This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Please baby can't you see
My mind's a burnin' hell
I got razors a rippin' and tearin' and strippin'
My heart apart as well
Tonight you told me
That you ache for somethin' new
'Cause some other woman is lookin' like something
That might be good for you
Go on and hold her till the screaming is gone
Go on believe her when she tells you
Nothing's wrong
But I'm the only one
Who'll walk across the fire for you
And I'm the only one
Who'll drown in my desire for you
It's only fear that makes you run
The demons that you're hiding from
When all your promises are gone
I'm the only one
Please baby can't you see
I'm trying to explain
I've been here before and I'm locking the door
And I'm not going back again
Her eyes and arms and skin won't make it go away
You'll wake up tomorrow and wrestle the sorrow
That holds you down today
Go on and hold her till the screaming is gone
Go on believe her when she tells you
Nothing's wrong
But I'm the only one
Who'll walk across the fire for you
And I'm the only one
Who'll drown in my desire for you
It's only fear that makes you run
The demons that you're hiding from
When all your promises are gone
I'm the only one
Go on and hold her till the screaming is gone
Go on believe her when she tells you
Nothing's wrong
But I'm the only one
Who'll walk across the fire for you
And I'm the only one
Who'll drown in my desire for you
It's only fear that makes you run
The demons that you're hiding from
When all your promises are gone
I'm the only one
Yeah, yeah, yeah
And I'm the only one
Who'll drown in my desire for you
It's only fear that makes you run
The demons that you're hiding from
When all your promises are gone
I'm the only one
I'm the only one baby
I'm the only one
Nobody else is gonna love you
My mind's a burnin' hell
I got razors a rippin' and tearin' and strippin'
My heart apart as well
Tonight you told me
That you ache for somethin' new
'Cause some other woman is lookin' like something
That might be good for you
Go on and hold her till the screaming is gone
Go on believe her when she tells you
Nothing's wrong
But I'm the only one
Who'll walk across the fire for you
And I'm the only one
Who'll drown in my desire for you
It's only fear that makes you run
The demons that you're hiding from
When all your promises are gone
I'm the only one
Please baby can't you see
I'm trying to explain
I've been here before and I'm locking the door
And I'm not going back again
Her eyes and arms and skin won't make it go away
You'll wake up tomorrow and wrestle the sorrow
That holds you down today
Go on and hold her till the screaming is gone
Go on believe her when she tells you
Nothing's wrong
But I'm the only one
Who'll walk across the fire for you
And I'm the only one
Who'll drown in my desire for you
It's only fear that makes you run
The demons that you're hiding from
When all your promises are gone
I'm the only one
Go on and hold her till the screaming is gone
Go on believe her when she tells you
Nothing's wrong
But I'm the only one
Who'll walk across the fire for you
And I'm the only one
Who'll drown in my desire for you
It's only fear that makes you run
The demons that you're hiding from
When all your promises are gone
I'm the only one
Yeah, yeah, yeah
And I'm the only one
Who'll drown in my desire for you
It's only fear that makes you run
The demons that you're hiding from
When all your promises are gone
I'm the only one
I'm the only one baby
I'm the only one
Nobody else is gonna love you
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For real spiChel! She's so singing about another woman, it's obvious to me! Which BTW, I love her for doing! :) This song is so sweet, but it makes me sad because it reminds me of my GF who was going behind my back with my BFF at the time, and yeah.
duude... lol... straight people that dont know better... are... fucking stupid... as fuck
I wouldn't say it's necessarily about either gender. From Melissa's point of view it is about a woman, but from the listener's point of view, it is different...
I always thought the song ment anyone who was dealing with a cheating relationship...the best part of this song she doesn't claim the gender of the cheater/lover so everyone can relate to this song .I think in the beginning she telling us that she just can't grasp that what she already knew what was coming in denial with unfaithful. So after the lover tells her the reality she knows that what they picked isn't going to be love a love like theirs but the lover doesn't care because their afraid of the love. So the lover ends up having to deal with their reality "she"doesnt want the lover to cheat on her so they end up arguing and screaming at each other because they're not suppose to be together but then "she" realizes thats never going to happen so she lies and says nothings wrong and maybe leave him and I think he becomes violent towards her eyes, skin ect ..So the Singer knows all this and all she can do is sit back and wait till the lover realize What the lovers doing (demons) and she'll still help the lover because she's maddly in love with the lover ands been thru the cheating to many times to count but doesnt care and the lover uses sex to ignore all the pain the lover caused.I guess mine has a more darker meaning
This song is about doing anything for the person you love, and then they cheat on you or leave you. She's telling the guy they messed up by leaving.
hehe. this is funny cuz she's gay and singing about a girl, and i was surprised to see both comments above mine say "the guy" girls rock. i am a lesbain, but i don't like m. etheridge that much, but, this is the only song i like by her. esp the part about drowning at her desire.... damn. how fucking romantic is that?
this songs amazing reminds me of a love afair once with a girl when i was younger. melissa is amazing i'd fuck her just for her guitar collection!!oooh shallow
I think that she is saying that she is the only one who would sacrifice herself completely for her lover "i'm the only one who'll walk across the fire for you" and put everything that she has into the relationship and that no matter whoever comes into her life no other woman will love her like she does.
spichel, how in the world can you only like this song? darkgem, american idol rots your brain.
Honey, if you think Melissa is ugly you\'ve smoked too much kudzu. Go listen to some Freebird or something.
This song makes me wonder if she was thinking of Julie Cypher/kd lang\'s non-adulterous adultery. IE, they had this emotional thing going but there was no touchy-touchy. Supposedly Melissa gave \'em permission... and well, the rest is history.
It sucks that GLBT celebs either have to totally hide who they are OR have every little effin\' drama in their lives reported by Peoople Mag. Ugh.
I agree. Melissa is fricken sexy.