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,
Bad time
You know I saw him in a movie with his leather on
Bad time
The fists were flying and the guns did roar
Bad time
You know I kinda liked the way he sung his cowboy songs
Bad time
But I can't listen to them anymore
Bad time for me
Bad time for you
Bad time for bonzo too
You know that bonzo's always dreaming
He'd like you to be dreaming too
Bad time for me
Bad time for you
Bad time for bonzo too
You know that bonzo's always scheming
He'd like you to be scheming too
He'd like you to be scheming too
Bad time
You know there was a time when no-one knew the fun he'd start
Bad time
As actors go he was an 'also ran'
Bad time
But now old bonzo's gone and got himself
Another part
Bad time
We'd best re-write the script while we can
Bad time for me
Bad time for you
Bad time for bonzo too
You know that bonzo's always dreaming
He'd like you to be dreaming too
Bad time for me
Bad time for you
Bad time for bonzo too
You know that bonzo's always screaming
He'd like you to be screaming too
He'd like you to be screaming too
Bad time for me
Bad time for you
Bad time for bonzo too
No no no no no no no
No no no no no no no
No no no no no no no nooh
Bad time for me
Bad time for you
Bad time for bonzo too
You know that bonzos always dreaming He'd like you to be dreaming too
Bad time for me
Bad time for you
Bad time for bonzo too
You know that bonzo's always scheming
He'd like you to be scheming too
Bad time for me
Bad time for you
Bad time for bonzo too
You know that bonzo's always dreaming
He'd like you to be dreaming too
Bad time for me
Bad time for you
Bad time for bonzo too
You know that bonzo's always screaming
He'd like you to be screaming too
Bad time for me
Bad time for you
Bad time for bonzo too
You know that bonzo's always dreaming
He'd like you to be dreaming too
Bad time for me
Bonzo is dreaming
Bad time for me
Bonzo is scheming
You know I saw him in a movie with his leather on
Bad time
The fists were flying and the guns did roar
Bad time
You know I kinda liked the way he sung his cowboy songs
Bad time
But I can't listen to them anymore
Bad time for me
Bad time for you
Bad time for bonzo too
You know that bonzo's always dreaming
He'd like you to be dreaming too
Bad time for me
Bad time for you
Bad time for bonzo too
You know that bonzo's always scheming
He'd like you to be scheming too
He'd like you to be scheming too
Bad time
You know there was a time when no-one knew the fun he'd start
Bad time
As actors go he was an 'also ran'
Bad time
But now old bonzo's gone and got himself
Another part
Bad time
We'd best re-write the script while we can
Bad time for me
Bad time for you
Bad time for bonzo too
You know that bonzo's always dreaming
He'd like you to be dreaming too
Bad time for me
Bad time for you
Bad time for bonzo too
You know that bonzo's always screaming
He'd like you to be screaming too
He'd like you to be screaming too
Bad time for me
Bad time for you
Bad time for bonzo too
No no no no no no no
No no no no no no no
No no no no no no no nooh
Bad time for me
Bad time for you
Bad time for bonzo too
You know that bonzos always dreaming He'd like you to be dreaming too
Bad time for me
Bad time for you
Bad time for bonzo too
You know that bonzo's always scheming
He'd like you to be scheming too
Bad time for me
Bad time for you
Bad time for bonzo too
You know that bonzo's always dreaming
He'd like you to be dreaming too
Bad time for me
Bad time for you
Bad time for bonzo too
You know that bonzo's always screaming
He'd like you to be screaming too
Bad time for me
Bad time for you
Bad time for bonzo too
You know that bonzo's always dreaming
He'd like you to be dreaming too
Bad time for me
Bonzo is dreaming
Bad time for me
Bonzo is scheming
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Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Tis also worth a mention that the 'bonzo' in question in the film Bedtime for Bonzo is a chimp...