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,
In other lives
In a bulletproof suit with some friends of mine
I wrote the plotline
Only I knew who survived
And through the night
In a really fast car on an uphill climb
Blew past a danger sign
And fell through darkness, sublime
But awoke just in time
They’re gonna come to light tonight
They’re gonna come to light tonight
They’re gonna come to light tonight
But not for the last time
In younger days
I do my schoolwork while the neighbors play
But stare into space
With no feeling to convey
With no look on my face
In younger days
I’m stealing bases while my mother prays
And dreading to wake
Longing for one more play
They’re gonna come to light tonight
They’re gonna come to light tonight
They’re gonna come to light tonight
But not for the last time
I don’t know what everyone was looking at
I don’t care what everyone was laughing at
I don’t know what everyone was staring at
I think, I think that it’s me
I don’t know what everyone was looking at
I don’t care what everyone was laughing at
I don’t know what everyone was staring at
I think, I think that it’s me
Didn’t I tell you that I could hear you running out?
Didn’t I find you when I knew you were hiding out?
Didn’t I see you when you thought you’d never stand out?
Didn’t I find you? Didn’t I find you?
I don’t know what everyone was looking at
I don’t care what everyone was laughing at
I don’t know what everyone was staring at (they’re gonna come to light tonight)
I think, I think that it’s me
Didn’t I see you when you thought you’d never stand out? (I think, I think that it’s me)
Didn’t I find you? (They’re gonna come to light tonight)
I think, I think that it’s me
I don’t know what everyone was looking at
I don’t care what everyone was laughing at
I don’t know what everyone was staring at
I think, I think that it’s me
Didn’t I see you when you thought you’d never stand out?
Didn’t I find you? (They’re gonna come to light tonight)
I think, I think that it’s me
In a bulletproof suit with some friends of mine
I wrote the plotline
Only I knew who survived
And through the night
In a really fast car on an uphill climb
Blew past a danger sign
And fell through darkness, sublime
But awoke just in time
They’re gonna come to light tonight
They’re gonna come to light tonight
They’re gonna come to light tonight
But not for the last time
In younger days
I do my schoolwork while the neighbors play
But stare into space
With no feeling to convey
With no look on my face
In younger days
I’m stealing bases while my mother prays
And dreading to wake
Longing for one more play
They’re gonna come to light tonight
They’re gonna come to light tonight
They’re gonna come to light tonight
But not for the last time
I don’t know what everyone was looking at
I don’t care what everyone was laughing at
I don’t know what everyone was staring at
I think, I think that it’s me
I don’t know what everyone was looking at
I don’t care what everyone was laughing at
I don’t know what everyone was staring at
I think, I think that it’s me
Didn’t I tell you that I could hear you running out?
Didn’t I find you when I knew you were hiding out?
Didn’t I see you when you thought you’d never stand out?
Didn’t I find you? Didn’t I find you?
I don’t know what everyone was looking at
I don’t care what everyone was laughing at
I don’t know what everyone was staring at (they’re gonna come to light tonight)
I think, I think that it’s me
Didn’t I see you when you thought you’d never stand out? (I think, I think that it’s me)
Didn’t I find you? (They’re gonna come to light tonight)
I think, I think that it’s me
I don’t know what everyone was looking at
I don’t care what everyone was laughing at
I don’t know what everyone was staring at
I think, I think that it’s me
Didn’t I see you when you thought you’d never stand out?
Didn’t I find you? (They’re gonna come to light tonight)
I think, I think that it’s me
Lyrics submitted by BuildingMusic
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like many of you said, it's about his childhood and how he didn't fit in. like many of you also said, it's about that one person who was always there for him, and didn't care how much of an outcast he was. what all of you failed to realize, is that person, is his mother.
its about him wanting to do the things that he did in his dreams, and the other obvious things that everyone mentioned, finally being noticed by others, and the person that had been there with him through everything
this song is about standing out when you never thought you would. I think the first verse is imagining a life that stands out and is recognized by people. In the second verse, a boy (i'm assuming) is doing his homework while thinking that there's no emotion in his work and so it's kind of a waste of time when he could be doing other more useful and imaginitive things. "I don’t know what everyone was looking at...I think, I think that it’s me" shows how suprised he is that he's standing out now. I think in the last part, someone who know's the afformentioned boy is talking, and he's like "YEAH! i totally knew you'd be above all the rest one day. I SO told you so." This is such an uplifting song. Totally makes me feel like i can be so much more than what i am.
This song is amazing.
This is simply amazing. Its definitly brings a feeling of comfort and peace over me.
This song is definitely my favorite off the new album but I'm still a little fuzzy on what it is about exactly. Can someone help me out?
Dazzled by the song, and stumped by the meaning.
the lyrics are wrong someone needs to fix em i dont know how but here are the real lyrics
In other lives In a bulletproof suit with some friends of mine I wrote the plotline Only I knew who survived And through the night In a really fast car on an uphill climb Blew past a danger sign And fell through darkness, sublime But awoke just in time
They’re gonna come to light tonight They’re gonna come to light tonight They’re gonna come to light tonight But not for the last time
In younger days I do my schoolwork while the neighbors play But stare into space With no feeling to convey With no look on my face In younger days I’m stealing bases while my mother prays And dreading to wake Longing for one more play
They’re gonna come to light tonight They’re gonna come to light tonight They’re gonna come to light tonight But not for the last time
I don’t know what everyone was looking at I don’t care what everyone was laughing at I don’t know what everyone was staring at I think, I think that it’s me
I don’t know what everyone was looking at I don’t care what everyone was laughing at I don’t know what everyone was staring at I think, I think that it’s me
Didn’t I tell you that I could hear you running out? Didn’t I find you when I knew you were hiding out? Didn’t I see you when you thought you’d never stand out? Didn’t I find you? Didn’t I find you?
I don’t know what everyone was looking at I don’t care what everyone was laughing at I don’t know what everyone was staring at (they’re gonna come to light tonight) I think, I think that it’s me
Didn’t I see you when you thought you’d never stand out? (I think, I think that it’s me) Didn’t I find you? (They’re gonna come to light tonight) I think, I think that it’s me
I don’t know what everyone was looking at I don’t care what everyone was laughing at I don’t know what everyone was staring at I think, I think that it’s me
Didn’t I see you when you thought you’d never stand out? Didn’t I find you? (They’re gonna come to light tonight) I think, I think that it’s me
fixed em
Didn’t I tell you that I could hear you running out? Didn’t I find you when I knew you were hiding out? Didn’t I see you when you thought you’d never stand out? Didn’t I find you? Didn’t I find you?
god, that's amazing. i love this cd.