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,
Quick kid quick, so harsh and cynical
Touches stricken, cold and clinical
What a transformation to behold
But I don't like this new, I want the old
It's not the words that make it final
You've said such things such things before to rival them
But it's how you say 'em now that's changed
Cold but sympathetic all the same
Lie to convince me that I'll be better off
Oh, you go on and I'll be happier, I'll be happier
You go on, yeah, you go on
You'll be gone and I'll be happier
Shoot me with your rubber bullets
Your finger's on the trigger, pull it
I know you want this suffering to end
So it is forgivable my friend
It's all to convince me that I'll be better off
So you go on and I'll be happier,
You go on and I'll be happier
You go on, yeah, you go on
You'll be gone and I'll be happier
Bo bo ba do bo
Bo bo ba do bo da da da
Say what you mean, what you mean
'Cause you'll be happier without me, without me, without me, oh
You won't convince me, that I'll be better off
So you go on and I'll be happier, I'll be happier
You go on, you go
You'll be gone, and I'll be gone
You go on and I'll be happier, you go on and I'll be happier
You go on, you go on, you go on and I'll go on and I'll be happier
You on and I'll be happier, you go on and I'll be happier
You go on, and I'll be happier
Touches stricken, cold and clinical
What a transformation to behold
But I don't like this new, I want the old
It's not the words that make it final
You've said such things such things before to rival them
But it's how you say 'em now that's changed
Cold but sympathetic all the same
Lie to convince me that I'll be better off
Oh, you go on and I'll be happier, I'll be happier
You go on, yeah, you go on
You'll be gone and I'll be happier
Shoot me with your rubber bullets
Your finger's on the trigger, pull it
I know you want this suffering to end
So it is forgivable my friend
It's all to convince me that I'll be better off
So you go on and I'll be happier,
You go on and I'll be happier
You go on, yeah, you go on
You'll be gone and I'll be happier
Bo bo ba do bo
Bo bo ba do bo da da da
Say what you mean, what you mean
'Cause you'll be happier without me, without me, without me, oh
You won't convince me, that I'll be better off
So you go on and I'll be happier, I'll be happier
You go on, you go
You'll be gone, and I'll be gone
You go on and I'll be happier, you go on and I'll be happier
You go on, you go on, you go on and I'll go on and I'll be happier
You on and I'll be happier, you go on and I'll be happier
You go on, and I'll be happier
Lyrics submitted by goldlion19
Happier Lyrics as written by Alison Sudol Lukas Mcguire Burton
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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i think it's about a relationship where the guy is sort of pulling away because he wants to get out of the relationship but doesn't have the courage to just end it. so instead he tries to convince her how much happier she'd be without him. but she isn't really mad at him for being a wimp because despite the fact that the relationship is over he really doesn't want to hurt her ("I know you want this suffering to end So it is forgivable my friend")