Tom Courtenay

Back on 2001 I was at a Yo La Tengo's concert which was followed by a questions-and-answers session where the band sat at the stage and talked to those of us who stayed. I was quick to ask Ira Kaplan what was the meaning behind this song. He wasn't very specific saying that it wasn't about a particular event or person, but rather about all the things which allure you in cinema, literature and the media in general when you're young.

I think Ira put a lot of moments of her childhood and adolescence into words and made a song with them.

the actor tom courtenay and the actress julie christie are both in the movie "dr. zhivago".

sort of the same sentiment as comfortably numb, staying home and shooting up all the time

I'm gonna take a wild stab, here...I think the song is mostly about "Billy Liar," which stars Tom Courtenay and Julie Christie. It's about being the kind of guy Tom Courtenay plays in the film: a dreamer and a fan, alone in your room, watching movies and reading magazines, imagining a glamorous, exciting world where you're a hero, but not really doing anything. When Billy finally gets a chance to break away from his boring job and his boring life in his boring town and head off to adventures in London with a gorgeous, exciting woman (Julie Christie), he's too timid to go for it. Gonna take it slow...it's all about regret, missed opportunities, and the accompanying self-loathing that you'll do anything to numb.

I'm not sure why the object of fandom here is "Help!," but it certainly fits with the whole U.K. early-'60s thing.

The line following "See her in the arms of Paul" should actually read "Saying, "I can say no more"". It's a reference to the movie "Help!".

Thanks for taking a wild stab, kaqi. That makes a fair amount of sense. I'm not sure wht to make of the drug references, but somehow they fit. When I first heard the song I was reminded of the movie "McCabe and Mrs. Miller", wherein Julie Christie plays an opium addict. but nothing else really fit. Note- Eleanor Bron was in the movie "Help." Yes, as oxymoronic as it sounds, the acoustic version does rock. I would almost sayit is better, but Yo La Tengo does those popy background vocals like no one else can.

This song is particular poignant for me, and sort of makes the hair on the back of my head stand up. My mother was a sort of local beauty and minor luminary in the 60's, before dying of a shot of heroin in 1969. I never knew her. "Looking for a lucky charm, with a needle hangin' out of its arm...." is a sort of devastating line to listen to.

Haunting, stark, beautiful.

Professional ponderings on the meaning of this song and who the narrator is: http://www.avclub.com/article/yo-la-tengos-tom-courtenay-pays-homage-60s-british-232340

And the acoustic version rocks too!