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,
Trace your way back fifty years
To the glow of Dresden, blood and tears
In the black above by the cruel searchlight
Men will die and men will fight, yeah
Who shot who and who fired first?
Dripping death to wet the blood thirst
No radar lock on skin and bone
The bomber boys are going home
Climb into the sky
Never wonder why
Tailgunner
You're a Tailgunner
Climb into the sky
Never wonder why
Tailgunner
You're a Tailgunner
Climb into the sky
Never wonder why
Tailgunner
You're a Tailgunner
Climb into the sky
Never wonder why
Tailgunner
You're a Tailgunner
Nail that Fokker, kill that son
Gonna blow your guts out with my gun
The weather forecasts' good for war
Cologne and Frankfurt? Have some more, hahaha
Tail end Charlie in the boiling sky
The Enola Gay was my last try
Now that this Tailgunner's gone
No more bombers, just one big bomb, yeah, ooh
Climb into the sky
Never wonder why
Tailgunner
You're a Tailgunner
Climb into the sky
Never wonder why
Tailgunner
You're a Tailgunner
Climb into the sky
Never wonder why
Tailgunner
You're a Tailgunner
Climb into the sky
Never wonder why
Tailgunner
You're a Tailgunner
To the glow of Dresden, blood and tears
In the black above by the cruel searchlight
Men will die and men will fight, yeah
Who shot who and who fired first?
Dripping death to wet the blood thirst
No radar lock on skin and bone
The bomber boys are going home
Climb into the sky
Never wonder why
Tailgunner
You're a Tailgunner
Climb into the sky
Never wonder why
Tailgunner
You're a Tailgunner
Climb into the sky
Never wonder why
Tailgunner
You're a Tailgunner
Climb into the sky
Never wonder why
Tailgunner
You're a Tailgunner
Nail that Fokker, kill that son
Gonna blow your guts out with my gun
The weather forecasts' good for war
Cologne and Frankfurt? Have some more, hahaha
Tail end Charlie in the boiling sky
The Enola Gay was my last try
Now that this Tailgunner's gone
No more bombers, just one big bomb, yeah, ooh
Climb into the sky
Never wonder why
Tailgunner
You're a Tailgunner
Climb into the sky
Never wonder why
Tailgunner
You're a Tailgunner
Climb into the sky
Never wonder why
Tailgunner
You're a Tailgunner
Climb into the sky
Never wonder why
Tailgunner
You're a Tailgunner
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