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I Coul’da Been a Contender Lyrics by The Gaslight Anthem

Sink or Swim

2007

[Verse 1]
I'm broke and I'm hungry, I'm hard up and I'm lonely
I've been dancin' on this killing floor for years
Of the few things that I am certain, I'm the captain of my burden
I'm sorry doll, I could never stop the rain

[Verse 2]
Once you said I was your hero
You would dance with me on a dime
We could spin this world right, right, right round
And catch back up on the flipside
I was gonna get this real big engine
I was gonna get them Broadway stars
You were gonna be my Judy Garland
We were gonna share your tin man heart

[Chorus]
There's a dirty wind blowing, there's a storm front coming in
There's an SOS on the seas tonight
Steady now, steady now, soldier, hold fast now
It's heads or tails on heart attacks and broken dreams tonight

[Bridge]
We used to drive all night
All over town
We'd go Waltzing Matilda
When Matilda came around
(And I always sang them blues to you)

[Chorus]
There's a dirty wind blowing, there's a storm front coming in
There's an SOS on the seas tonight
Steady now, steady now, soldier, hold fast now
It's heads or tails on heart attacks and broken dreams tonight

[Chorus]
There's a dirty wind blowing, there's a storm front coming in
There's an SOS on the seas tonight
Steady now, steady now, soldier, hold fast now
It's heads or tails on heart attacks and broken dreams tonight

[Chorus]
There's a dirty wind blowing, there's a storm front coming in
There's an SOS on the seas tonight
Steady now, steady now, soldier, hold fast now
It's heads or tails on heart attacks and broken dreams

[Outro]
On heart attacks and broken dreams
Atlantis is my only dream tonight

About “I Coul’da Been a Contender” by The Gaslight Anthem

Read the complete lyrics to "I Coul’da Been a Contender" by The Gaslight Anthem from the album "Sink or Swim" in 2007. 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, Punk Rock, Punk Revival.

"I Coul’da Been a Contender" is performed by The Gaslight Anthem. from the album "Sink or Swim" in 2007 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 "I Coul’da Been a Contender", explore more songs by The Gaslight Anthem 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.

View all songs and biography for The Gaslight Anthem · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"I Coul’da Been a Contender" is credited to The Gaslight Anthem. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"I Coul’da Been a Contender" appears on "Sink or Swim" in 2007.

Visit the The Gaslight Anthem artist page at /artist/the-gaslight-anthem for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.


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