(The) Harvey Danger Database

Rake up all the leaves in Pleasant Valley
It’s the last day of my visit upstate New York
to pay respects to the old man
He’s still got his sense of humor but his body fails him
He’s surrounded by loved ones
That only goes so far
And does he know where he is?
I doubt it

Jack the lion, roaring his last
like a vision sent from the past
Bedside, crying, holding his hand
Strong hands

Finally get a moment alone with the old man
He’s having trouble breathing
(he’s not the only one)
He wonders where time goes
and why we haven’t spoken for so long
He regrets it
He forgets it, and none too soon
Because he’s closing his eyes and fading

We thank you for uniting
We thank you for the cause
We thank you for the lion
We thank you for the claws

Come see him again, come see him again

Jack the lion, roaring his last
like a vision sent from the past
Bedside, crying, holding his hand
Strong hands

Sean: Speaking of hard to sing, "Jack the Lion," one of only a few completely true story songs we ever did; written organically in the living room of the second HD house, in South Wedgwood (as opposed to Ravenna), with dim lights, and a cardboard box for drums, as I recall, just after I got back from a long weekend in actual Pleasant Valley, in actual upstate NY, where I visited my actual dying grandfather, with his actual strong hands, and was urged by everyone there to actually come see him again and I never had the chance.^10A

Aaron: I don't think the potential of this song was fully realized until much later; when we played a slower, piano-driven version at our "reunion" show in 2004. That was a very emotional moment. It was an unusually mature, personal song for us in 1996, and I think the alternative rock treatment did it a bit of a disservice. It's fun to play, though. Also, the hand claps seemed like a good idea at the time.^10A