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,
You declared you would be three inches taller
You only became what we made you
Thought you were chasing a destiny calling
You only earned what we gave you
You fell and cried as our people were starving
Now you know that we blame you
You tried to walk on the trail we were carving
Now you know that we framed you
I'm the guy in the sky
Flying high flashing eyes
No surprise I told lies
I'm the punk in the gutter
I'm the new president
But I grew and I bent
Don't you know, don't it show?
I'm the punk with the stutter
My my my my my my
Generation (generation, generation)
We tried to speak between lines of oration
You could only repeat what we told you
Your axe belongs to a dying nation
They don't know that we own you
You're watching movies trying to find the feelers
You only see what we show you
We're the slaves of the phony leaders
Breathe the air we have blown you
I'm the guy in the sky
Flying high flashing eyes
No surprise I told lies
I'm the punk in the gutter
Woo, I'm the new president
And I grew and I bent
Don't you know, don't it show?
I'm the punk with the stutter
My my my my my my my my
Generation, my, my, my, my, my, my generation
I have to be careful not to preach
I can't pretend that I can teach
And yet I lived your future out
By pounding stages like a clown
And on the dance floor broken glass
The bloody faces slowly pass
The numbered seats in empty rows
It all belongs to me you know
Okay
You declared you would be three inches taller
You only became what we made you
Thought you were chasing a destiny calling
You only earned what we gave you
You fell and cried as our people were starving
Now you know that we blame you
You tried to walk on the trail we were carving
Now you know that we framed you
I'm the guy in the sky
Flying high flashing eyes
No surprise I told lies
I'm the punk in the gutter
Woo, I'm the new president
And I grew and I bent
Don't you know, don't it show?
I'm the punk with the stutter
My my my my my my my my
Generation, my, my, my, my, my, my generation
You only became what we made you
Thought you were chasing a destiny calling
You only earned what we gave you
You fell and cried as our people were starving
Now you know that we blame you
You tried to walk on the trail we were carving
Now you know that we framed you
I'm the guy in the sky
Flying high flashing eyes
No surprise I told lies
I'm the punk in the gutter
I'm the new president
But I grew and I bent
Don't you know, don't it show?
I'm the punk with the stutter
My my my my my my
Generation (generation, generation)
We tried to speak between lines of oration
You could only repeat what we told you
Your axe belongs to a dying nation
They don't know that we own you
You're watching movies trying to find the feelers
You only see what we show you
We're the slaves of the phony leaders
Breathe the air we have blown you
I'm the guy in the sky
Flying high flashing eyes
No surprise I told lies
I'm the punk in the gutter
Woo, I'm the new president
And I grew and I bent
Don't you know, don't it show?
I'm the punk with the stutter
My my my my my my my my
Generation, my, my, my, my, my, my generation
I have to be careful not to preach
I can't pretend that I can teach
And yet I lived your future out
By pounding stages like a clown
And on the dance floor broken glass
The bloody faces slowly pass
The numbered seats in empty rows
It all belongs to me you know
Okay
You declared you would be three inches taller
You only became what we made you
Thought you were chasing a destiny calling
You only earned what we gave you
You fell and cried as our people were starving
Now you know that we blame you
You tried to walk on the trail we were carving
Now you know that we framed you
I'm the guy in the sky
Flying high flashing eyes
No surprise I told lies
I'm the punk in the gutter
Woo, I'm the new president
And I grew and I bent
Don't you know, don't it show?
I'm the punk with the stutter
My my my my my my my my
Generation, my, my, my, my, my, my generation
Lyrics submitted by Chris_Gough, edited by Prisonmike, IndrayudhRoy
The Punk and the Godfather Lyrics as written by Pete Townshend
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group, Abkco Music Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is one of my favorite songs on the album, and I just learned that the the guy using synthisizers to talk is saying "my generation" from their song in the debut album. Thanks lyrics people, you saved me.