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,
Don't start me on the rum, Just because it makes me numb.
Start me on the whiskey I know whiskey is his drink.
You never drank it with me but now you drink it with him,
I'm not good enough for whiskey, not good enough for you.
Let's start drinking wine, we used to all the time.
It used to go to our heads but then you went to his bed.
If the wine stains you lips red then tonight you might forget,
You might not go home to him you might stay here with me.
It is just wishful thinking that all this hard drinking might lure you back to my ramshackle stable,
There's no point in trying, the debutante was lying when she said that she did something that your lips could never do.
And if you know what's true then you know I love you.
Its six months since you left, you must be truly blessed,
Cause you look no less pretty, in fact you may be more so,
If you reap the seeds that you sow, Oh we both know you are going straight to Hell
Start me on the whiskey I know whiskey is his drink.
You never drank it with me but now you drink it with him,
I'm not good enough for whiskey, not good enough for you.
Let's start drinking wine, we used to all the time.
It used to go to our heads but then you went to his bed.
If the wine stains you lips red then tonight you might forget,
You might not go home to him you might stay here with me.
It is just wishful thinking that all this hard drinking might lure you back to my ramshackle stable,
There's no point in trying, the debutante was lying when she said that she did something that your lips could never do.
And if you know what's true then you know I love you.
Its six months since you left, you must be truly blessed,
Cause you look no less pretty, in fact you may be more so,
If you reap the seeds that you sow, Oh we both know you are going straight to Hell
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