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,
Give me one more chance
And you'll be satisfied
Give me two more chances
You won't be denied
Well my heart is where it's always been
My head is somewhere in between
Give me one more chance
Let me be your lover tonight
(Check it out)
You're the real thing
Yeah the real thing
You're the real thing
Even better than the real thing
Child...
Give me one last chance
And I'm gonna make you sing
Give me half a chance
To ride on the waves that you bring
You're honey child to a swarm of bees
Gonna blow right through you like a breeze
Give me one last dance
We'll slide down the surface of things
You're the real thing
Yeah the real thing
You're the real thing
Even better than the real thing
Child...
We're free to fly the crimson sky
The sun won't melt our wings tonight
Oh now...here she comes
Take me higher
Take me higher
You take me higher
You take me higher
You're the real thing
Yeah the real thing
You're the real thing
Even better than the real thing
Even better than the real thing
Even better than the real thing
And you'll be satisfied
Give me two more chances
You won't be denied
Well my heart is where it's always been
My head is somewhere in between
Give me one more chance
Let me be your lover tonight
(Check it out)
You're the real thing
Yeah the real thing
You're the real thing
Even better than the real thing
Child...
Give me one last chance
And I'm gonna make you sing
Give me half a chance
To ride on the waves that you bring
You're honey child to a swarm of bees
Gonna blow right through you like a breeze
Give me one last dance
We'll slide down the surface of things
You're the real thing
Yeah the real thing
You're the real thing
Even better than the real thing
Child...
We're free to fly the crimson sky
The sun won't melt our wings tonight
Oh now...here she comes
Take me higher
Take me higher
You take me higher
You take me higher
You're the real thing
Yeah the real thing
You're the real thing
Even better than the real thing
Even better than the real thing
Even better than the real thing
Lyrics submitted by Novartza
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This is a sex song. Proves you don't have to be the Red Hot Chili Peppers to make a good sex song!
Someone once told it was a song about the Holy Spirit YEAH THAT GOD STUFF!
As for it being about sex - I'll leave it to my good friend bono who said in priont on 10 Feb, 2002:
"I sometimes think I have a kind of Tourette's syndrome, where if you're not supposed to say something, it becomes very attractive to do so," he once <bono that is> said. "You're in a rock band -- what can't you talk about? God? Okay, here we go. You're supposed to write songs about sex and drugs. Well, no, I won't."
Not about sex coz to quote the man himself "No I won't"!
This song is about Salome from the perspective of Herod
"We're free to fly the crimson sky The sun won't melt our wings tonight" I have always loved Bono's descriptive lyrics. :) The video the revolving camera thing-it gives me motion sickness. I love Clayton's bass-you can hear him for once! Loove this song. :) Even better then the real Coca-Cola baby!
I'll take your word for it, IanoDublin! ;) I thoroughly enjoy the song, though... it is a great song to listen to while you drive home from work. Well, let's face it, ANY song sounds good after you get out of work, but this is definitely an ego-booster.
great sex/makeout song alright :)
Bono mentioned in an interview that this song was partly a plea to bassist Adam Clayton to show Bono the "seedier" side of Berlin (where they were recording). Adam was know as the partier of the group, and had access to places in Berlin that Bono wanted to see.
About Virtual Reality. I think it was written about comments made by a fighter pilot who had been using a flight simulator and said it was Even Better Than The Real Thing.
"We'll slide down the surface of things "
As Victor Ward put it: "Whoa!"
I'm not sure on what this means, whether it is saying that someting that doesnt properley exist is better than its "real" counterpart or what. But its one hell of a good song, very enjoyable.