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.
Hello, my name is Oliver and I'm gonna tell you a story,
It's about a young girl...
She's only fifteen years old and has blonde hair
and blue eyes,
She lives with her parents in New Jersey and they
love her very much.
And one night, she and her friends decided,
They were going to come to New York City.
"My parents are away and I'll take their car,
They will never know. We're gonna have a great
time!" she said.
And they drove over the George Washington Bridge,
And drove downtown to the Limelight.
"Wow, look at the line." "Don't worry,
I know the guy at the door, we'll get in."
And they did. "So many people,
Look at that guy's shoes...they must be a mile high."
And she turned around and bumped into a really
cute guy.
They had a good time, they danced for hours and hours,
And she had a few drinks too.
"Hey," he said, "My roommate's not home,
And, well, I was wondering if you wanna, you
know...
Come to my place? I just don't wanna, I just
don't wanna be alone."
And she said "Yes."
So they got into a taxi and went to 3rd Avenue
and 11th Street,
To The NYU dorm rooms and went upstairs and sat
on his bed.
And he said, "Take this pill..." and she did.
And then she said, "What did you just give me?"
"Ecstasy." he said.
And then...he fucked her all night, fucked her all night,
Fucked her all night, fucked her all night...
It's just one night in NYC, one night in NYC,
One night in NYC, it's just one night in NYC.
It's about a young girl...
She's only fifteen years old and has blonde hair
and blue eyes,
She lives with her parents in New Jersey and they
love her very much.
And one night, she and her friends decided,
They were going to come to New York City.
"My parents are away and I'll take their car,
They will never know. We're gonna have a great
time!" she said.
And they drove over the George Washington Bridge,
And drove downtown to the Limelight.
"Wow, look at the line." "Don't worry,
I know the guy at the door, we'll get in."
And they did. "So many people,
Look at that guy's shoes...they must be a mile high."
And she turned around and bumped into a really
cute guy.
They had a good time, they danced for hours and hours,
And she had a few drinks too.
"Hey," he said, "My roommate's not home,
And, well, I was wondering if you wanna, you
know...
Come to my place? I just don't wanna, I just
don't wanna be alone."
And she said "Yes."
So they got into a taxi and went to 3rd Avenue
and 11th Street,
To The NYU dorm rooms and went upstairs and sat
on his bed.
And he said, "Take this pill..." and she did.
And then she said, "What did you just give me?"
"Ecstasy." he said.
And then...he fucked her all night, fucked her all night,
Fucked her all night, fucked her all night...
It's just one night in NYC, one night in NYC,
One night in NYC, it's just one night in NYC.
Lyrics submitted by NiKiTa
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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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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.
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Hm, I don't think so... not that I know of.