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,
Stop, turn around, move against the Broadway rush hour crowd
Fifty-ninth, find the statue and look up to the sky
how the buildings lean as if they're listening
The outlines are glowing when we're looking at the right angle
the story's unfolding when we're looking at the right angle
Stand on the edge where the danger keeps us out of our heads
underground, on the platform, swallowed up by the sound
and the trains don't care so let's be honest here
The signs are repeating when we're looking at the right angle
the patterns are meeting when we're looking at the right angle
the boundaries are blurring when we're looking at the right angle
the secret's unfurling when we're looking at the right angle
The shadows are changing when we're looking at the right angle
the corners are fading when we're looking at the right angle
the colors are bleeding when we're looking at the right angle
I know you'll believe me when you're looking at the right angle
Fifty-ninth, find the statue and look up to the sky
how the buildings lean as if they're listening
The outlines are glowing when we're looking at the right angle
the story's unfolding when we're looking at the right angle
Stand on the edge where the danger keeps us out of our heads
underground, on the platform, swallowed up by the sound
and the trains don't care so let's be honest here
The signs are repeating when we're looking at the right angle
the patterns are meeting when we're looking at the right angle
the boundaries are blurring when we're looking at the right angle
the secret's unfurling when we're looking at the right angle
The shadows are changing when we're looking at the right angle
the corners are fading when we're looking at the right angle
the colors are bleeding when we're looking at the right angle
I know you'll believe me when you're looking at the right angle
Lyrics submitted by alicson
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