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The Courts

from The Misnomer by The Mispronouncer

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lyrics

1. Some call ‘em “The Mats,” we call ‘em “The Courts.”
The perfect place for street ball and bad sports.
At the old grade-school, right by the highway.
Just before sunset, it’s the right time of day.
Locals and lakers, punk kids and grown men.
Launching half-court shots, trying to goal tend.
One kid crowing ‘cause he grabbed rim for the first time,
Yelling what sound like carefully rehearsed lines.
When we get enough guys, we’re gonna run fives.
‘Til then a half-hearted game of twenty-one’s fine.
Just to warm up with, break a little sweat to.
Size each other up to see if anyone can check you.
A couple girls are sitting on the bleachers, talking.
We’re never quite sure how closely they’re watching.
It won’t be long until the lights come on.
At 10:30 they’ll go off again, we’ll all be gone.

Chorus: Ooooooh, Run ‘em back.
Shout-outs and honks from the cars that drive by.
Ooooooh, Run ‘em back.
If you ask what we paid for the shoes, we might lie.
Ooooooh, Run ‘em back.
With air so thick that it can feel like you’re swimming.
Ooooooh, Run ‘em back.
Townie kids riding by on bikes want to know who’s winning.

2. More guys straggle over ‘til we finally got numbers.
Four or five chuckers, maybe one dunker.
One guy wanna run one in sandals.
Can’t shoot worth a lick but he’s got sick handles.
An old guy, doesn’t need speed or grace
To drill two-hand set-shots, wearing a knee-brace.
A high-school drop-out can’t keep his trap closed.
I’ll bet you anything he’s gonna catch an elbow.
Play to fifteen, ones and twos, win by two.
If you’re new, don’t call fouls if you want us to like you.
Shooting for teams, you can’t believe some of the strokes.
Like a form that terrible’s got to be a hoax.
Shooting for the ball, a guy airs a deep three.
Guard who guards you, we’ll switch if need be.
Tightening your laces, stretching, quit stalling.
Everybody ready? Check ball. Ball in.

Chorus: Ooooooh, Run ‘em back.
No off-hands and none of ‘em are really dominant.
Ooooooh, Run ‘em back.
Keep making the bank-shot, you better start callin’ it.
Ooooooh, Run ‘em back.
Nobody’s gonna call three in the key.
Ooooooh, Run ‘em back.
Next time, I’ll be camped in the post, just feed me.

3. The guy in the replica jersey comes out gunning.
Early first game, everybody’s still running,
And making hard cuts, and setting hard picks,
And cleaning up the glass, bombarded with bricks.
Arguing over the score just a few minutes in.
The game stops dead to accommodate the bickering,
The finger-pointing, the blame-shifting, the cheap shots
From the kind of guys who won’t concede clean blocks.
By game three, nobody’s moving too fast.
We’re the true kings of the no-chance alley-oop pass,
Of the unnecessary fade in the jumper.
Of that three-on-one fast-break blunder.
Last game, no legs, weary and winded.
It’s been a while since anybody’s defended.
Cherry-picking game-winner, we could call it the end,
Or with the last minutes of the lights, run ‘em again.

Chorus: Ooooooh, Run ‘em back.
You can’t name a better way to spend a summer night
Ooooooh, Run ‘em back.
Than full-court outdoor basketball under the lights.
Ooooooh, Run ‘em back.
The lights switch off with the ball in mid-arc.
Ooooooh, Run ‘em back.
I think I heard a soft swish in the dark.

credits

from The Misnomer, released July 27, 2012
Kelsey Brozek introduced the song.
The Mispronouncer made the beat, played the keyboard, wrote the lyrics, and performed the vocals.

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The Mispronouncer Redlands, California

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