The White Stripes - "Hand Springs"

I've always visualized the lyrics to this song written out as a story rather than line by line, as lyrics are usually written. Thus, I've taken it upon myself to add punctuation and separate the lyrics into paragraphs where I deem appropriate:


"Hand Springs"

I took my girl to go bowling downtown at the Red Door, after an argument I started 'cause I thought she didn’t like me anymore. I can't help it: sometimes, I feel pitiful, and of course, she's so young and beautiful.

I bought us two glasses of Coke; that's her favourite, and I wanted to make up for earlier. But I dropped her glass, and it broke, so I just gave my glass to her.

She laughed, and so did I in our lane. Then, she went to the vending machine to buy a candy cane, but right next to that was a boy I knew with a spring in his hand playin' a country pinball machine called "Stand by Your Man." I saw him talk to her, but I stayed in my lane and played my game steady and was thinkin' of a day when I'd be too old to throw a ball this heavy.

But I guess I'm young now, so it's easier to knock 'em all down. Then I looked and saw her say to him, "You really hittin’ that ball around." And he’s lookin' at her the way I did when I first met her: I can see in his face white flowers and cups of coffee and love letters.

I was sorry to interrupt their game, but I went and did it anyway. I dropped my red bowling ball through the glass of his machine. I said, "Are you quick enough to hit this ball, Mr. Clean?" I was scared to lose her, so I couldn't help being mean.

And that ended both of our games. I said I was sorry, but my girl left with him just the same. I thought how much I hate when love makes me act this way. I was bent over a broken pinball machine in a bowling alley, and I threw it all away.

Well, isn't it all just a big game?