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 wanna try that pill that people take
Make you believe all the things that people say
Sick of shuckin' 'round with a screwed up face
With my heels dug in, trying to leave a trace
Now come on, put me down somehow
How you lose your faith
Just take my hand and lead me where you wanna
Pay no more mind to what you think you've seen
It's as they do only, say, what they say
'Cause, there's only one way, they say, vision
It takes you back to just where you want
Like when you ain't know no way
Pay no more mind to what you think you've seen
It's as they do only, say, what they say
'Cause, there's only one way, they say, vision
It takes you back to just where you want
Like when you ain't know no way
Industry's down, think I've died and I've flown away, yeah
So, so, long to them thieves
Who came and took all the things to say
I play the joker sometimes
But then those moments slide back my way
'Cause, for real, I'd give my soul away, give it all away
So, take my hand and lead me where you wanna
Pay no more mind to what you think you've seen
It's as they do only, say, what they say
'Cause, there's only one way, they say, vision
It takes you back to just where you want
Like when you ain't know no way
Pay no more mind to what you think you've seen
It's as they do only, say, what they say
'Cause, there's only one way, they say, vision
It takes you back to just where you want
Like when you ain't know no way
I know where they all go find someplace
Where they don't mind loafing about the waste
They say, vision takes you back to where no conscience
Free from how you really see
And if you think that you know, take the back road
I wanna try that pill that people take
I wanna try that pill that people take
I wanna try that pill that people take
Make you believe all the things that people say
Sick of shuckin' 'round with a screwed up face
With my heels dug in, trying to leave a trace
Now come on, put me down somehow
How you lose your faith
Pay no more mind to what you think you've seen
It's as they do only, say, what they say
'Cause, there's only one way, they say, vision
It takes you back to just where you want
Like when you ain't know no way
Pay no more mind to what you think you've seen
It's as they do only, say, what they say
'Cause, there's only one way, they say, vision
It takes you back to just where you want
Like when you ain't know no way
Pay no more mind to what you think you've seen
It's as they do only, say, what they say
'Cause, there's only one way
Make you believe all the things that people say
Sick of shuckin' 'round with a screwed up face
With my heels dug in, trying to leave a trace
Now come on, put me down somehow
How you lose your faith
Just take my hand and lead me where you wanna
Pay no more mind to what you think you've seen
It's as they do only, say, what they say
'Cause, there's only one way, they say, vision
It takes you back to just where you want
Like when you ain't know no way
Pay no more mind to what you think you've seen
It's as they do only, say, what they say
'Cause, there's only one way, they say, vision
It takes you back to just where you want
Like when you ain't know no way
Industry's down, think I've died and I've flown away, yeah
So, so, long to them thieves
Who came and took all the things to say
I play the joker sometimes
But then those moments slide back my way
'Cause, for real, I'd give my soul away, give it all away
So, take my hand and lead me where you wanna
Pay no more mind to what you think you've seen
It's as they do only, say, what they say
'Cause, there's only one way, they say, vision
It takes you back to just where you want
Like when you ain't know no way
Pay no more mind to what you think you've seen
It's as they do only, say, what they say
'Cause, there's only one way, they say, vision
It takes you back to just where you want
Like when you ain't know no way
I know where they all go find someplace
Where they don't mind loafing about the waste
They say, vision takes you back to where no conscience
Free from how you really see
And if you think that you know, take the back road
I wanna try that pill that people take
I wanna try that pill that people take
I wanna try that pill that people take
Make you believe all the things that people say
Sick of shuckin' 'round with a screwed up face
With my heels dug in, trying to leave a trace
Now come on, put me down somehow
How you lose your faith
Pay no more mind to what you think you've seen
It's as they do only, say, what they say
'Cause, there's only one way, they say, vision
It takes you back to just where you want
Like when you ain't know no way
Pay no more mind to what you think you've seen
It's as they do only, say, what they say
'Cause, there's only one way, they say, vision
It takes you back to just where you want
Like when you ain't know no way
Pay no more mind to what you think you've seen
It's as they do only, say, what they say
'Cause, there's only one way
Lyrics submitted by princemarzmusic
They Say Vision Lyrics as written by Santi White Martin Mckinney
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Anthem Entertainment
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Forget the lyrics for a moment. The drums and bass!! Holy crap. I'm a drummer. The very first time I heard this song I was in a club in Baltimore, and they had the volume cranked. Within about 30 seconds, all I could hear was bass, bass drum, snare, and hi-hat. I got that little tingly feeling in my eyes / nose, when you hear or see something that is just so good. This song...it's as if the bassist and drummer, together, are saying to the rest of the band "THIS is where ONE's goin, and we're keeping him there. You can follow, or be left behind, but it is NOT budging." In music, there's nothing more beautiful than simplicity executed perfectly.
As to the meaning of the lyrics... yeah, I hear conformity as being the theme. The first 4 lines establish a sort of "the world vs. Res's individuality" theme. The "screwed up face" line implies that she's in some way different from everybody else, unique.(The point of the song may be, actually, that EVERYBODY is unique and different.) So she feels the tugs of "real" world, and she can feel herself being pulled towards it, but she's trying to dig her heals in and leave a trace of the independent Res.
The chorus is brilliant, and I don't think any other poster has yet quite touched on it as a whole. I could write a small book on those words.
I need to go to bed now, and hope that someone else will come and offer their thoughts on it so that you all don't have to listen to my 10,000 word ramblings.