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,
Come break my bones,
come spread my ashes.
Come wear me down,
come wear me down.
In life a king,
in death a failure.
Come help me cry,
come help me cry.
(spoken)
I wanted to be changed by the road.
I so wanted to change the road.
But somehow we both resisted change.
Somehow we were both too strong.
And yet we have both winded away,
unsure of where we head.
And it's like we're both confused as to who is who.
As if, late in the night,
you can't tell the wanderer from the road
- the walker from the walked.
Maybe I'm just the road, dreaming that I walk.
Dust in my throat,
dust in my nostrils.
Dust in my mouth,
dust in my eyes.
From dust I come,
through dust I wander.
Dust I'll remain - dust all I am.
come spread my ashes.
Come wear me down,
come wear me down.
In life a king,
in death a failure.
Come help me cry,
come help me cry.
(spoken)
I wanted to be changed by the road.
I so wanted to change the road.
But somehow we both resisted change.
Somehow we were both too strong.
And yet we have both winded away,
unsure of where we head.
And it's like we're both confused as to who is who.
As if, late in the night,
you can't tell the wanderer from the road
- the walker from the walked.
Maybe I'm just the road, dreaming that I walk.
Dust in my throat,
dust in my nostrils.
Dust in my mouth,
dust in my eyes.
From dust I come,
through dust I wander.
Dust I'll remain - dust all I am.
Lyrics submitted by Stumblethenrise_, edited by adrianajw
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No Surprises
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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
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.
this are the ''Of Dust'' lyrics
First off, the lyrics are wrong. Here are the right ones:
There's a me who always found his way But I can't seem to find him just today If sometimes I ask you where to go Just don't help me find the road Tell me you don't know Just tell me so There was a me who always knew what's right That's who I need to help me through this night So if sometimes I ask you where to go Please don't help me find the road Tell me you don't know Please tell me you don't know If sometimes I ask you where to go Just don't help me find the road Tell me you don't know If sometimes I ask you where to go Please don't help me find the road Tell me you don't know! Tell me you don't know!
To me, this song means that the singer's normally sure-of-themself and clear-compassed mind is cloudy at the moment. They have lost their sense of direction, both morally/emotionally and physically (hence the fun little "please don't help me find the road" (path that should be taken) play on words.)
They would normally know what to do, but today they don't. They have lost that confident self they would normally know and trust. So they turn to the listener for help.
But the trip of this all is that the singer; in this moment of clarity & anticipating the next moment they feel lost as described in this song; knows that they will become themselves again one day, fully, and that clouds last until the next rain but the clear and strong sky is their truth and reality.
So, the singer says: "Don't point a finger in any direction! Say you can't find a single one!"
Because at the end of the day, they only want to guide themself, rely on themself.
This isn't rejection of advice in a stable place, it's avoiding listening blindly to others in a vulnerable state. It's an admirable show of strength and a resolve to face life's toughest problems in a self-reliant way.
TL, DR: "TELL ME TO MAN UP!"
Been listening to this song starting on my Dad's CD on the way to school in the car on the mornings. Finally clicked. Finally understand it about 10 years later. Awesome when that happens with a song.