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,
Fall into the flood of your awakening.
Drown, you're just a trace of what I used to be
Waging the battle for appreciation you'll never win
Behold the army that will harken with open souls
A tiny voice of pester, softer than the drop of a pin
And so naive in thinking you were the source you told
I was composing the beginning before you had begun
Where did you sharpen such a tongue
For the sound you spill
I want the honor for the favor that I've already won
Without the ignorant deduction
That you reveal
Give me the pain of something real
No empty notion, I want to see the pressure rising
Give in a way that I can feel
When you disgrace me I want to see your eyes burn
Fall into the flood of your awakening.
Drown, you're just a trace of what I used to be
You wrote the words you couldn't
Stomach manifesting with breath
I read the thoughts you never
Questioned would show your face
If confrontation were to wake
And rear it's ugly head
I get the feeling you'd be wanting it all erased
This simple gossip is your only definition in life
And what a vacant purpose, taking it to your grave
There is no threat of loss in hearing the slant you cry
Oh, what a fool to think you fell
On the mass you crave
Fall into the flood of your awakening.
Drown, you're just a trace of what I used to be
Awaken from the delusion of validity
Awaken into the truth of how it used to be
Wake up
Fall into the flood of your awakening.
Drown, you're just a trace of what I used to be
Awaken
Drown, you're just a trace of what I used to be
Waging the battle for appreciation you'll never win
Behold the army that will harken with open souls
A tiny voice of pester, softer than the drop of a pin
And so naive in thinking you were the source you told
I was composing the beginning before you had begun
Where did you sharpen such a tongue
For the sound you spill
I want the honor for the favor that I've already won
Without the ignorant deduction
That you reveal
Give me the pain of something real
No empty notion, I want to see the pressure rising
Give in a way that I can feel
When you disgrace me I want to see your eyes burn
Fall into the flood of your awakening.
Drown, you're just a trace of what I used to be
You wrote the words you couldn't
Stomach manifesting with breath
I read the thoughts you never
Questioned would show your face
If confrontation were to wake
And rear it's ugly head
I get the feeling you'd be wanting it all erased
This simple gossip is your only definition in life
And what a vacant purpose, taking it to your grave
There is no threat of loss in hearing the slant you cry
Oh, what a fool to think you fell
On the mass you crave
Fall into the flood of your awakening.
Drown, you're just a trace of what I used to be
Awaken from the delusion of validity
Awaken into the truth of how it used to be
Wake up
Fall into the flood of your awakening.
Drown, you're just a trace of what I used to be
Awaken
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Gentle Hour
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No Surprises
Radiohead
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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.
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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.
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Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
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the one line where it says 'when you disagree with me' it should be'when you disgrace me'
I think the beginning of the song is like talking about how God created us and how we are always so rude and get mad at him.... and how we should wake up and realize that he created us and how far away from being like God we are. The song points out that God gave us life (The comment on breath?) and then how we fill our lives with gossip and other junk.... and then we are a trace of what God used to be... because God has a totally different meaning now then it used to... Though i could be wrong, anyone else wanna add to?