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 don't know where we're going from here
But it's time to sing the saddest song
Looking alive with a broken mind,
Why don't you ever take my side
We can dream of all the mistakes that we've made
There's no reason, there's nothing left to take away
I now know where we're going from here
And it's time to sing a happy song
Feeling alive with a throbbing mind,
You're never gonna break my stand
We can dream of all the mistakes that we've made
There's no reason, we can't start at the end
We're users but at least we use each other friend
We'll choose our path and face the consequence
Some say love, I say fight
I hope I'm not wrong
A restless soul, a wicked mind
I'd rather kiss the ground than kiss a starless sky
But it's time to sing the saddest song
Looking alive with a broken mind,
Why don't you ever take my side
We can dream of all the mistakes that we've made
There's no reason, there's nothing left to take away
I now know where we're going from here
And it's time to sing a happy song
Feeling alive with a throbbing mind,
You're never gonna break my stand
We can dream of all the mistakes that we've made
There's no reason, we can't start at the end
We're users but at least we use each other friend
We'll choose our path and face the consequence
Some say love, I say fight
I hope I'm not wrong
A restless soul, a wicked mind
I'd rather kiss the ground than kiss a starless sky
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More Featured Meanings
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced 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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
I think this song sums up the theme of the album, which is 1 side is the past and looking at mistakes and troubled times, and the 2nd being the future and how to improve, and change.
It literally splits it in halfs,
I don't know where we're going from here but it's time to sing the saddest song Looking alive with a broken mind, why don't you ever take my side We can dream of all the mistakes that we've made There's no reason, there's nothing left to take away
poor guys lost. doesn't know where lifes going, "looking alive" - he's fine on the outside, but his mind and thoughts and aspirations are broken, and he feels alone. can't go any lower, theres "nothing left to take away"
then the uplifting part!
I now know where we're going from here and it's time to sing a happy song Feeling alive with a throbbing mind, you're never gonna break my stand We can dream of all the mistakes that we've made There's no reason, we can't start at the end We're users but at least we use each other friend We'll choose our path and face the consequence
he's found the way, what to do with his life. his mind is now "throbbing", full of ideas, and nothings going to "break his stand". What I love is it echoes the 1st verse, but replaces it with positivity. Now, theres no reason to not start again. We use each other, but as long as we have each other, we can continue and whatever happens, happens. he's just thinking about life more positively!
Some say love, I say fight I hope I'm not wrong A restless soul, a wicked mind I'd rather kiss the ground than kiss a starless sky
what he means by fight is fight on, not literally "hate". and he hopes he's not wrong with this fresh outlook on the future, but at least he now feels alive, "restless". the last line reflects on how he would rather appreciate what he has achieved in his life and who he has, then focus on a bleak, "starless" future.
Bam. Great song. Love it.