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,
Now that you found yourself losing your mind
Are you here again?
Finding that what you once thought was real
Is gone and changing?
Now that you made yourself love me
Do you think I can change it in a day?
How can I place you above me?
Am I lying to you when I say
That I believe in you? Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
I believe in you
Coming to you at night, I see my questions
I feel my doubts
Wishing that maybe in a year or two
We could laugh and let it all out
Now that you made yourself love me
Do you think I can change it in a day?
How can I place you above me?
Am I lying to you when I say
That I believe in you? oh, oh, ooh, ooh, oh, oh
I believe in you, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
I believe in you
Are you here again?
Finding that what you once thought was real
Is gone and changing?
Now that you made yourself love me
Do you think I can change it in a day?
How can I place you above me?
Am I lying to you when I say
That I believe in you? Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
I believe in you
Coming to you at night, I see my questions
I feel my doubts
Wishing that maybe in a year or two
We could laugh and let it all out
Now that you made yourself love me
Do you think I can change it in a day?
How can I place you above me?
Am I lying to you when I say
That I believe in you? oh, oh, ooh, ooh, oh, oh
I believe in you, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
I believe in you
Lyrics submitted by radicaledward76
I Believe in You Lyrics as written by Neil Young
Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Now that you've found yourself losing your mind Are you here again? Findin' that what you once thought was real is gone and changin'
Perhaps he and the woman have reconciled after she left him for someone else (or just plain cheated on him) and that relationship went awry. They still love each other enough to forgive one another but their love just not the same the second time around.
Now that you've made yourself love me Do you think I can change it in a day? How can I place you above me? Am I lying to you when I say That I believe in you I believe in you
Perhaps she has come back to him suddenly and he can't resist because he hasn't found another woman and he really loves her regardless. Despite the newly repaired relationship, the sting from their breakup still lingers and he is unable to trust her completely after what she did to him.
Coming to you at night I see my questions I feel my doubts Wishing that maybe in a year or two we could laugh and let it all out
This is him basically repeating what he expressed in the last three lines of the chorus: can I really trust you? He is cautiously optimistic, however, and hopes that time will heal their wounds and make them forget about this dark patch.
This is one of Neil's best gentle songs. Beautiful, heartfelt, and simple lyrically but the words say more than their volume. An underrated masterpiece, perhaps overshadowed only because it sits next to nine other masterpieces on ATGR.
Excellent interpretation. I think you've gone into more detail about the nature of the relationship than the lyrics can confirm, but the general thrust is right. She's made herself love him, and he thinks he believes in her, but he's been hurt by her and still harbours doubts.