Annotated lyrics for The Hold Steady song 'Star 18' - I know we made plans to meet in Spokane / But the way I make plans you gotta take it with a grain of salt. / Got jammed in Alabama and I was trying to get all of it resolved. / I'm sure it seems like it's a perfect fit. / But trust me man 'cause I've been up in it. / And at dawn I had to crawl back home through the quicksilver sprawl. / To tell the truth if I were you / I'd rather sleep over than telecommute. / 'Cause when you're in the same room / I think we make a much better connection. / Hemingway at Cafe Select. / Donna Summer in the discotheque. / Once you get good you can get it wherever you are. / Sloppy city in the upper deck. / Tripping hard on the self neglect. / Now let me hold the money. / 'Cause he wants you to wait in the car. / Sorry I'm late I got caught in a mosh. / With this dude who said he used to play with Peter Tosh. / But he never brought it up again. / Once I said man I don't believe you. / I looked over this great expanse / And I saw some kid pissing on his parachute pants / In one split second I figured out that he was one of your crew. / The amphetamines did what the amphetamines do. / And she was chewing through her cheek at the National Zoo / And the dress she was wearing / Made a nice case for natural selection. / So Hold Steady at the Comfort Inn. / Mick Jagger's at the Mandarin. / Once you get good you can get it wherever you are. / Notify the next of kin. / Mariel Hemingway with perfect skin. / And some creep with a camera who says he's gonna make her a star. / You gotta wait in the car. / Once upon a time I had a meeting with a man in a mansion. / He pulled a few strings just to demonstrate how it's all connected. / Disseminating from a central source. / Hemingway on the Ketchum porch. / Once you get good you can get it wherever you are. / So hit me back when it's back in style. / Star 18 on the rotary dial / Now let me hold the money / 'Cause he wants you to wait in the car. / You gotta wait in the car.