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,
You told me who you were
But I guess I never heard
You thought it treason
'til I saw you from the floor
Running out the door
You had your reasons
but don't close your eyes
'cause you might need them now
But don't close your eyes
You might need them now
well, I pulled you off the fence
To see the consequence;
We didn't dream it
then I looked into your eyes
But you hid in a disguise
I'd never seen it
but don't close your eyes
'cause you might need them now
Don't close your eyes
Don't close your eyes
Yeah, yeah
baby, you were my baby
I put my writing on the wall but you never read at all
Maybe, only maybe if I run into the sea
You can watch me stop to breathe and feel...
I rose up from a dream to a nightmare from a scene of a motion picture
The rocks began to slide and everybody died in just a flicker
so don't close your eyes
'cause you might need them now
Don't close your eyes
Don't close your eyes
Hey-yeah
baby, you were my baby
I put my writing on the wall but you never read at all
Maybe, only maybe if I run into the sea
You can watch me stop to breathe and feel...
I still see it on your mind but that will pass in time 'cause time will heal it
so don't close your eyes
'cause you might need them now
Don't close your eyes
You might need them now.
But I guess I never heard
You thought it treason
'til I saw you from the floor
Running out the door
You had your reasons
but don't close your eyes
'cause you might need them now
But don't close your eyes
You might need them now
well, I pulled you off the fence
To see the consequence;
We didn't dream it
then I looked into your eyes
But you hid in a disguise
I'd never seen it
but don't close your eyes
'cause you might need them now
Don't close your eyes
Don't close your eyes
Yeah, yeah
baby, you were my baby
I put my writing on the wall but you never read at all
Maybe, only maybe if I run into the sea
You can watch me stop to breathe and feel...
I rose up from a dream to a nightmare from a scene of a motion picture
The rocks began to slide and everybody died in just a flicker
so don't close your eyes
'cause you might need them now
Don't close your eyes
Don't close your eyes
Hey-yeah
baby, you were my baby
I put my writing on the wall but you never read at all
Maybe, only maybe if I run into the sea
You can watch me stop to breathe and feel...
I still see it on your mind but that will pass in time 'cause time will heal it
so don't close your eyes
'cause you might need them now
Don't close your eyes
You might need them now.
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I agree with the fact it is about a bad relationship. To me, the Don't Close Your Eyes might be about suicide and trying to prevent it. That's just what I get out of it.