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,
So what if I was just a painter
Painting houses on the rich blue coast?
Would you ever try to leave me
For somebody who deserves you most?
'Cause darling I am just a painter
I'm painting houses for the rich old folks
I'm gonna make a million dollars
'Cause nobody's gonna steal you, no
For diamonds and gold
For diamonds and gold
'Cause I've broken bones for you, and for you only
I make money but we just can't keep this home
Give me your heart and your hand and we can run
We can run, we can run baby, run now
We can run baby, run
She's like a bullet through an ocean,
I still remember how you moved so slow
You tried to kill me with a shotgun
Bang! Now we're even
We don't stop till someone's bleeding
(We don't stop till someone's bleeding)
'Cause I've broken bones for you, and for you only
I make money but we just can't keep this home
Give me your heart and your hand and we can run
We can run, we can run baby, run now
We can run baby, run baby, you're my hope
Permanently yours
Sometimes the moon looks brighter than the sun
As times like this run up my wrist
She hates all of the guts and blood
Splash around with me while we move like flames on burning sheets
And your doctor won't stop calling me her medication
But baby no, sometimes things don't work out the way we planned
To live is just to fall asleep
To die is to awaken
Maybe we're meant to lose the ones we love
But I'll fight for you till then
And if they stole you from me,
On my arm there's a tattoo of your name
I've broken bones for you, and for you only
I make money, but fuck money we want love
Give me your heart and your hand and we can run
Painting houses on the rich blue coast?
Would you ever try to leave me
For somebody who deserves you most?
'Cause darling I am just a painter
I'm painting houses for the rich old folks
I'm gonna make a million dollars
'Cause nobody's gonna steal you, no
For diamonds and gold
For diamonds and gold
'Cause I've broken bones for you, and for you only
I make money but we just can't keep this home
Give me your heart and your hand and we can run
We can run, we can run baby, run now
We can run baby, run
She's like a bullet through an ocean,
I still remember how you moved so slow
You tried to kill me with a shotgun
Bang! Now we're even
We don't stop till someone's bleeding
(We don't stop till someone's bleeding)
'Cause I've broken bones for you, and for you only
I make money but we just can't keep this home
Give me your heart and your hand and we can run
We can run, we can run baby, run now
We can run baby, run baby, you're my hope
Permanently yours
Sometimes the moon looks brighter than the sun
As times like this run up my wrist
She hates all of the guts and blood
Splash around with me while we move like flames on burning sheets
And your doctor won't stop calling me her medication
But baby no, sometimes things don't work out the way we planned
To live is just to fall asleep
To die is to awaken
Maybe we're meant to lose the ones we love
But I'll fight for you till then
And if they stole you from me,
On my arm there's a tattoo of your name
I've broken bones for you, and for you only
I make money, but fuck money we want love
Give me your heart and your hand and we can run
Lyrics submitted by JaySquared2
Million Dollar Houses (The Painter) Lyrics as written by Victor Fuentes Michael Fuentes
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I wrote this song as a gift to my parents. It's meant to be my dad talking to my mom. My dad has worked very hard his entire life as a painting contractor, struggling and fighting to make enough money to keep us going. We recently had to sell our house because things were just getting too expensive to afford anymore. This song is about how through all the years, my mom and dad have never let money tear them apart, and no matter how bad things got, they’ve always had each other. I strongly express my hatred for money and the way it sometimes fucks with people's lives and families. All you need is love. The Beatles were right all along. Go figure.
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