Do me this solid
If you would pretty lady
Please grab me a martini
And meet me on the balcony
I've prepared a light show
You could fake a melody
We could argue over where and when
the cymbal hits should be

Hannah takes the stairs
And I usually take the elevator
Every now and then she offers me
A lemon Now and Later
Please don't play the match maker
Please don't be a player hater
If you dig her recent work
You should go congratulate her

And if you're partial to the night sky
If you're vaguely attracted to rooftops
Hannah takes the stairs
Cause she can't tell that
its a winding spiral case
Is she right side up
Or upside-down?

So Hannah let your roots grow
Let your blue veins show
If I need to take a breath
Then you can take a trumpet solo
I'll work on the limbs if
You work on the torso
If it gets to be too much then
You can lend a helping hand

And if you're partial to the night sky
If you're vaguely attracted to rooftops
Hannah takes the stairs
Cause she can't tell that
its a winding spiral case
Is she right side up
Or upside-down?

Hannah takes the stairs
Cause she can't tell that
its a winding spiral case
Is she outside-in
Or inside out?



Lyrics submitted by nohitter151

Track duration: 03:38


Hannah song meanings
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14 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:I don't know anything about Freelance Whales or the movie/film about Hannah. I just know I dig this song and probably always will.
    Flag lizardkingpon June 05, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:
    I love the song and saw the movie after reading here... It is a very slow movie and the editing could've been much snappier. That said, it is a very smart movie and the character is very likable because of the personal hell she makes herself go through.

    I feel the song (and the movie) is about taking the hard way, making life decisions way more painful than they should be. Perhaps also about following your gut too much - ir at least, not enjoying it...

    Hannah constantly puts herself in situations where she is suffering. She is braking up from her boyfriend(s) and is so devastated about it that they feel they need to cheer her up. On the other hand, I identified with her a great deal. Excellent song and smart movie. Now I'm going to listen to the NPR show mentioned above.
    Flag mikipodon May 24, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It is based off the movie "Hannah Takes the Stairs". Listen to their interview/performance on NPR's "The World Cafe" where they talk about it. Good stuff.
    Flag srh1sonon November 12, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i wish this basnd was more well-known, theyre so fricken incredible :)
    Flag midgeon12on October 12, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I loved this song, so when I saw there was a movie titled "Hannah takes the Stairs" on Netflix, I jumped to watch it. The song is obviously based on this movie. It mentions a trumpet solo and even pulls the line, "I'll work on the limbs if you work on the torso" from the film. Didn't care for the movie so much, but watching it did help me appreciate the song even more.
    Flag pelcuruson August 22, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:such an amazing song and such an amazing movie. Hannah, I Love You.
    Flag willow7913on June 06, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Anyone getting a HelloGoodbye feel?
    As for the "noticed" or not
    thing.. Well it was on either
    VH1 or MTV wen i jotted down the title.
    So tht prolly means tht b4 2 long
    they will have all the "notice" they
    can stand! haha

    On another note..Gotta check out the
    movie I suppose,to get the full circle
    here. so thts wat I'll do! thnx
    for the 411 :)
    Flag Udahoon June 06, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Anyone know if this song's title/lyrics are related to the 2007 movie "Hannah Takes the Stairs"?
    Flag happymediumon June 03, 2010   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:Acctually I am glad they haven't been discovered.
    It isn't that they don't deserve it; it is just people now-a-day ruin
    music for others. They obssese to much or brag about it then the artist
    falls into the hands of the wrong people.
    Flag BunnyRaion May 09, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:just got done watching the movie Hannah Takes the Stairs. I've been watching a lot of mumblecore pictures lately and I saw this title when searching around on Netflix and rented it just because of this song. It is clearly related; the name is too much too be a coincidence and the "trumpet solo" line pushes any chance of coincidence away.

    so if you want to understand this hannah character, you need to watch the movie. if you don't care to get that in depth, that's cool but it's an interesting movie anyways.
    Flag sparsedignityon May 05, 2010   Link

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