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,
"(spoken)Yo, so you know, all of a sudden, we're in front of the
restaurant and she decides she wants to leave on her own.
And I'm like "Just go!" you know? And then she,
she gotta get something out the car
she gotta do this she gotta do that...(/spoken)
Yo she was always trying to fight me
Kick me and bite me
I used to argue with her daily and nightly
Trying to excite me, saying shit to spite me
She said "I know it isn't another girl!" I said "It might be."
There really wasn't but I said it cause she hyped me.
I know she loved me but she act like she don't like me
And started gradually just trippin' on me slightly
All of a sudden, she stopped acting politely
I said "Just kiss me instead of trying to dis me.
'Cause when I'm gone you'll be hollering you miss me.
You should just love me instead of trying to shove me.
Try to hug me instead of trying to bug me."
She beautiful but be acting like she ugly
I know she dug me but why the hell she drug me
Through all the drama talking 'bout that she can kill me?
Be flashing on me, turn around and say "You feel me?"
I'm like "Yo, you ain't always got to grill me
You better tighten up before somebody steal me."
CHORUS:
Why you be acting up, why you be showing out?
Why you be talking all loud when we in the house?
What's with the attitude? Why you like to run your mouth?
I guess you really don't know what it's all about.
You gots to BOUNCE
Get your clothes and BOUNCE
Pack your bullshit and BOUNCE
Get your clothes and BOUNCE
Gimme everything and BOUNCE
She was always trying to hold me
Shape me and mold me.
I never knew and nobody ever told me
Trying to control me just because she know me
She said "If you love me like you tell me then you show me!"
I had to tell her that I dealt with her solely
It didn't matter 'cause she treated me so coldly
Tried to talk with her but she blocked it like a goalie
We was lovers before we was homies
I said support me instead of trying to short me
Outvote me or root beer float me
Misquote me or even scapegoat me
And after all that insult me?
CHORUS
(spoken)You know, we used to be close now you want to badmouth me
and talk to your friends all crazy about what I do...(/spoken)
She was always trying to clown me
Sink me or drown me
Outthink outdrink and out-of-bound me.
I used to leave but I hated when she found me
But she got to everyone in the townie
I tried to duck from the drama that surround me
It's in my blood, I'm a king you got to crown me
The way she flipped the script on me was astounding
"Who do you think about when you say who found me?"
I should have taught her everytime I fought her
I never caught her and never tried to salt her
I wonder why our relationship falter
I guess we both have the kind of life you can't alter.
People should make up instead of trying to break up
Or just break up cause that can be a wake up
And when you wake up make sure you take up
A little time so you don't make a mistake up.
CHORUS
Take your (keys/cat/dog/silverware/dishes/old couch) and BOUNCE
(spoken)Yo, alright, this is done. No more, I can't argue with you..."
restaurant and she decides she wants to leave on her own.
And I'm like "Just go!" you know? And then she,
she gotta get something out the car
she gotta do this she gotta do that...(/spoken)
Yo she was always trying to fight me
Kick me and bite me
I used to argue with her daily and nightly
Trying to excite me, saying shit to spite me
She said "I know it isn't another girl!" I said "It might be."
There really wasn't but I said it cause she hyped me.
I know she loved me but she act like she don't like me
And started gradually just trippin' on me slightly
All of a sudden, she stopped acting politely
I said "Just kiss me instead of trying to dis me.
'Cause when I'm gone you'll be hollering you miss me.
You should just love me instead of trying to shove me.
Try to hug me instead of trying to bug me."
She beautiful but be acting like she ugly
I know she dug me but why the hell she drug me
Through all the drama talking 'bout that she can kill me?
Be flashing on me, turn around and say "You feel me?"
I'm like "Yo, you ain't always got to grill me
You better tighten up before somebody steal me."
CHORUS:
Why you be acting up, why you be showing out?
Why you be talking all loud when we in the house?
What's with the attitude? Why you like to run your mouth?
I guess you really don't know what it's all about.
You gots to BOUNCE
Get your clothes and BOUNCE
Pack your bullshit and BOUNCE
Get your clothes and BOUNCE
Gimme everything and BOUNCE
She was always trying to hold me
Shape me and mold me.
I never knew and nobody ever told me
Trying to control me just because she know me
She said "If you love me like you tell me then you show me!"
I had to tell her that I dealt with her solely
It didn't matter 'cause she treated me so coldly
Tried to talk with her but she blocked it like a goalie
We was lovers before we was homies
I said support me instead of trying to short me
Outvote me or root beer float me
Misquote me or even scapegoat me
And after all that insult me?
CHORUS
(spoken)You know, we used to be close now you want to badmouth me
and talk to your friends all crazy about what I do...(/spoken)
She was always trying to clown me
Sink me or drown me
Outthink outdrink and out-of-bound me.
I used to leave but I hated when she found me
But she got to everyone in the townie
I tried to duck from the drama that surround me
It's in my blood, I'm a king you got to crown me
The way she flipped the script on me was astounding
"Who do you think about when you say who found me?"
I should have taught her everytime I fought her
I never caught her and never tried to salt her
I wonder why our relationship falter
I guess we both have the kind of life you can't alter.
People should make up instead of trying to break up
Or just break up cause that can be a wake up
And when you wake up make sure you take up
A little time so you don't make a mistake up.
CHORUS
Take your (keys/cat/dog/silverware/dishes/old couch) and BOUNCE
(spoken)Yo, alright, this is done. No more, I can't argue with you..."
Lyrics submitted by Ice
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Just listening for the 784,654th time....and it's just perfect in every way. Just incredible. The only reason it was remade was to scoop up a boatload of money from a more modern and accepting audience. But it is a completely different song than the other one that sounds slapped together in a few takes without a thought for the meaning.
This song captivates me still, after 50+ years. Takes me to the deep South and the poverty of some who lived thru truly hard times. And the powerful spirit of a poor young girl being abandoned to her future with only a red dress and her wits to keep her alive.
She not only stayed alive, she turned her hard beginnings around, became self sufficient, successful and someone with respect for herself. She didn't let the naysayers and judgers stop her. She's the one sitting in the drivers seat at the end.
So, not a song about a poor girl, but a song of hope and how you can rise up no matter how far down you started.
There is a huge difference between a singer who simply belts out a song that is on a page in front of them, and someone who can convey an entire experience with their voice. Telling not just a story with words, but taking you inside it and making you feel like you are there, with their interpretation.