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,
oh my god
what if we had an accident
oh my god
till you're dead
that's how long you're a parent
till you're dead
you know i meant what i said
i think you'll be a good mother
but honey look at us now
we barely support each other
take the pill
i know it makes you crazy
take the pill
call in sick
ill get some movies
call in sick
i know your mom was your age
when she had your brother
but honey look at our lives
how could we support another
we could be killers
just for one night
what if we had an accident
oh my god
till you're dead
that's how long you're a parent
till you're dead
you know i meant what i said
i think you'll be a good mother
but honey look at us now
we barely support each other
take the pill
i know it makes you crazy
take the pill
call in sick
ill get some movies
call in sick
i know your mom was your age
when she had your brother
but honey look at our lives
how could we support another
we could be killers
just for one night
Lyrics submitted by vmwhelan
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it's obviously about birth control but i think it has either one of two further meanings:
that he told her to take the pill, and she didn't and now he's telling her to get an abotion hence "we could be killer just for one night" or
that he's warning her that if she does get pregnant that they would have to get an abortion. the line "we could be killers just for one night" seems to parody "we could be heros just for one night" in that he's saying if we get pregnant this night, then we will become killers in aborting the fetus.