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,
Happy happy oh my friend
Blow out candles once again
Leave the presents all inside
Take my hand and let's take a ride
Backwards down the number line
You were eight and I was nine
Do you know what happened then
Do you know why we're still friends
Laughing all these many years
We've pushed through hardships tasted tears
We made a promise one to keep
I can still recite it in my sleep
Every time a birthday comes
Call your friend and sing a song
Or whisper it in to his ears
Or write it down just don't miss a year
You decide what it contains
How long it goes
But this remains
The only rule is it begins
Happy happy oh my friend
You decide what it contains
How long it goes
But this remains
The only rule is it begins
And all my friends come
Backwards down the number line
All my friends come
Backwards down the number line
All my friends come
Backwards down the number line
All my friends
You decide what it contains
How long it goes
But this remains
The only rule is it begins
Happy happy oh my friend
You decide what it contains
How long it goes
But this remains
The only rule is it begins
And all my friends come
Backwards down the number line
All my friends come
Backwards down the number line
All my friends come
Backwards down the number line
All my friends
And all my friends come
Backwards down the number line
All my friends come
Backwards down the number line
All my friends come
Backwards down the number line
All my friends
Blow out candles once again
Leave the presents all inside
Take my hand and let's take a ride
Backwards down the number line
You were eight and I was nine
Do you know what happened then
Do you know why we're still friends
Laughing all these many years
We've pushed through hardships tasted tears
We made a promise one to keep
I can still recite it in my sleep
Every time a birthday comes
Call your friend and sing a song
Or whisper it in to his ears
Or write it down just don't miss a year
You decide what it contains
How long it goes
But this remains
The only rule is it begins
Happy happy oh my friend
You decide what it contains
How long it goes
But this remains
The only rule is it begins
And all my friends come
Backwards down the number line
All my friends come
Backwards down the number line
All my friends come
Backwards down the number line
All my friends
You decide what it contains
How long it goes
But this remains
The only rule is it begins
Happy happy oh my friend
You decide what it contains
How long it goes
But this remains
The only rule is it begins
And all my friends come
Backwards down the number line
All my friends come
Backwards down the number line
All my friends come
Backwards down the number line
All my friends
And all my friends come
Backwards down the number line
All my friends come
Backwards down the number line
All my friends come
Backwards down the number line
All my friends
Lyrics submitted by inourdr
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