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,
And this house is built of cards
And the earth is blowing too hard
Because dad won't stop drinking
And mom won't stop cheatin' herself,
And the family, and me
So I lie beneath it all
Watch the king and his queen
As they fall
They say that diamonds aren't forever
Well hearts aren't that clever
And the suits that we parade don't mean a thing
But it's never us to blame
A new prescription with a different name
But it tastes the same
So we'll role the dice and play,
Take our chances anyway
And if it's odds that we're banking on my love,
One in ten can't save us from
The sad statistic we've become
Seems they've already won
Now our home is growing cold
I look at you, you look at me
We turn and fold
Cause it seems that I can't stop drinking
And you can't stop cheating yourself,
And our family, and me
But it's never us to blame
A new prescription with a different name
But it tastes the same.
So we'll role the dice and play,
Take our chances anyway
And if it's odds that we're banking on my love,
One in ten can't save us from
The sad statistic we've become
And the earth is blowing too hard
Because dad won't stop drinking
And mom won't stop cheatin' herself,
And the family, and me
So I lie beneath it all
Watch the king and his queen
As they fall
They say that diamonds aren't forever
Well hearts aren't that clever
And the suits that we parade don't mean a thing
But it's never us to blame
A new prescription with a different name
But it tastes the same
So we'll role the dice and play,
Take our chances anyway
And if it's odds that we're banking on my love,
One in ten can't save us from
The sad statistic we've become
Seems they've already won
Now our home is growing cold
I look at you, you look at me
We turn and fold
Cause it seems that I can't stop drinking
And you can't stop cheating yourself,
And our family, and me
But it's never us to blame
A new prescription with a different name
But it tastes the same.
So we'll role the dice and play,
Take our chances anyway
And if it's odds that we're banking on my love,
One in ten can't save us from
The sad statistic we've become
Lyrics submitted by dancinstars
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I think it's about a dysfunctional family. The dad is an alcholic and the mom is unhappy and angry. He's just watching the whole thing, but he feels that the odds aren't in their favor. "One in ten can't save us from the sad statistic we've become." That's saying it's another statistic about divorced parents.
I think it's more about his mother's cancer and how the whole family tries to cope. They are trying every treatment there are ("A new prescription with a different name") and they feel so powerless because there is nothing concrete they can do ("So we'll role the dice and play, Take our chances anyway"), just wait and see..