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 was listening for answers
That I could not really hear
When the words of a wise old Indian
Put a conch shell to my ear
And I took off for the ocean
I was searching for the coast
Painting pictures of my vision
With the words from grandma ghost
Hiding from the dragons
Riding for the sea
Singing ballads from my childhood
A pirate's life for me
Survivors seem to function best
When peril is at hand
With a song of the ocean
Meets a salty piece of land
I was force-fed my religion
But I somehow saved my smile
Tapped into my instincts
As I headed towards exile
Cleopatra did not own a barge
But a schooner was her home
She has centuries of stories
And there's wisdom in her bones
She was on a sacred mission
And she told me of a place
Where a man can hide forever
But never loose his face
So I saddled up my seahorse
With a fly-rod in my hand
I was not looking for salvation
Just a salty piece of land
Some days Cayo Loco shimmers
Like the stars up in the sky
And the seabirds, they do touch and go's
As the world just tangos by
But there are times when she is hidden
Beneath the wild and crashing waves
And the patron saint of lightening
Keeps the sailors from their graves
Some say it is a blinding sword
Pointing out into the sea
While others say her guiding light
Leads towards eternity
Still I sit in contemplation
And I just don't understand
This mysterious attraction
Of this salty piece of land
Still I search the constellations
And the tiny grains of sand
Where the song of the ocean
Meets the salty piece of land
That I could not really hear
When the words of a wise old Indian
Put a conch shell to my ear
And I took off for the ocean
I was searching for the coast
Painting pictures of my vision
With the words from grandma ghost
Hiding from the dragons
Riding for the sea
Singing ballads from my childhood
A pirate's life for me
Survivors seem to function best
When peril is at hand
With a song of the ocean
Meets a salty piece of land
I was force-fed my religion
But I somehow saved my smile
Tapped into my instincts
As I headed towards exile
Cleopatra did not own a barge
But a schooner was her home
She has centuries of stories
And there's wisdom in her bones
She was on a sacred mission
And she told me of a place
Where a man can hide forever
But never loose his face
So I saddled up my seahorse
With a fly-rod in my hand
I was not looking for salvation
Just a salty piece of land
Some days Cayo Loco shimmers
Like the stars up in the sky
And the seabirds, they do touch and go's
As the world just tangos by
But there are times when she is hidden
Beneath the wild and crashing waves
And the patron saint of lightening
Keeps the sailors from their graves
Some say it is a blinding sword
Pointing out into the sea
While others say her guiding light
Leads towards eternity
Still I sit in contemplation
And I just don't understand
This mysterious attraction
Of this salty piece of land
Still I search the constellations
And the tiny grains of sand
Where the song of the ocean
Meets the salty piece of land
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
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Gentle Hour
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No Surprises
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