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THE LEDGE Lyrics

Artist: The Replacements
Album: Pleased To Meet Me

All eyes look up to me
High above the filthy streets
Heed no bullhorn when it calls
Watch me fly and die, watch me fall

I'm the boy they can't ignore,
For the first time in my life, I'm sure
All the love sent up high to pledge
Won't reach the ledge

Wind blows cold from the west
I smell coffee, I smell doughnuts for the press (on their breath?)
A girl that I knew once years ago
Is tryin' to be reached on the phone

I'm the boy she can't ignore,
for the first time in my life, I'm sure
All the love sent up high to pledge...

(Repeat)

Priest kneels silent, all is still
Policeman reaches from the sill
Watch him, watch him try his best
There'll be no medal pinned to his chest

I'm the boy they couldn't ignore,
for the first time in my life, I'm sure

(Repeat)

I'm the boy for the last time in my life

All the love that they pledge
For the last time will not reach the ledge

Comments/Interpretations

by nick W on 10/30/2008 12:08pm
i thought it was donuts o'er the grass? don't know can't tell. but i know it's watch him try to try his best. it was a classic westerberg flubbed line.

by superdave on 12/4/2008 7:24am
I thought it was "donut o'er the grass" too...I came here because I never got the "priest kneels silent" line...I've had the damn record for 20+ years! Also, I'm not sure the streets are "filthy" I think they're just streets

by suzz on 12/4/2008 4:48pm
it is 'doughnuts for the press'

by Tommy Tsunami on 12/6/2008 12:03am
watch him try to try his best.

doughnuts for the press.

(I smell coffee and doughnuts for cops and press gathering down below?)

I don't think it's a "flubbed" line - might be. the cop is trying to do his best but fails - but he "tried" to. greatness any way you take it in.

by Wardwhet on 12/29/2008 5:30pm
I think that it's "doughnuts for the brass" whick is what the coppers are sometimes called (due to the badges they wears)

by Ham Cheese on 1/15/2009 6:47pm
Watch him try, watch him try his best

At least, that's what my eart make of it. But what's important is that it is a great song. Westerberg was/very insightful or was very miserable sometimes.

by Pat Stanton on 4/10/2009 5:27pm
mean old medal pinned to his chest?

by heavydamage on 4/16/2010 10:17am

Always thought it was "for the worst time in my life" in the very last chorus... but "last time" makes much more sense.

Easily their best song!

by Timburwolf on 4/22/2010 6:33pm
One of my fave songs...
I always heard it "I smell coffee, I smell donuts o'er the grass" and "A girl that I knew walks thru the door / She's trying to be reached on the phone"
Mick Jagger said that he slurred his lyrics to create a canvas that others could project their own meaning on. It seems to be true for this song too! (Try figuring out Soul Survivor!)

by RuralUproar24 on 10/11/2010 11:25pm
It is indeed "..for the brass"

by nightdawg on 2/21/2011 12:29am
This is such a great poignant song. Have to say in my listenings that it is "A girl that I knew walks in the door" and not "knew once years ago."
But of course could be wrong. However a bunch of other lyrics were cleared up that I had never even contemplated (hit my ears but didn't bother to try to translate?)
Great song. Sad for any parent or any loved one who takes that route, but sometimes you get so fed up, what else can you do? -nd

by nightdawg on 2/21/2011 12:48am
I say it's "for the press"

by nightdawg on 2/21/2011 5:40pm
k after several more listenings i now say it is "a girl that I knew once years ago." and i think it actually may be "for the brass.." touche. bottom line though, great song. want to get a new cd of that album.

by loko on 1/13/2012 5:24pm
Paul live is definitely singing
'I smell doughnuts for the press'
and well incredible song anyway.

by GrandLarsenE on 3/2/2013 6:30pm
...doughnuts for the brass. As in the higher ups on the force.