In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
How does it feel to be
One of the beautiful people
Now that you know who you are
What do you want to be
And have you traveled very far?
Far as the eye can see
How does it feel to be
One of the beautiful people
How often have you been there
Often enough to know
What did you see when you were there
Nothing that doesn't show
Baby you're a rich man
Baby you're a rich man
Baby you're a rich man, too
You keep all your money in a big brown bag inside a zoo
What a thing to do
Baby you're a rich man
Baby you're a rich man
Baby you're a rich man, too
How does it feel to be
One of the beautiful people
Tuned to a natural E
Happy to be that way
Now that you've found another key
What are you going to play
Baby you're a rich man
Baby you're a rich man
Baby you're a rich man, too
You keep all your money in a big brown bag inside a zoo
What a thing to do
Baby, baby, you're a rich man
Baby you're a rich man
Baby you're a rich man, too (oh)
Baby you're a rich man
Baby you're a rich man (baby)
Baby you're a rich man, too
Baby you're a rich man
Baby you're a rich man
Baby you're a rich man, too
One of the beautiful people
Now that you know who you are
What do you want to be
And have you traveled very far?
Far as the eye can see
How does it feel to be
One of the beautiful people
How often have you been there
Often enough to know
What did you see when you were there
Nothing that doesn't show
Baby you're a rich man
Baby you're a rich man
Baby you're a rich man, too
You keep all your money in a big brown bag inside a zoo
What a thing to do
Baby you're a rich man
Baby you're a rich man
Baby you're a rich man, too
How does it feel to be
One of the beautiful people
Tuned to a natural E
Happy to be that way
Now that you've found another key
What are you going to play
Baby you're a rich man
Baby you're a rich man
Baby you're a rich man, too
You keep all your money in a big brown bag inside a zoo
What a thing to do
Baby, baby, you're a rich man
Baby you're a rich man
Baby you're a rich man, too (oh)
Baby you're a rich man
Baby you're a rich man (baby)
Baby you're a rich man, too
Baby you're a rich man
Baby you're a rich man
Baby you're a rich man, too
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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,
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Everybody seems to agree that the song's about Brian Epstein, but I don't see where anyone has used that fact to interpret the lyric "tuned to a natural E". Of all notes, why E? For Epstein of course. "Happy to be that way". Epstein was happy to be who he naturally was. Gay, presumably. "Now that you've found another key, what are you going to play?" Another key? Had he expressed romantic interest in a woman maybe? Nothing I found in Wikipedia suggests anything of the sort. Just thinking aloud what this passage might mean. Am I nuts or am I on to something here?