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,
When I wake up in the morning I smell your smell
God knows that I'm not doing well
You're my clementine, my sweet sunshine
A sparkling diamond in your eye
Bleeding heart, my bleeding heart
Won't you cut out my bleeding heart
Over the mountains by the sea and the shore
I hope you come knocking at my door
Baby baby let's live in a shoe
And I'll tell you some things that I used to do
You're a broken book, a thievin' crook
You stole my heart with just one look
Bleeding heart, my bleeding heart
Won't you cut out my bleeding heart
Over the mountains by the sea and the shore
I hope you come knocking at my door
You take my stuff and you make me blue
You've got me so goddamned subdued
And every day I hope and pray
You'll stay with me while the skies are grey
Bleeding heart, my bleeding heart
Won't you cut out my bleeding heart
Over the mountains by the sea and the shore
I hope you come knocking at my door
God knows that I'm not doing well
You're my clementine, my sweet sunshine
A sparkling diamond in your eye
Bleeding heart, my bleeding heart
Won't you cut out my bleeding heart
Over the mountains by the sea and the shore
I hope you come knocking at my door
Baby baby let's live in a shoe
And I'll tell you some things that I used to do
You're a broken book, a thievin' crook
You stole my heart with just one look
Bleeding heart, my bleeding heart
Won't you cut out my bleeding heart
Over the mountains by the sea and the shore
I hope you come knocking at my door
You take my stuff and you make me blue
You've got me so goddamned subdued
And every day I hope and pray
You'll stay with me while the skies are grey
Bleeding heart, my bleeding heart
Won't you cut out my bleeding heart
Over the mountains by the sea and the shore
I hope you come knocking at my door
Lyrics submitted by Girlsdontgocrazy
Bleeding Heart Lyrics as written by Adam Green
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song is an outstanding example of a beautiful song with just 2 chords.
I think it's about unrequited love respectively the deeply desire that one day she will have same feelings for 'him'. To me this song describes wonderfully the mood changes between depression and euphoria, because the melody sounds very happy and the lyrics are in fact very grueling. i.e. the first line "When I wake up in the morning I smell your smell" ... of course she's not here ... just the imagination of her smell.