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,
from out of the pinstripes into the white lights
i was the one true friend
and you were my saviour perfect behavior
money i'd never spend
winter's delivering summer's forgiving
storms in our washed out hearts
guessed every second corrected and reckoned
on the words: 'not to part'
C: when i got better i wrote you a letter but i didn't send it anywhere
it floats on a dashboard looks on a churchyard's children's promises to share
the words aren't free so don't you believe them, something had to be declared
and i have to face july with two holes in my heart
and i have to face this life with two hearts
i could deceive you, or i could receive you
warmly in my estate
smile so politely, correspond nightly,
talk about what we ate
then in the winter, everything splinters,
we will forget our names,
sleep in our ashes, hide from the lightening
flashes and the cold rain
C: when i got better i wrote you a letter but i didn't send it anywhere
it floats on a dashboard looks on a churchyard's children's promises to share
the words aren't free so don't you believe them, something had to be declared
and i have to face july with two holes in my heart
and i have to face this life with two hearts
i was the one true friend
and you were my saviour perfect behavior
money i'd never spend
winter's delivering summer's forgiving
storms in our washed out hearts
guessed every second corrected and reckoned
on the words: 'not to part'
C: when i got better i wrote you a letter but i didn't send it anywhere
it floats on a dashboard looks on a churchyard's children's promises to share
the words aren't free so don't you believe them, something had to be declared
and i have to face july with two holes in my heart
and i have to face this life with two hearts
i could deceive you, or i could receive you
warmly in my estate
smile so politely, correspond nightly,
talk about what we ate
then in the winter, everything splinters,
we will forget our names,
sleep in our ashes, hide from the lightening
flashes and the cold rain
C: when i got better i wrote you a letter but i didn't send it anywhere
it floats on a dashboard looks on a churchyard's children's promises to share
the words aren't free so don't you believe them, something had to be declared
and i have to face july with two holes in my heart
and i have to face this life with two hearts
Lyrics submitted by prayingmantis84
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This is absolutely one of my favorite songs from the Winterpills. Any clue as to the meaning?
I think it's about two friends, possibly a couple, who always supported each other when they were younger but then went their separate ways. The speaker is now realizing s/he still has feelings for the other person but wonders if it's simply leftover affection and memories from simpler times, when these feelings came much easier. The second verse explains how even if they met up again they could never, as adults, continue from the "children's promises" they kept when they were young.