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 rode into Reno
With a flat tire and matches
All his clothes soaked in fumes
When blood were his tools
He heard a few stories
Of premium interest
Couldn't turn his back on it yet
He had friends he could hound
He didn't know it yet
But sipping away on something
He didn't hear it
Until there was no one around
She fell into phoenix
With barely a presence
Hard rain followed
Harder onto the highways
The daughter kettle was sleeping
And the street lights were curious
Who was this woman
Who keeps her headlights off
She didn't know it
But slipping away off something
She didn't hear it
Until there was no one around
She said I want to ride
Out of this valley
Feel the cool wind
Off my face
I know it
Moving in tomorrow
But tonight I'll think
on the absence of fears
And tonight was weeping
A torrent against them
She was feeling some remorse
As she slipped down the road
Her pockets were empty
And here's what got heavy
That they both had to run
from something that they left
Knowing that I will be everything around me
And everything around me will complete me too
He said I want to ride
out of this valley
Feel the cool wind
Of my face
With a flat tire and matches
All his clothes soaked in fumes
When blood were his tools
He heard a few stories
Of premium interest
Couldn't turn his back on it yet
He had friends he could hound
He didn't know it yet
But sipping away on something
He didn't hear it
Until there was no one around
She fell into phoenix
With barely a presence
Hard rain followed
Harder onto the highways
The daughter kettle was sleeping
And the street lights were curious
Who was this woman
Who keeps her headlights off
She didn't know it
But slipping away off something
She didn't hear it
Until there was no one around
She said I want to ride
Out of this valley
Feel the cool wind
Off my face
I know it
Moving in tomorrow
But tonight I'll think
on the absence of fears
And tonight was weeping
A torrent against them
She was feeling some remorse
As she slipped down the road
Her pockets were empty
And here's what got heavy
That they both had to run
from something that they left
Knowing that I will be everything around me
And everything around me will complete me too
He said I want to ride
out of this valley
Feel the cool wind
Of my face
Lyrics submitted by bensturkey
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
This song is incredible! But, I'm pretty sure these lyrics are incorrect. I think these are the correct ones:
He rolled into Reno with a flat tire and matches All his clothes soaked in fumes Oil and blood were his tools He’d heard a few stories Of premium interest Couldn’t turn his back on it yet He had friends he could hound He didn’t notice the slipping away of something He didn’t hear it until there was no one around
She fell into Phoenix, with barely a presence Hard rain followed her onto the highways Her daughter Carol was sleeping and the streetlights were curious Who is this woman who keeps her headlights off? She didn’t notice the slipping away of something She didn’t hear it until there was no one around
She said I want to ride out of this valley. Feel the cool wind, of my fate. I know that new fears will begin tomorrow But tonight I’ll think only on the absence of things.
ooh ooh...
The cool night was weeping a torrent against them She was feeling some remorse as she slid down the road Her pockets were empty and his weren’t that heavy But they both had to run, for something they could nab.
She bows for the future, he bows for the calf.
He said I want to ride out of this valley. Feel the cool wind of my fate. I know that new fears will begin tomorrow But tonight I’ll think only on the absence of things.
I want to ride out of this valley Feel the cool wind of my fate Knowing that I will be everything around me And everything around me will complete me too
Knowing that I will be everything around me And everything around me will complete me too...