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,
[Chorus]
Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline
Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline
Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline
Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline
Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline
Once it's gonna come and getchya
Hitchya with the razor slitchya
UnHoly, niggas need to stay up off my dick though
Sick though, when I hitchya with the wicked rhyme
Stickin' it in your mind, rewind the Flatline
Unload, explode, here's the new episode
Paranoia, can't do nuttin for ya
Helter skelter, mind melter, if I feltchya
If I die, I'm goin to Hell, who do ya tell?
Run from the Devil, gotta shovel, gravedigga
How you gonna kill a dead nigga, if you figure I'm dead?
Here's the oops upside ya head
Here's a hot piece a lead, an instead I walk the Flatline
[Chorus]
If I'm on the Flatline's, it means I'm 'bout to lose my mind
Death is the seventh sign, and I'm runnin' outta time, so check this
I'm a suicidalist, that means I ain't afraid to die
If I play the game of death, that means I play the game to die
Russian roulette, hit my two and reenact the fooly
Unruly, you'll see me lose my cool G
Click, click, click, click, clickity, click, click
Cock the hammer, and when it slams, God damn, (gunshot) bam
[Chorus]
Flatline....Flatline....Flatline....Flatline
Well I walk the Flatlines and I'm 'bout to lose my grip
Gotta gun in my hand, wrapped around my finger tips
If I slip then I might catch a hole in my head
Sceamin' out bloody redrum, for somethin I said um
My minds goin Bedlam, flash backs of Rambo
So much pressure, I grab the ammo off my dresser
I'm shakin', I start to tremble, for Jack Me Nimble
My mind starts crashin' like a symbol, and I'm in limbo
To calm me down I think I better count to ten
But I only made it to nine, I did a Flatline
[Chorus]
Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline
Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline
Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline
Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline
Flatline, Flatline, Flatline, Flatline
Once it's gonna come and getchya
Hitchya with the razor slitchya
UnHoly, niggas need to stay up off my dick though
Sick though, when I hitchya with the wicked rhyme
Stickin' it in your mind, rewind the Flatline
Unload, explode, here's the new episode
Paranoia, can't do nuttin for ya
Helter skelter, mind melter, if I feltchya
If I die, I'm goin to Hell, who do ya tell?
Run from the Devil, gotta shovel, gravedigga
How you gonna kill a dead nigga, if you figure I'm dead?
Here's the oops upside ya head
Here's a hot piece a lead, an instead I walk the Flatline
[Chorus]
If I'm on the Flatline's, it means I'm 'bout to lose my mind
Death is the seventh sign, and I'm runnin' outta time, so check this
I'm a suicidalist, that means I ain't afraid to die
If I play the game of death, that means I play the game to die
Russian roulette, hit my two and reenact the fooly
Unruly, you'll see me lose my cool G
Click, click, click, click, clickity, click, click
Cock the hammer, and when it slams, God damn, (gunshot) bam
[Chorus]
Flatline....Flatline....Flatline....Flatline
Well I walk the Flatlines and I'm 'bout to lose my grip
Gotta gun in my hand, wrapped around my finger tips
If I slip then I might catch a hole in my head
Sceamin' out bloody redrum, for somethin I said um
My minds goin Bedlam, flash backs of Rambo
So much pressure, I grab the ammo off my dresser
I'm shakin', I start to tremble, for Jack Me Nimble
My mind starts crashin' like a symbol, and I'm in limbo
To calm me down I think I better count to ten
But I only made it to nine, I did a Flatline
[Chorus]
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