Track 7 of the album Smooth Road, Long Shadow · 2019
Last Bell, Windows Open Wide
“The last bell and a stampede of wonder in the hallway. It's the loudest we ever sang about being young.”
folk rock · school-days anthem · bright rock · 3:22
Lyrics
Last bell's ringing out, the hallway's turned to thunder Lockers slamming open, we're a stampede of wonder Paper planes are flying past the principal's tired face Summer's at the doorway, and it's got a quickened pace Backpack's got a hole in it, a sandwich from last spring A yearbook full of scribbles, every signature a thing We pile in the old van with the windows rolled right down Ninety days of nothing but the edges of this town Ring that last bell, windows open wide Nowhere to be, and the whole sky on our side Sing it out loud, let the summer in Ring that last bell, let the long days begin Sprinklers on the football field, we run right through the spray Somebody's got a radio, it plays the whole last day We promise we'll write letters, we promise we'll stay near But right now there's just laughing and the smell of cut-grass cheer Ring that last bell, windows open wide Nowhere to be, and the whole sky on our side Sing it out loud, let the summer in Ring that last bell, let the long days begin And if the years should pull us far If the road should split in two I'll remember this old car And the way the sun came through Ring that last bell, windows open wide Nowhere to be, and the whole sky on our side Sing it out loud, let the summer in Ring that last bell, let the long days begin Let the long days begin Hey, let the long days begin