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,
Yeah, you
Yeah, you
I used to wanna be
Living like there's only me
But now I spend my time
Thinkin' 'bout a way to get you off my mind (yeah, you)
I used to be so tough
Never really gave enough
And then you caught my eye
Giving me the feeling of a lightning strike (yeah, you)
Look at me now, I'm falling
I can't even talk, still stuttering
This ground of mine keeps shaking
Oh, oh, oh, now
All I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Is somebody to you
All I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Is somebody to you
Everybody's tryna be a billionaire
But every time I look at you, I just don't care
'Cause all I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Is somebody to you (yeah, you)
I used to ride around
I didn't wanna settle down
But now I wake each day
Lookin' for a way that I can see your face (yeah, you)
I've got your photograph
But baby, I need more than that
I need to know your lips
Nothing ever mattered to me more than this (yeah, you)
Look at me now, I'm falling
I can't even talk, still stuttering
This ground of mine keeps shaking
Oh, oh, oh, now
All I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Is somebody to you
All I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Is somebody to you
Everybody's tryna be a billionaire
But every time I look at you, I just don't care
'Cause all I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Is somebody to you (yeah, you)
Look at me now, I'm falling
Can't even talk, still stuttering
All I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah (yeah, you)
All I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Is somebody to you
All I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Is somebody to you (yeah, you)
All I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Is somebody to you (somebody to you)
All I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Is somebody to you (yeah, you)
Everybody's tryna be a billionaire
But every time I look at you, I just don't care (I just don't care)
'Cause all I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Is somebody to you (is somebody to you) (yeah, you)
'Cause all I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Is somebody to you (yeah, you)
Yeah, you
Yeah, you
I used to wanna be
Living like there's only me
But now I spend my time
Thinkin' 'bout a way to get you off my mind (yeah, you)
I used to be so tough
Never really gave enough
And then you caught my eye
Giving me the feeling of a lightning strike (yeah, you)
Look at me now, I'm falling
I can't even talk, still stuttering
This ground of mine keeps shaking
Oh, oh, oh, now
All I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Is somebody to you
All I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Is somebody to you
Everybody's tryna be a billionaire
But every time I look at you, I just don't care
'Cause all I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Is somebody to you (yeah, you)
I used to ride around
I didn't wanna settle down
But now I wake each day
Lookin' for a way that I can see your face (yeah, you)
I've got your photograph
But baby, I need more than that
I need to know your lips
Nothing ever mattered to me more than this (yeah, you)
Look at me now, I'm falling
I can't even talk, still stuttering
This ground of mine keeps shaking
Oh, oh, oh, now
All I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Is somebody to you
All I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Is somebody to you
Everybody's tryna be a billionaire
But every time I look at you, I just don't care
'Cause all I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Is somebody to you (yeah, you)
Look at me now, I'm falling
Can't even talk, still stuttering
All I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah (yeah, you)
All I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Is somebody to you
All I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Is somebody to you (yeah, you)
All I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Is somebody to you (somebody to you)
All I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Is somebody to you (yeah, you)
Everybody's tryna be a billionaire
But every time I look at you, I just don't care (I just don't care)
'Cause all I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Is somebody to you (is somebody to you) (yeah, you)
'Cause all I wanna be, yeah, all I ever wanna be, yeah, yeah
Is somebody to you (yeah, you)
Yeah, you
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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.
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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
"I've got your photograph,but baby,I need more than that. I need to know your lips; nothing every mattered to me more than this."
^Holy shit those lyrics hit home. This song is so passionate AND upbeat. So good and truthful.