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,
I could have been easier on you
I could have been all you held on to
I know I wasn't fair
I tried my best to care
About you
(About you)
I know I could have been a better man
I always had to have the upper hand
I'm struggling to see
The better side of me
But I can't
Take all your jabs and taunts
You're pointing out
My every fault
And you wonder why I walked away
When you tell me I'm a wreck
You say that I'm a mess
How could you expect anything less
(Expect anything less)
You latched onto me
Then cried I strung you along
I told you when you asked
I knew this wouldn't last
At least I could be honest about that
(Honest about that)
And now you're tellin' everyone
How I only did you wrong
I guess you never knew me at all
Remember on my 21st birthday
You took me where we went on our first date
We stayed till closing time
After four glasses of wine
You started with the pointless argument
You said that I forgot to compliment
The dress you wore that night
That I've seen a thousand times
But I think
We just want different things
I want space
You want a diamond ring
Whatever made you think we were meant to be?
When you tell me I'm a wreck
You say that I'm a mess
How could you expect anything less
(Expect anything less)
You latched onto me
Then cried I strung you along
(Cried I strung you along)
I told you when you asked
I knew this wouldn't last
At least I could be honest about that
(Honest about that)
And now you're tellin' everyone
How I only did you wrong
(How I only did you wrong)
I guess you never knew me at all
You tell me I'm a wreck
You say that I'm a mess
How could you expect anything less
When you tell me I'm a wreck
You say that I'm a mess
How could you expect anything less
(Expect anything less)
You latched onto me
Then cried I strung you along
(Cried I strung you along)
I told you when you asked
I knew this wouldn't last
At least I could be honest about that
(Honest about that)
And now you're tellin' everyone
How I only did you wrong
(How I only did you wrong)
Still I see you standing there
Waiting round for me to fall
(Waiting round for me to fall)
Girl you must be crazy
Still believing you and me belong
I guess you never knew me at all
I could have been all you held on to
I know I wasn't fair
I tried my best to care
About you
(About you)
I know I could have been a better man
I always had to have the upper hand
I'm struggling to see
The better side of me
But I can't
Take all your jabs and taunts
You're pointing out
My every fault
And you wonder why I walked away
When you tell me I'm a wreck
You say that I'm a mess
How could you expect anything less
(Expect anything less)
You latched onto me
Then cried I strung you along
I told you when you asked
I knew this wouldn't last
At least I could be honest about that
(Honest about that)
And now you're tellin' everyone
How I only did you wrong
I guess you never knew me at all
Remember on my 21st birthday
You took me where we went on our first date
We stayed till closing time
After four glasses of wine
You started with the pointless argument
You said that I forgot to compliment
The dress you wore that night
That I've seen a thousand times
But I think
We just want different things
I want space
You want a diamond ring
Whatever made you think we were meant to be?
When you tell me I'm a wreck
You say that I'm a mess
How could you expect anything less
(Expect anything less)
You latched onto me
Then cried I strung you along
(Cried I strung you along)
I told you when you asked
I knew this wouldn't last
At least I could be honest about that
(Honest about that)
And now you're tellin' everyone
How I only did you wrong
(How I only did you wrong)
I guess you never knew me at all
You tell me I'm a wreck
You say that I'm a mess
How could you expect anything less
When you tell me I'm a wreck
You say that I'm a mess
How could you expect anything less
(Expect anything less)
You latched onto me
Then cried I strung you along
(Cried I strung you along)
I told you when you asked
I knew this wouldn't last
At least I could be honest about that
(Honest about that)
And now you're tellin' everyone
How I only did you wrong
(How I only did you wrong)
Still I see you standing there
Waiting round for me to fall
(Waiting round for me to fall)
Girl you must be crazy
Still believing you and me belong
I guess you never knew me at all
Lyrics submitted by artemisaurelia
Tell Me I'm a Wreck Lyrics as written by Michael Allen Timothy Pagnotta
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I love this song. It has been on repeat all day. Every Avenue is so amazing.