Jesu, Sun Kil Moon - Twenty Something lyrics

My name is Johnny St lethal
I'm 28 years old and I wrote me a novel
It's called Twenty Something and the cover
Is grey text on black
Like Belly of the Beast by Jack Abbott
And if you look at me and my book
You'll see that I wear my
Influences on my sleeve
The Beatnik poets, man, Jack Kerouac
Allen Ginsberg and Neal Cassady
I sport dark shades and a
Worn black leather jacket
And project an attitude that says "Hey
I don't give a shit"

And I get more pussy than
Vince Neil got in 1983
And I gave my book to Mark
Kozelek at the front row
In Philadelphia the other night and
He high fived me he said, "Hey
What's your name?" I said "Johnny St lethal"
He said "Wow, that's a cool name, man
You're my biggest hero
But, your life is just beginning and you're
Just finding your feet in this world
And your shtick's limited to impressing 19
Year old girls from Williamsburg
The sweet spot for a man lasts
From about 27 to 33 and trust me
The magic dust starts fading
When you're approaching 40
Right now the girls tell you they got a
Boyfriend at the end of the night, right?
Well, in your late 40s they tell
You that information right up front
Whether it's true or not"

Throughout my life I've met lots and lots
And lots and lots and lots and
Lots and lots and lots and lots
And lots and lots of people
But, I've never met anyone quite
Like Johnny St lethal
He's on top of the world
With his Adam's apple
And his Billy Joe Armstrong look
And his black paperback novel
But Johnny kept talking during my
Show and hooting and hollering
So I gave him fifty Norwegian kroners
To trade places with a pleasant
Young girl down the row
Who was sweet and kind and mild mannered

Right now, you're on top of the world
Johnny St lethal
But let's take a look at Johnny
When he's 49 years old, people
I wish you the best, I truly do
Johnny St lethal
I wish the best for each and
Every one of us people
You could end up the next
Oscar Wilde or Ernest Hemingway
Or you could end up like
Lux's boyfriend in Virgin Suicides
Trip Fontaine you never really know what's
Around the corner
Do you, Cool Hand Luke? But truly
I wish the very best for you

A girl asked me once in Ireland "Mark
What is your dream?"
I said "I'm living it, "
I asked her "What's yours
Since you asked me?"
She said, "I don't know, but
That's a good answer"
And we drifted off to sleep
On a magical night in Galway
And I remember her lips tasting so sweet

When I was about your age, Johnny
I believed in many things
But mostly I believed in me
Then the bullets started coming
That's when you find out how
Tough you really be
I've seen artists grow stronger and I've
Seen artists wilt in the heat
I've seen artists thrive like
Big magnolia trees
And some die off like weeds
There are curve balls in life
Johnny, some are hell
Some are mindblowingly beautiful
I've got a message for you from all
The people down here in Austin, Texas
Johnny St lethal

We wish you the best, Johnny St lethal
We wish you the best
With your paperback novel
We send you our love, Johnny St lethal
We wish you the best, Johnny St lethal

I got your book in my computer bag
Next to Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run
And when I get home it's gonna sit on
My shelf with the rest of 'em
'Cause you autographed your book and kindly
Handed it to me personally
Thank you for the book, and
Thank you for this song, johnny St lethal