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,
This workin' all day ain't gettin' me nowhere
Breakin' my back won't get it done
Wish I had a dime, wish I had a dollar
For every dream that I gave up on, that I gave up on
This hammer I'm swingin' is startin' to feel heavy
I clench my fist when I punch the clock
a little for the back leaves nothin' for my baby
Stretchin' my paycheck around the clock
[Chorus]
I need to go face first into that fresh air
Free up there where the eagle flies
Need to drop the line in that cool clear water
Leave the city behind and get countrified
(Fit to be tied 3rd time only)
A fools gold watch and a lone line of black smoke
Is all I get for all I gave
My only reward for this broken down body was diggin' my way to an early grave
Alway dreamed I'd end up on a river
Fast asleep on a mountain high
But I'm way down here in this concrete valley
In a sea of bumpers and red tail lights, red tail lights
[repeat chorus twice]
This workin' all day ain't gettin' me nowhere
Breakin' my back won't get it done
Wish I had a dime, wish I had a dollar
For every dream that I gave up on, that I gave up on
Breakin' my back won't get it done
Wish I had a dime, wish I had a dollar
For every dream that I gave up on, that I gave up on
This hammer I'm swingin' is startin' to feel heavy
I clench my fist when I punch the clock
a little for the back leaves nothin' for my baby
Stretchin' my paycheck around the clock
[Chorus]
I need to go face first into that fresh air
Free up there where the eagle flies
Need to drop the line in that cool clear water
Leave the city behind and get countrified
(Fit to be tied 3rd time only)
A fools gold watch and a lone line of black smoke
Is all I get for all I gave
My only reward for this broken down body was diggin' my way to an early grave
Alway dreamed I'd end up on a river
Fast asleep on a mountain high
But I'm way down here in this concrete valley
In a sea of bumpers and red tail lights, red tail lights
[repeat chorus twice]
This workin' all day ain't gettin' me nowhere
Breakin' my back won't get it done
Wish I had a dime, wish I had a dollar
For every dream that I gave up on, that I gave up on
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Countrified Lyrics as written by Kip Raines Jeffrey Steele
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, 3 RING CIRCUS MUSIC LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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