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,
Why do we need this
Who was it that said
That great things come to great men
Well that fucker lied to us
There's nothing here but a wasteland,
And I can still see the graves of the dead
But it's useless
Most of us would rather sit
Than see this wound
That we have created
Let's not last the night
Let's not last the night
I'm sick and I'm tired of always being the good guy
I'm sick and I'm tired of always being the good guy
Senseless and I'm not sure why
I'm not going to pretend that I know all the answers
Or all of the questions
It's got to be good for something
So we'll chalk this and we'll mount the dead
On the fireplace above right above our guilded heads
I'm sick and I'm tired of always being the good guy
I'm sick and I'm tired of always being the good guy
Like sitting in the back seat (it's all the rage)
And boring me with your body (it's all the rage)
How many times can I say I'm sorry (it's all the rage)
And really mean it (and really mean it)
And really mean it (and really mean it)
Like sitting in the back seat (it's all the rage)
And boring me with your body (it's all the rage)
How many times can I say I'm sorry (it's all the rage)
And really mean it (and really mean it)
And really mean it (and really mean it)
And really mean it
Go
Why do we need this
Who was it that said
That great things come to great men
Well that fucker lied to us
There's nothing here but a wasteland
There's nothing here
Who was it that said
That great things come to great men
Well that fucker lied to us
There's nothing here but a wasteland,
And I can still see the graves of the dead
But it's useless
Most of us would rather sit
Than see this wound
That we have created
Let's not last the night
Let's not last the night
I'm sick and I'm tired of always being the good guy
I'm sick and I'm tired of always being the good guy
Senseless and I'm not sure why
I'm not going to pretend that I know all the answers
Or all of the questions
It's got to be good for something
So we'll chalk this and we'll mount the dead
On the fireplace above right above our guilded heads
I'm sick and I'm tired of always being the good guy
I'm sick and I'm tired of always being the good guy
Like sitting in the back seat (it's all the rage)
And boring me with your body (it's all the rage)
How many times can I say I'm sorry (it's all the rage)
And really mean it (and really mean it)
And really mean it (and really mean it)
Like sitting in the back seat (it's all the rage)
And boring me with your body (it's all the rage)
How many times can I say I'm sorry (it's all the rage)
And really mean it (and really mean it)
And really mean it (and really mean it)
And really mean it
Go
Why do we need this
Who was it that said
That great things come to great men
Well that fucker lied to us
There's nothing here but a wasteland
There's nothing here
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I agree with Ben ffaf. The way you can lift certain lines from songs and fit them into parts of your life is the best thing about music. This song is one of the best openers i've ever heard...it's the part where he sings "let's not last the night" and the drums just pound that gets me...I just love the way that sounds...it's simple but I fucking love it!