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,
We're the reflection of imperfection,
We come from the infinite place of limatation.
Rejoice in these days, make our corrections,
We're the completion.
Lights out,
I'm down for the count,
I can't get up, and
Meanwhile the enemy schemes to spoil your stuff,
And the legs of the king are taggled up in a rut,
Fallen pieces, lost sparks, hearts cut.
We're not alone in the madness,
If we're here, the so are you,
Deepest caverns underground,
We've been taken for the truth,
Scraped my knees on the hurdles, face down in a puddle.
Only one will get us out of this mess,
The one that put us here.
I got a spear driven through my ear,
Can't you hear the sound, crystal clear, crystals crashing chandliers.
Long for brooks of water like a deer.
A man is just a man,
Full of faults and weakness,
4 am, jerusalem all alone and speechless.
And night time, no bodies home, roam streets in darkness.
I feel I'm just a man, flesh and bones, homeless.
A man is just a man,
Full of faults and weakness,
4 am, jerusalem all alone and speechless.
And night time, no bodies home, roam streets in darkness.
I feel I'm just a man, flesh and bones, homeless.
Planting seeds, they won't sink in.
I'm dried up, like the desert earth, how do these seeds give birth.
Water me down, liquify, so that I may not be cursed.
From one into a billion disperse.
Wisdom rains like water from the heavens to below.
Crush my earth, seeds grow, gardens starts to grow.
You know you gotta rise, although you like to flow.
You can't keep staring out the window.
Earth, water, wind, fire we stay low while getting higher.
Spark in night, a fight, tireously.
While yidden lighten loads.
Fly alive, weep, wail, change, grounded out inside.
Energized by my last thought as children pass me by.
Rise, to the occassion.
Keep these hearts all blazin.
Build your life on a river of wax.
Melt into space, we've been here since the beginning, not going away.
Not going away.....
A man is just a man,
Full of faults and weakness,
4 am, jerusalem all alone and speechless.
And night time, no bodies home, roam streets in darkness.
I feel I'm just a man, flesh and bones, homeless.
We come from the infinite place of limatation.
Rejoice in these days, make our corrections,
We're the completion.
Lights out,
I'm down for the count,
I can't get up, and
Meanwhile the enemy schemes to spoil your stuff,
And the legs of the king are taggled up in a rut,
Fallen pieces, lost sparks, hearts cut.
We're not alone in the madness,
If we're here, the so are you,
Deepest caverns underground,
We've been taken for the truth,
Scraped my knees on the hurdles, face down in a puddle.
Only one will get us out of this mess,
The one that put us here.
I got a spear driven through my ear,
Can't you hear the sound, crystal clear, crystals crashing chandliers.
Long for brooks of water like a deer.
A man is just a man,
Full of faults and weakness,
4 am, jerusalem all alone and speechless.
And night time, no bodies home, roam streets in darkness.
I feel I'm just a man, flesh and bones, homeless.
A man is just a man,
Full of faults and weakness,
4 am, jerusalem all alone and speechless.
And night time, no bodies home, roam streets in darkness.
I feel I'm just a man, flesh and bones, homeless.
Planting seeds, they won't sink in.
I'm dried up, like the desert earth, how do these seeds give birth.
Water me down, liquify, so that I may not be cursed.
From one into a billion disperse.
Wisdom rains like water from the heavens to below.
Crush my earth, seeds grow, gardens starts to grow.
You know you gotta rise, although you like to flow.
You can't keep staring out the window.
Earth, water, wind, fire we stay low while getting higher.
Spark in night, a fight, tireously.
While yidden lighten loads.
Fly alive, weep, wail, change, grounded out inside.
Energized by my last thought as children pass me by.
Rise, to the occassion.
Keep these hearts all blazin.
Build your life on a river of wax.
Melt into space, we've been here since the beginning, not going away.
Not going away.....
A man is just a man,
Full of faults and weakness,
4 am, jerusalem all alone and speechless.
And night time, no bodies home, roam streets in darkness.
I feel I'm just a man, flesh and bones, homeless.
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
am i the only one who loves this song? it's beautiful. depressive but so full of hope...
"A man is just a man, Full of faults and weakness, 4 am, jerusalem all alone and speechless. And night time, no bodies home, roam streets in darkness. I feel i'm just a man, flesh and bones, homeless."
and
"Planting seeds, they won't sink in. I'm dried up, like the desert earth, how do these seeds give birth. Water me down, liquify, so that I may not be cursed. From one into a billion disperse."
in my opinion this lines represents the hope of a man who fills alone in the world.
and many more. this lyrics are very rich.
sou o único tuga a gostar de matishayu???