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,
One more drink tonight as your gray stallion rests
Where he lays in the reins
For all of the speed and the strength he gave
One more kiss tonight from some tall stable girl
She's like grace from the earth
When you're all tuckered out and tame
One more tired thing the gray moon on the rise
When your want from the day
Makes you to curse in your sleep at night
One more gift to bring we may well find you laid
Like your steed in his reins
Tangled too tight and too long to fight
Where he lays in the reins
For all of the speed and the strength he gave
One more kiss tonight from some tall stable girl
She's like grace from the earth
When you're all tuckered out and tame
One more tired thing the gray moon on the rise
When your want from the day
Makes you to curse in your sleep at night
One more gift to bring we may well find you laid
Like your steed in his reins
Tangled too tight and too long to fight
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher, edited by sulue822
He Lays in the Reins Lyrics as written by Samuel Ervin Beam
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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this song is a great new direction for iron and wine. it is a bit different from the norm, but it's still just as beautiful, at first i didn't like the spanish opera sound, but now i can't stop listening to this.
i can't really put into words what this song means to me. it's almost like someone who is tired out from life and even though they want, they can't keep fighting, they have been too tangled for too long