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 had a match
But she had a lighter
I had a flame
But she had a fire
I was bright
But she was much brighter
I was high
But she was the sky
Oh baby
I was bound for Mexico
Oh baby
I was bound to let you go
I don't know much about Cinco de Mayo
I'm never sure what it's all about
But I say I want you
And you don't believe me
You say you want me
But I've got my doubts
Oh baby
I was bound for Mexico
Oh baby
I was bound to let you go
I had a match
But she had a lighter
I had a flame
But she had a fire
I was bright
But she was much brighter
I was high
But she was the sky
Oh baby
I was bound for Mexico
Oh baby
I was
But she had a lighter
I had a flame
But she had a fire
I was bright
But she was much brighter
I was high
But she was the sky
Oh baby
I was bound for Mexico
Oh baby
I was bound to let you go
I don't know much about Cinco de Mayo
I'm never sure what it's all about
But I say I want you
And you don't believe me
You say you want me
But I've got my doubts
Oh baby
I was bound for Mexico
Oh baby
I was bound to let you go
I had a match
But she had a lighter
I had a flame
But she had a fire
I was bright
But she was much brighter
I was high
But she was the sky
Oh baby
I was bound for Mexico
Oh baby
I was
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This song means alot to me. I once had a year long relationship with a married mexican girl. I always felt that she was too perfect for me, that she never tried to get one over on me it was just natural that if you think someone is so perfect then you will always feel below them. Anyway it ended because she never left her husband and so I moved to spain. Mexico to me always represented a different world that one day I could go to and forget the things in my world, the bit about cinco de mayo to me always adressed the part I felt where yes you have a romantic image of latin america but you dont really get the culture fully. There are as many reasons not to go as there are to go. I don´t know, maybe thats just because I come from rainy old england