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,
Ice on the road, blood on the rail
A myth in the making newspapers sell
Another one falling
And no one is calling our names
Our names, our names
Treasonous treasures these towers of steel
Nothing so broken, nothing so real
The seasons keep turning
The sunshine is burning away
Away, away
I know it don't make it right
But once there was so much light
And here was the center of it all
Hard to believe a mother's dream
The most beautiful thing you've ever seen
That's why we stay
In Cabrini-green
Damned in the doorways seeking their fill
Another brother spreading his will
I sing for my supper and pray for my mother today
Today, today
Out on the tarmac the boys and their ball
Scribble their fates up on the wall
Of silence and sirens a semblance of liars is born
Is born, is born
A myth in the making newspapers sell
Another one falling
And no one is calling our names
Our names, our names
Treasonous treasures these towers of steel
Nothing so broken, nothing so real
The seasons keep turning
The sunshine is burning away
Away, away
I know it don't make it right
But once there was so much light
And here was the center of it all
Hard to believe a mother's dream
The most beautiful thing you've ever seen
That's why we stay
In Cabrini-green
Damned in the doorways seeking their fill
Another brother spreading his will
I sing for my supper and pray for my mother today
Today, today
Out on the tarmac the boys and their ball
Scribble their fates up on the wall
Of silence and sirens a semblance of liars is born
Is born, is born
Lyrics submitted by vivalasmeggas
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