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Holding Down the Laughter Lyrics by Bad Books

Bad Books

2010

Styrofoam cup of mud in my good hand
Disembodied voice of God in the trash can
Eyes in the ashes, feeling for the future
Sleeping through the stakeout, researching the rumor
A mile, a motor, a mattress, a memory
At first, you were embarrassed
But how could you not be?
Tangled and teenaged, mom at the movies
Your voice ran out out of words
It was awkward and holy
The gospel in your belly, the ache a little lower
"Back into the breach," you spoke as its owner
A syndicated sermon you sang from the rafters
Anchors in your pockets, holding down the laughter
Tearing up your mind, your lust and your ego
A slingshot reminder to speed your libido
The parish goes to jelly, blissful and wasted
Your Vishnu eye slips open and pictures them naked
In complicating your worst mixed message
You built then burnt a bridge
And scattered all your crumbs at the cliff
"If she wants me, she'll swim for it."
Brother, can you spare your alms or your arrows?
The thunderclaps are rising, I think that I should go home
To the basement back on Jumel Street
1996 and you're waiting there to tell me
"I didn't die, you dreamt it, you dreamt it
I'm as alive as your best good intentions
I'm sorry that I tricked you, you had to focus
Put yourself together and clear out the garbage."
But for all that effort
That slow-burn struggle
You forgot where you lived
She swept away the clues from the cliff, you're lost now
She swept away the clues from the cliff, you're lost now
She swept away the clues from the cliff, you're lost now
Remember it
She swept away the clues from the cliff, you're lost now
Remember it
Credits
Bad Books

Bad Books

About “Holding Down the Laughter” by Bad Books

Read the complete lyrics to "Holding Down the Laughter" by Bad Books from the album "Bad Books" in 2010. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Rock, Indie Rock.

"Holding Down the Laughter" is performed by Bad Books. from the album "Bad Books" in 2010 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Holding Down the Laughter", explore more songs by Bad Books using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Holding Down the Laughter" is credited to Bad Books. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Holding Down the Laughter" appears on "Bad Books" in 2010.

Visit the Bad Books artist page at /artist/bad-books for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.