Lyrics

Scowling Crackhead Ian I can't forget your face You were a foul human being Way back on St. Mark's Place A white thug when we were both poor A life struggling for one quarter more In sixth grade that's what you'd mug me for A switchblade pressed up to my jugular So I feared for my neck Safe streets were few My nerves grew wrecked near to Second Avenue I soon learned how to steer clear of a crook or a crew And now I'm still here And, look, so are you Forever you've been Crackhead Ian It was your kid nickname if we spoke it You were an insane human being Whether you ever did or didn't really smoke it I'd know that tall, thin, bent-over stroll All sunburned and grim since ten or twelve years old I guess yesterday is gone Faces still indent our soul And I guess both our moms' places are still on rent control I was that twig-small, sad-sack, punier guy You was as big, tall and bad back in junior high No sight of someone's face has ever been scarier You'd come chase me from Street Fighter One or Space Harrier Hello again, Crackhead Ian I still can't forget your foul face My fellow human being I know we're both still planted on St. Mark's Place We've lived our poor lives in close parallel Within this four or five blocks we both know so well You must have grew up near the former theater or the old gross hotel I'm sure you're aware of me here, but, oh, I can't tell It seems you never outgrew your little pre-teen rage I still see you look so mean though now we are middle-aged I was eavesdropping last year at you laughing to tell About bashing some dude with a chair till he fell I slipped fast by you talking, fearing our eyes would touch Drifting past by new awnings that had all changed so much I've never known your life story, I'm sure it's rotten and tough But how long before these roles for us have gotten old enough? You must've had it so rough, kid Well, I wonder Forged by a tiny portion of love or fortune Goes lightning or goes thunder You're a bad one, crackhead Ian A sad son and sunburned pink But of all the best kids seen downtown in our pre-teens It's just you and me left I think How long till you notice? How long until you shake my hand? How long until we're old man neighbors Last tribesmen of the vanished land? We never even did exchange names You were an evil kid from Hades When we played these arcade games That made life great in the 80s Me and Ian Me and Ian Ride into the night of an East Village dream with these games in the street and the heat and...