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,
I thought he made a mistake
when he picked me out and pulled me aboard.
I'm not the best judge of intentions.
When I saw his invention, it almost melted my mind.
I know we're all getting older.
Even if we get bolder,
we could never stop time, time.
I would never say to you that we should follow any rules
that says we should learn how to die.
Because everyone in every place is traveling along a different race,
and nobody really knows why.
But if a man has wings then he is surely made for better things,
and it's not worth coming down.
But I would fly too if I only knew how.
I left to find a home but what I found was something else.
Across great waters I had never known.
Flowers never run cause their roots go underground,
so they sit under a mid day sun.
I found the world alive, and I felt myself surprised,
what I thought was true had been a lie.
I was waving by me and his crew came by,
so many wondrous thing for two lifetimes.
Sailing away on a red balloon,
I hope to have a parting glass of wine soon.
when he picked me out and pulled me aboard.
I'm not the best judge of intentions.
When I saw his invention, it almost melted my mind.
I know we're all getting older.
Even if we get bolder,
we could never stop time, time.
I would never say to you that we should follow any rules
that says we should learn how to die.
Because everyone in every place is traveling along a different race,
and nobody really knows why.
But if a man has wings then he is surely made for better things,
and it's not worth coming down.
But I would fly too if I only knew how.
I left to find a home but what I found was something else.
Across great waters I had never known.
Flowers never run cause their roots go underground,
so they sit under a mid day sun.
I found the world alive, and I felt myself surprised,
what I thought was true had been a lie.
I was waving by me and his crew came by,
so many wondrous thing for two lifetimes.
Sailing away on a red balloon,
I hope to have a parting glass of wine soon.
Lyrics submitted by mistaken4stars
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
love this song yall, how has nobody commented on this?
'cause this is the best band nobody has ever heard of