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At summer camp, when I was thirteen
there was Caroline Brown in the cut-off jeans
I'd never really liked a girl before
but I liked her a lot
I thought about kissing her, but never followed through
Then we both got assigned to the same canoe
The canoe tipped over and we swam to shore
and found a grassy spot
And she smiled and laughed
and she gave me a hug
and we stood there for a minute to rest
My mind was racing
and my heart was threatening to leap six feet out of my chest
My brain said, "Kiss her!"
But my body just froze
Seconds ticked by almost achingly slow
And I was just about to do it
Or at least, I think so
When she let go
And I've been kicking myself every day since then
I swore I'd never miss another chance like that again
Gotta go out there and stop him
Gotta get what I deserve
I gotta work up the nerve, yeah
I gotta work up the nerve
Then was I was sixteen, just a few years past
There was Adrian Keyes in biology class
I stuttered and choked around most girls
But with her I wasn't shy
One day while we picked at a dead frog's arm
Allen Leibowitz pulled the fire alarm
We slipped away as the class unfurled
To a coffee shop nearby
And she smiled and laughed
and took hold of my hand
and I did everything I could to stay calm
I tried desperately to think of what to do in response
as the sweat poured out of my palms
My mind said, "Do it!"
But my body said, "No!"
I fumbled with her latte and my cappuccino
And I was just about to do it
Or at least, I think so
When she let go
And I've been kicking myself every day since then
I swore I'd never miss another chance like that again
Gotta go out there and stop him
Stay the course and never swerve
I gotta work up the nerve, yeah
I gotta work up the nerve
Then when I got here, well, I still felt stuck
And I cursed myself and what I called luck
And when he showed up, I did whatever he said
'Cause I thought it was fate
And now he's with her, doing God knows what
With that smug little smirk and that *** strut
This has to end; it ends tonight
No more debate
No one else but me would let this happen to them
No one else but me would get stuck in this ***
Anyone but me would be out that door
Without even having to think about it
Anyone but me would go tell her the truth
Anyone but me would be on the offense
Anyone but me would go kick his ***
No matter how much the resemblance
'Cause I've been kicking myself every day for years
Making vow after meaningless vow
Swearing that I'd never miss a chance again
Yet I'm standing here missing one now
Gotta go out there and stop him
No more hiding in reserve
Gotta go out there and stop him
Staying straight at every curve
Gotta go out there and stop him
With vitality and verve
I gotta work up the nerve, yeah
I gotta work up the nerve
I gotta work up the nerve, yeah
I gotta work up theÑ
Gotta work up theÑ
Gotta jump through and stop him
Tell 'em all what I've observed
Gotta jump through and stop him
Make him get what he deserves
Put his head on a platter
Serve it up as an hors d'oeuvres
I gotta work up the nerve, yeah
I gotta work up the nerve
I gotta work up the nerve, yeah
I gotta work up theÑ
Gotta work up the nerve!