made the proposal to merge and go global

He was touching me under the table with his eyes on the TV

And it's three points on the home team

(A whole lifetime)

Gin in his blood from a lifetime in front of some barkeep

(A whole lifetime)

Telling jokes in his head to break up the ice at the parties

(A whole lifetime)

Trying to find someone to laugh after the death of the punchline