You were here at seven
Banging my head against a wall
To the rhythm of some old hymn
That I still recall
When I was eleven
You told me I'm like the silver moon
And I ran on empty
Not a day too soon

Well, your tone changed after
To hunger strikes and hurricanes
Scarlet summer, growing pains
I follow you all the same

Oh, I kissed you sickly
Smoking out sadness in your room
Was the first time ever I thought of expelling you

'Cause I'm gonna stay up, I'm gonna stay afloat
I'm gonna stay up, I'm gonna stay afloat
I'm gonna stay up, I'm gonna stay afloat
I'm gonna stay up

I'm gonna stay up, I wanna stay afloat
I'm gonna stay up, I wanna stay afloat
I'm gonna stay up, I wanna stay afloat
With or without you

Stay away, be gone
Stay away, be gone

Oh, you wondered briefly
You left me crying tears of joy
And for a minute I knew peace
And it was beautiful and so boring

I know I'll exorcise you
And twice each decade from now on
And though I might sedate you
You will never be gone
You'll never be gone
You'll never be, never be

'Cause I wanna stay up, I wanna stay afloat
(I wanna stay up, wanna stay afloat)
I wanna stay up, I wanna stay afloat

I'm gonna stay up, I'm gonna stay afloat
I'm gonna stay up, I'm gonna stay afloat
I'm gonna stay up, I'm gonna stay afloat
With or without you
With or without you now

Stay away, be gone
Stay away, be gone

Stay away, be gone
Stay away, be gone