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,
she said that she loved me and maybe we could try,
try again, so we forged on ahead
but with an empty heart and an empty head,
there is really nothing to be said,
you may as well be dead
yes I will burn, yes I will burn,
and I will be smoke rising to the air
yeah it's better to quit while you're ahead,
while the blood still boils and the craziness roars
the way my ears rang with it when I heard your voice
perhaps I made the wrong choice
yes I tried to love her and simply do my part
tell myself 'hang onto peace, don't go looking for war'
well am I to blame if nothing touches me,
if the devout have a passion that I can't seem to see?
I look at her crying and crawling to me,
I think I wouldn't mind if I was in her shoes
for it seems what I touch turns to coal,
turns weak and mean like me
and all around me darkness
I must admit is what I prefer to see
'cause with an empty heart and an empty head,
there is really nothing to be said,
you may as well be dead
yes I will burn, yes I will turn
into ashes scattered on the ocean
and to renounce you now, you devil,
would be to turn you against me
and is this any time to be making an enemy?
anyway, here I am waiting for you, waiting to burn
'cause with an empty heart and an empty head,
there is really nothing to be said
you may as well be dead
try again, so we forged on ahead
but with an empty heart and an empty head,
there is really nothing to be said,
you may as well be dead
yes I will burn, yes I will burn,
and I will be smoke rising to the air
yeah it's better to quit while you're ahead,
while the blood still boils and the craziness roars
the way my ears rang with it when I heard your voice
perhaps I made the wrong choice
yes I tried to love her and simply do my part
tell myself 'hang onto peace, don't go looking for war'
well am I to blame if nothing touches me,
if the devout have a passion that I can't seem to see?
I look at her crying and crawling to me,
I think I wouldn't mind if I was in her shoes
for it seems what I touch turns to coal,
turns weak and mean like me
and all around me darkness
I must admit is what I prefer to see
'cause with an empty heart and an empty head,
there is really nothing to be said,
you may as well be dead
yes I will burn, yes I will turn
into ashes scattered on the ocean
and to renounce you now, you devil,
would be to turn you against me
and is this any time to be making an enemy?
anyway, here I am waiting for you, waiting to burn
'cause with an empty heart and an empty head,
there is really nothing to be said
you may as well be dead
Lyrics submitted by delial
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