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,
Woman: Now Stevie, now don't be nervous, honey, O.K.? I'm gonna go in and I'm gonna introduce you, and then you're gonna come in with your guitar, and you're gonna play that nice, nice music you were telling me about; and while you're doing that, I'll be sitting in the back of the room. We'll have such a good time, so don't you be nevous, honey. It will relax everybody, and we'll be so happy. I'm gonna go now. I'll introduce you, O.K.?
Woman: HEADS UP! Now you kids, all of you, calm down. That's good, O.K. everyone in their own seats, that's good. O.K., now, little Stevie Vai is going to play a composition on the guitar. He wrote it all by himself.O.K., Stevie, bring your three firends up, they can play with you. That Steve Vai, what a nice little boy.
Steve Vai (in kids voice): I wrote this song for all my friends. When I grow up, I'm gonna be a famous Rock n' Roll guitar player.
Woman: Love it (Laughs), go ahead.
Steve Vai: And this is my whammy bar. And it's gonna be loud!
Woman: Don'y you think that's a bit loud? Boys! It's getting too loud! You're getting out of control, boys. Stevie, now calm down class, calm down.Mr. Vai, you've gotta turn it down...
Steve: What did you say, you want me to turn it down? Like this...
Woman: Boys, what happened to the nice music? This is noise, Mr. Vai, and I want it stopped!
Steve: Uh oh, here comes trouble.
Woman: Ayy, Vai, are you out of your mind? You guys, you don't back off, Ya must be crazy! I'm gonna flip-out, I'm telling you. If this is my final flip-out, you guys are gonna go with me.
Steve: Ah, shut up.
Woman: Will you two stop dancing like that. Frankie, leave that girl alone! We're not gonna have another incident like Mildred. Come here to me, Vai, don't you hear me? Come here you little snit. Wait till I get my hands... Don't you run away. Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay Vai. Knock it off! Get off my desk!
Steve: Hey, Andrea, check this out!
Woman: Oh, Stevie, you promised me you'd play nice music; People out of control, dancing on the desks, Playing with the girls. That awful noise just makes people go wild. You gottan turn that music down Stevie, please.
Steve: I'm fearless in my heart. They will always see that in my eyes, I am the Passion; I am the Warfare. I will never stop... Always constant, accurate, and intense.
Woman: Mark my words, you'll neer amount to anything, Steve Vai. You'll see, you'll be a bum, in the streets. A bum, that's it, a bum. I thought you were such a nice little boy. Ya know what? Ya mean, ya got a mean, nasty vicious streak. Why don't you just quit school? Move to California with all those other bums. Go, that's where you belong, with all those crazies out in California.
Woman: Maybe you'll become famous, Ha! That's the funniest thing I've ever heard. You--famous?! With that noise?! Ha! I'll see you in jail; Give me a break, Stevie, stop it. You'll see, mark my words!
Woman: HEADS UP! Now you kids, all of you, calm down. That's good, O.K. everyone in their own seats, that's good. O.K., now, little Stevie Vai is going to play a composition on the guitar. He wrote it all by himself.O.K., Stevie, bring your three firends up, they can play with you. That Steve Vai, what a nice little boy.
Steve Vai (in kids voice): I wrote this song for all my friends. When I grow up, I'm gonna be a famous Rock n' Roll guitar player.
Woman: Love it (Laughs), go ahead.
Steve Vai: And this is my whammy bar. And it's gonna be loud!
Woman: Don'y you think that's a bit loud? Boys! It's getting too loud! You're getting out of control, boys. Stevie, now calm down class, calm down.Mr. Vai, you've gotta turn it down...
Steve: What did you say, you want me to turn it down? Like this...
Woman: Boys, what happened to the nice music? This is noise, Mr. Vai, and I want it stopped!
Steve: Uh oh, here comes trouble.
Woman: Ayy, Vai, are you out of your mind? You guys, you don't back off, Ya must be crazy! I'm gonna flip-out, I'm telling you. If this is my final flip-out, you guys are gonna go with me.
Steve: Ah, shut up.
Woman: Will you two stop dancing like that. Frankie, leave that girl alone! We're not gonna have another incident like Mildred. Come here to me, Vai, don't you hear me? Come here you little snit. Wait till I get my hands... Don't you run away. Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay Vai. Knock it off! Get off my desk!
Steve: Hey, Andrea, check this out!
Woman: Oh, Stevie, you promised me you'd play nice music; People out of control, dancing on the desks, Playing with the girls. That awful noise just makes people go wild. You gottan turn that music down Stevie, please.
Steve: I'm fearless in my heart. They will always see that in my eyes, I am the Passion; I am the Warfare. I will never stop... Always constant, accurate, and intense.
Woman: Mark my words, you'll neer amount to anything, Steve Vai. You'll see, you'll be a bum, in the streets. A bum, that's it, a bum. I thought you were such a nice little boy. Ya know what? Ya mean, ya got a mean, nasty vicious streak. Why don't you just quit school? Move to California with all those other bums. Go, that's where you belong, with all those crazies out in California.
Woman: Maybe you'll become famous, Ha! That's the funniest thing I've ever heard. You--famous?! With that noise?! Ha! I'll see you in jail; Give me a break, Stevie, stop it. You'll see, mark my words!
Lyrics submitted by Psychotic Penguin
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This is such a sick song! its a pity the whiny voice of his teacher tarnishes the album version though.