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,
Take a knife and carve it in,
Want to see your faults,
As a part, of your pretty skin,
Everyone has a tragedy,
I want you to wear yours in pain
Oblivion, can no longer shade you,
Reminded by the tattered tissue
(blend in)
Bleak silence
Errors stigmatized in you,
A weak worn out friend
There's nothing left for me,
Again and again
Your face reminds me of a bleak future,
Despite, the absence of hope,
I give you this sacrifice
You're so far, behind
Be my hero,
Drift away,
Save yourself,
Don't end up zero,
I will crawl,
Into your vault,
Past snakes, and all of your thoughts,
Living, fearless,
Your world inside slowly redesigned
I deny any reminisce of us
I'm on a new mission
I find myself in the future
A trace of the past cannot be found
Want to see your faults,
As a part, of your pretty skin,
Everyone has a tragedy,
I want you to wear yours in pain
Oblivion, can no longer shade you,
Reminded by the tattered tissue
(blend in)
Bleak silence
Errors stigmatized in you,
A weak worn out friend
There's nothing left for me,
Again and again
Your face reminds me of a bleak future,
Despite, the absence of hope,
I give you this sacrifice
You're so far, behind
Be my hero,
Drift away,
Save yourself,
Don't end up zero,
I will crawl,
Into your vault,
Past snakes, and all of your thoughts,
Living, fearless,
Your world inside slowly redesigned
I deny any reminisce of us
I'm on a new mission
I find myself in the future
A trace of the past cannot be found
Lyrics submitted by Aerion, edited by Pyroblade333
Borders and Shading Lyrics as written by Bjoern Ingvar Gelotte Anders Par Friden
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“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.
It sounds to me that the narrator/singer is not a person but the feeling that makes people become desperate, cut themselves or even let them commit suicide. (I will simply call it "the feeling" ;)
In the first paragraph it sais that the person made mistakes and he/she should cut their skin that eyerybody can see it. (Altought it might not be their own faults, but the people think they are.) "The feeling" in a way forces them to do that.
The chorus sais that the person is burned out and has no hope left. For "the feeling" is nothing left to destroy ("A weak worn out friend There's nothing left for me") and it offers the person the only way out...suicide ("Despite the absence of hope I give you this sacrifice")
In the next Paragraph again "the feeling" tries to persuade the person to cut her/himself to sleep ("drift away") Better be dead than burned out ("dont end up zero") And "the feeling" sais that it will not help ("cause i'll look the other way"). But I don't know exactly what to do with "You're so far Behind be my hero"
Last Paragraph describes how the person turned into such a desperate person. "The feeling" sneakes into the thoughts of someone and leaves there a "hotbed of virulence" so that every bad feeling or tragedy the person suffered once in life becomes an insuperable problem. So the psyche changes completly and the person only sees one way out of this.
My personal interpretation of this song. Sounds logical to me altought I cant figure out "You're so far Behind be my hero". Maybe to encourage the person in its plan...