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,
Wild Bird flying
Sing a song that I can't capture
I'll make it up to you somehow
High my hat was hung there for a while
On a pole set up Norwegian style
Ready to show them what I can
Little bird came flying by
And as northern flames light up the sky
That bird was singing out of range
And I got lost into a haze
He couldn't pick me up so I took him down
To be the centre of my crown
And I thought he'd make the change
He was singing out of range
Wild bird flying
Sing a song I can't capture
I'll make it up to you
Wild bird flying
Sing a song I can't capture
I'll make it up to you
If you can understand and now
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
You know it will never be the same
Truly wild will never tame
And I think it is a shame
Cuz all of the sudden he stopped singing his song
I lost my mind and all went wrong
I've got a heavy hand
Wild bird flying
Sing a song I can't capture
I'll make it up to you
Wild bird flying
Sing a song I can't capture
I'll make it up to you
If you can understand and now
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
Wild bird flying
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
Wild bird flying
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
Wild bird flying
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
Wild bird flying
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
Sing a song that I can't capture
I'll make it up to you somehow
High my hat was hung there for a while
On a pole set up Norwegian style
Ready to show them what I can
Little bird came flying by
And as northern flames light up the sky
That bird was singing out of range
And I got lost into a haze
He couldn't pick me up so I took him down
To be the centre of my crown
And I thought he'd make the change
He was singing out of range
Wild bird flying
Sing a song I can't capture
I'll make it up to you
Wild bird flying
Sing a song I can't capture
I'll make it up to you
If you can understand and now
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
You know it will never be the same
Truly wild will never tame
And I think it is a shame
Cuz all of the sudden he stopped singing his song
I lost my mind and all went wrong
I've got a heavy hand
Wild bird flying
Sing a song I can't capture
I'll make it up to you
Wild bird flying
Sing a song I can't capture
I'll make it up to you
If you can understand and now
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
Wild bird flying
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
Wild bird flying
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
Wild bird flying
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
Wild bird flying
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
Lyrics submitted by No(r)way
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