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'd say it was the right time
To walk away
When dreaming takes you nowhere
It's time to play
Bodies working overtime
Your money don't matter
The clock keeps ticking
When someone's on your mind
On your mind
I'm moving in slow motion
Feels so good
It's a strange anticipation
Knock, knock, knocking on wood
Bodies working overtime
Man against man
And all that ever matters
Is baby who's ahead in the game
Funny but it's always the same
Playing, playing with the boys
Staying, playing with the boys
After chasing sunsets
One of life's simple joys
Is playing with the boys
Said it was the wrong thing
For me to do
I said it's just a boys' game
Girls play too
My heart is working overtime
In this kind of game
People get hurt, I'm thinking of the people like me
If you want to find me, I'll be
Playing, playing with the boys
Staying, playing with the boys
After chasing sunsets
One of life's simple joys
I don't want to be the moth around your fire (with the boys)
I don't want to be obsessed by my desire
You're shining, You're smiliny
I've seen enough
With the boys
I've seen enough
You play too rough
Playing, playing with the boys
I'll be staying, playing with the boys (with the boys)
After chasing sunsets (sunsets)
One of life's simple joys
Is playing with the boys
Playing with the boys
Playing (playing with the boys)
Playing (playing with the boys)
Playing (playing with the boys)
Playing (playing with the boys)
To walk away
When dreaming takes you nowhere
It's time to play
Bodies working overtime
Your money don't matter
The clock keeps ticking
When someone's on your mind
On your mind
I'm moving in slow motion
Feels so good
It's a strange anticipation
Knock, knock, knocking on wood
Bodies working overtime
Man against man
And all that ever matters
Is baby who's ahead in the game
Funny but it's always the same
Playing, playing with the boys
Staying, playing with the boys
After chasing sunsets
One of life's simple joys
Is playing with the boys
Said it was the wrong thing
For me to do
I said it's just a boys' game
Girls play too
My heart is working overtime
In this kind of game
People get hurt, I'm thinking of the people like me
If you want to find me, I'll be
Playing, playing with the boys
Staying, playing with the boys
After chasing sunsets
One of life's simple joys
I don't want to be the moth around your fire (with the boys)
I don't want to be obsessed by my desire
You're shining, You're smiliny
I've seen enough
With the boys
I've seen enough
You play too rough
Playing, playing with the boys
I'll be staying, playing with the boys (with the boys)
After chasing sunsets (sunsets)
One of life's simple joys
Is playing with the boys
Playing with the boys
Playing (playing with the boys)
Playing (playing with the boys)
Playing (playing with the boys)
Playing (playing with the boys)
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Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
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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.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
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.
"knocking on wood, bodies working overtime, man against man"
Y'all know what this song is about: it's about homoerotic stuff, gay bathhouses and such.
I've only seen one part of Top Gun- is Tom's character bisexual or confused or something?
First off, it should be said that thing song is from the motion picture Top Gun(also known as one of the best cheesy action movies of all time). It should also be said that Kenny Loggins was reluctant to do the song for that scene(you know, the one with Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer playing volleyball...shirtless), but he said someone had to write the song so he did it. Even though this seems like a highly homoerotic song, I really don't think it is. It was the 80's. Who needs meanings in your songs? Damn catchy and well crafted song if you ask me despite its overall cheesiness.
Pretty cheesy. Good song though. No song meanings in the 80's? One word: Punk. Another two words: Bad Religion. Lol. I don't think this is a homoerotic song, just a song about hanging with your friends, having fun.
this song will forever bring me back to 2nd grade, and watching top gun playing volleyball.
yeah, just hanging with them boys! hanging out, but some of the lyrics is crappy, no really..
I want to agree with you guys, but how do you explain the last verse?
It's good fun to play with boys, especially when you exclude the girls.
But don't play too rough.
Top Gun was the most homoerotic movie ever...
The lyrics for this song are so far off base it's ridiculous.