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,
Well I know it, it's a shame
A shame I can't show it,
I see it, I can see
It now but I'm so far below it
Don't want to, don't want to talk about it,
I say why not,
Don't want to think about it,
I say there's got to be some good reason
For your little black backpack up,
Smack, turnaround he's on his back and
Don't want to tango with you,
I'd rather tangle with him,
I think I'm gonna bash his head in,
And this shouldn't concern
You except that just don't expect to get
Your bloody black backpack back
I can feel you, yes I can what about that
Don't you understand,
And I sense you,
Its something sensual but its less than I
Planned
Don't want to, don't want to talk about it,
I say why not,
Don't want to think about it,
I say there's got to be some good reason
For your little black backpack up,
Smack, turnaround he's on his back and
Don't want to tango with you,
I'd rather tangle with him,
I think I'm gonna bash his head in,
And this shouldn't concern
You except just don't expect to get
Your bloody black backpack back
You're trying to find a reason for the way you feel tonight,
You're mind is lined with layers of lead,
Have you heard one thing that I've said
Don't want to talk about it,
I say why not,
Don't want to think about it,
I say there's got to be some good reason
For your little black backpack up,
Smack, turnaround he's on his back and
Don't want to tango with you,
I'd rather tangle with him,
I think I'm gonna bash his head in,
And this shouldn't concern
You except just don't expect to get
Your bloody black backpack back (twice)
A shame I can't show it,
I see it, I can see
It now but I'm so far below it
Don't want to, don't want to talk about it,
I say why not,
Don't want to think about it,
I say there's got to be some good reason
For your little black backpack up,
Smack, turnaround he's on his back and
Don't want to tango with you,
I'd rather tangle with him,
I think I'm gonna bash his head in,
And this shouldn't concern
You except that just don't expect to get
Your bloody black backpack back
I can feel you, yes I can what about that
Don't you understand,
And I sense you,
Its something sensual but its less than I
Planned
Don't want to, don't want to talk about it,
I say why not,
Don't want to think about it,
I say there's got to be some good reason
For your little black backpack up,
Smack, turnaround he's on his back and
Don't want to tango with you,
I'd rather tangle with him,
I think I'm gonna bash his head in,
And this shouldn't concern
You except just don't expect to get
Your bloody black backpack back
You're trying to find a reason for the way you feel tonight,
You're mind is lined with layers of lead,
Have you heard one thing that I've said
Don't want to talk about it,
I say why not,
Don't want to think about it,
I say there's got to be some good reason
For your little black backpack up,
Smack, turnaround he's on his back and
Don't want to tango with you,
I'd rather tangle with him,
I think I'm gonna bash his head in,
And this shouldn't concern
You except just don't expect to get
Your bloody black backpack back (twice)
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You really don't know what it's about? I thought it's pretty obvious.
It's about a jealous guy and his girlfriend. She let's a guy hold her little black backpack, and he goes off in a jealous rage and beats the fuck out of him. The other verses are about how he tries to talk to her, but she just doens't "get it" about how this tears him up.
So when he see's her with the guy holding her backpack, he won't talk or work things out with her, he just straight up wants to kick the guys ass.
There ya go