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,
Half way through the wheat, my golden foe
With his itching ears in the scorching heat.
The weight of summer, torment to my hands
Armed with a sickle I am out for his beguiling glance.
Thought I heared a mare neighing from the creek
Where in every hour spared we anxiously would meet.
Drunken whispers noone could hear
'til the day when hordes of wasps
Poisoned every hour so passed.
She was faint as I when she spoke to me.
Reluctantly. Words came through
Words of leaving here and leaving me.
And her eyes grew bigger then
Bound in moonlit glittering.
She Leaned to me and whispered tears into my ear.
Well, I went to see the creek again
And many a day I'd stand at its shoreline wondering
If it might be heading north
Through the timber, passed the lake and our chalet
should have gone with her, should have gone with me.
But I stayed when she begged me
to come with her, never to separate, never to be alone.
And lept silent when I should have sung the song of heart
And remained loyal to the thief.
There is a road that I must travel
May it be paved or unseen
May I be hindered by a thousand stones
Still onward I'd crawl down on my knees
At sudden swallows took upon the scene
Heralding what I could not have foreseen
a threat of rain on the dark horizon
A strong foreboding of a storm arising.
And willows'd roar, midges dazzled
birches sigh from painful lessons
lessons they'd learned in life
that every stem breaks if bent too far.
Will I run for a shelter and quiver ?
Will I run away, be idle and shiver ?
And thunders pound so hard, pound the drums of warfare
Hungry clouds draw closer with reptile teeth as lightning
Is it the fear of the inevitable that is keeping me awaiting?
I am rigid as of reverence, still and enduring.
I must have seen it coming.
Oh my longing's neverending. Time's so pale
So come with colors, paint it burning red
I fear no more, can see clearly now
The morning sun beyond the clouds.
And when the dark night seems endless
With only a quarter moon left of light
I am longing back to times of splendor
Longing far away, away from here and back to you.
I swagger back and forth dancing the betrayer's dance
For the last of all times, I swear
For the last damn time, I swear !
I am over and through with all your lectures
I know this is the right step to do
Over and through with all you lectures
I know this is the right thing to do !
if I don't leave now I will be lost in the hot burning dungeon
they have oh so thoroughly prepared for me to all eternity.
Hear her whispering feel my cheek ablaze
And I take the first step of a thousand more to come.
There is a road that I must travel
May it be paved or unseen
May I be hindered by a thousand stones
Still onward I'd crawl down on my knees.
With his itching ears in the scorching heat.
The weight of summer, torment to my hands
Armed with a sickle I am out for his beguiling glance.
Thought I heared a mare neighing from the creek
Where in every hour spared we anxiously would meet.
Drunken whispers noone could hear
'til the day when hordes of wasps
Poisoned every hour so passed.
She was faint as I when she spoke to me.
Reluctantly. Words came through
Words of leaving here and leaving me.
And her eyes grew bigger then
Bound in moonlit glittering.
She Leaned to me and whispered tears into my ear.
Well, I went to see the creek again
And many a day I'd stand at its shoreline wondering
If it might be heading north
Through the timber, passed the lake and our chalet
should have gone with her, should have gone with me.
But I stayed when she begged me
to come with her, never to separate, never to be alone.
And lept silent when I should have sung the song of heart
And remained loyal to the thief.
There is a road that I must travel
May it be paved or unseen
May I be hindered by a thousand stones
Still onward I'd crawl down on my knees
At sudden swallows took upon the scene
Heralding what I could not have foreseen
a threat of rain on the dark horizon
A strong foreboding of a storm arising.
And willows'd roar, midges dazzled
birches sigh from painful lessons
lessons they'd learned in life
that every stem breaks if bent too far.
Will I run for a shelter and quiver ?
Will I run away, be idle and shiver ?
And thunders pound so hard, pound the drums of warfare
Hungry clouds draw closer with reptile teeth as lightning
Is it the fear of the inevitable that is keeping me awaiting?
I am rigid as of reverence, still and enduring.
I must have seen it coming.
Oh my longing's neverending. Time's so pale
So come with colors, paint it burning red
I fear no more, can see clearly now
The morning sun beyond the clouds.
And when the dark night seems endless
With only a quarter moon left of light
I am longing back to times of splendor
Longing far away, away from here and back to you.
I swagger back and forth dancing the betrayer's dance
For the last of all times, I swear
For the last damn time, I swear !
I am over and through with all your lectures
I know this is the right step to do
Over and through with all you lectures
I know this is the right thing to do !
if I don't leave now I will be lost in the hot burning dungeon
they have oh so thoroughly prepared for me to all eternity.
Hear her whispering feel my cheek ablaze
And I take the first step of a thousand more to come.
There is a road that I must travel
May it be paved or unseen
May I be hindered by a thousand stones
Still onward I'd crawl down on my knees.
Lyrics submitted by djmarkoh
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brilliant