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,
Don’t need no paper
Don’t need no pencils
Don’t need no love letters
Cause I just wanna get along with you
No beeper don’t need no cellular
Though Digital’s better listen
I just wanna get along with you
1 Try me cause I’d be
The one that makes you happy
But the part that I don’t get is
Why me? You deny me
Now I forced to roam this planet
Sadly lonely like some used briget
2 You took my heartbeat from me
This is the saddest story
What was wrong with my love?
You took my heartbeat from me
Was it I loved you poorly?
Whatever it was, I just wanna get along with you
Don’t need no car
Don’t need no truck
Don’t need no vehicles
Cause I just wanna get along with you
Don’t need no planes
Don’t need no trains
Don’t need to be passenger
Cause I just wanna get along with you
Repeat 1
Repeat 2
Don’t need these clothes
Don’t need this house
Don’t need this land or skies
Cause I just wanna get along with you
These eyes, don’t need these thighs
As a matter of fact this damn life
Cause I just wanna get along with you
Repeat 1
3 - You took my heartbeat from me
This is the saddest story
What was wrong with my love?
You took my heartbeat from me
Should have just stabbed it for me
From ashes to dust, I just wanna get along with you
Dear diary
I remember like it was yesterday
It was October 30
I know longer have any need for these worldly things
I wanna go where he is
I’ll follow the fire in the sky
And like that I’ll be gone
Repeat 3
You took my heartbeat from me
This is the saddest story
You took my heartbeat from me
Should have just stabbed it for me
Don’t need no pencils
Don’t need no love letters
Cause I just wanna get along with you
No beeper don’t need no cellular
Though Digital’s better listen
I just wanna get along with you
1 Try me cause I’d be
The one that makes you happy
But the part that I don’t get is
Why me? You deny me
Now I forced to roam this planet
Sadly lonely like some used briget
2 You took my heartbeat from me
This is the saddest story
What was wrong with my love?
You took my heartbeat from me
Was it I loved you poorly?
Whatever it was, I just wanna get along with you
Don’t need no car
Don’t need no truck
Don’t need no vehicles
Cause I just wanna get along with you
Don’t need no planes
Don’t need no trains
Don’t need to be passenger
Cause I just wanna get along with you
Repeat 1
Repeat 2
Don’t need these clothes
Don’t need this house
Don’t need this land or skies
Cause I just wanna get along with you
These eyes, don’t need these thighs
As a matter of fact this damn life
Cause I just wanna get along with you
Repeat 1
3 - You took my heartbeat from me
This is the saddest story
What was wrong with my love?
You took my heartbeat from me
Should have just stabbed it for me
From ashes to dust, I just wanna get along with you
Dear diary
I remember like it was yesterday
It was October 30
I know longer have any need for these worldly things
I wanna go where he is
I’ll follow the fire in the sky
And like that I’ll be gone
Repeat 3
You took my heartbeat from me
This is the saddest story
You took my heartbeat from me
Should have just stabbed it for me
Lyrics submitted by 3ssence
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I think the meaning is pretty clear. This person got really burned in a previous relationship, and because of this is unable to love and show care in his present one, even though he so badly wants to. It's lovely song, and very sad. You can really feel how defeated and frustrated he is with himself.
love the video
It's something very special from Kelis, also the video is very artistic. THX!
this is a killer song. the video rocks too.
this is by far her greatest song. it's so sincere.
I seem to recall this video was very well done...anyway, the song is pretty amazing. Its just about wanting to be with someone and nothing in the world would mean to them.
this is one of the saddes songs i've ever heard and unfortunately i can completely relaate to it. This song is about being so in love with someone and being rejected. Kelis speaks of being so in love that she "no longer has any need for these wordly things i just wanna go where he is" meaning that nothing else matters but being with this person. It is the saddest and most meaningful song kelis has ever made. it invokes so much emotino if u only listen to the lyrics so check it out. any1 whos ever been in this situation will totally relate and commend kelis. kelis fan for life!
I think the lyrics posted on this and other sites are wrong. When she says "no beeper, don't need no cellular", I think she then says "no digital fetter". Fetter makes more sense here, and there are already discrepancies in the lyrics posted on various sites. It would nice if the official lyrics were on her site. What do you guys think? What she says, it's an awesome song. I can't wait for her new album to drop in June!
cheese_please is completely right about the meaning of this song. I LOVE this song and can completely relate to it. It's about loving someone who doesn't love you back.
I wonder if the meaning of this song can be taken deeper. As though the love of which she's speaking is something greater than love between a man and woman. It's hard because of the chorus and bridge, as though the song WAS deeper, but so that more people could connect with it, she attached this simpler meaning. Originally it was referring to not needing material things so that one could ascend into a higher being "I'll follow the fire in the sky, and like that I'm gone." Like, she showed it to her producers, and they latched the meaning onto it so it would sell. If FilthyRich's correction is right that she said "digital fetter" instead of better, it would fit better. Fetters are chains or shackles, digital fetter and other material possessions would be chains locking one inside the Cycle of Life, only you're the one locking yourself inside by holding on to them; once you let go, you'll be free of the Cycle, and like that, you're gone.
This is a sad song. At first it seems like she is singing about rejection but at the end the song makes me think of someone whose lover has died, who wants to die to be with them. Especially when she says:
"Cause I just wanna get along with you These eyes, don't need these thighs As a matter of fact this damn life Cause I just wanna get along with you"
And
"Dear diary I remember like it was yesterday It was October 30 I know longer have any need for these worldly things I wanna go where he is I'll follow the fire in the sky And like that I'll be gone"
She lists the worldly possessions she will leave behind and eventually adds her body and life to that list, ending the final verse with : "And like that I'll be gone"