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,
I been working, one eye dollar
Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye
I been working, one eye dollar
Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye
I got the plans to the Oval Office
Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye
I got the plans in my front pocket
Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye
In the inner chambers of the President
You will find no crosses, only pentagrams
Beelzebub and business suits
On the hot line, all right
I been working, one eye dollar
Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye
I been working, one eye dollar
Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye
I been working like a pack mule every day
And to think that some of it ends up that way
Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye
I been working, one eye dollar
Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye
I got the plans to the Oval Office
Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye
I got the plans in my front pocket
Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye
In the inner chambers of the President
You will find no crosses, only pentagrams
Beelzebub and business suits
On the hot line, all right
I been working, one eye dollar
Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye
I been working, one eye dollar
Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye
I been working like a pack mule every day
And to think that some of it ends up that way
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“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
yes fozzymandias I don't think people take the time out of their day to look at the dollar enough to know it has the eye and the pyramid which both have ties to Freemasonry