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,
Standing on the runway
Waiting for takeoff
I wanna fly
Wanna watch me flake off
I can't move 'cause
The man has a rake off
You gotta help me
Help me to shake off
This body of mine
I wanna get out of this void
(Body of mine) and I don't wanna be destroyed
(Body of mine) I don't wanna turn android
(Body of mine) You gotta help me avoid that
Brainstorm, here I go
Brainstorm, flying low
Brainstorm, I wanna miss it
Brainstorm, you'd bet I'd kiss it
I can't get no peace
Until I get into motion
Sign my release from
This planet's erosion
Paranoia police have
Sussed out my potion
You gotta help me or
There'll be an explosion
In this body of mine
I wanna get out of this void
(Body of mine) and I don't wanna be destroyed
(Body of mine) I don't wanna turn android
(Body of mine) You gotta help me avoid that
Brainstorm, here I go
Brainstorm, flying low
Brainstorm, I wanna miss it
Brainstorm, you'd bet I'd kiss it
I'm breaking up
I'm falling fast
I'm floati~ing aw~ay...
I can't get no peace
Until I get into motion
Sign my release from
This planet's erosion
Paranoia police have
Sussed out my potion
You gotta help me or
There'll be an explosion
In this body of mine
I wanna get out of this void
(Body of mine) and I don't wanna be destroyed
(Body of mine) I don't wanna turn android
(Body of mine) You gotta help me avoid that
Brainstorm, here I go
Brainstorm, flying low
Brainstorm, not gonna miss it
Brainstorm, you'd bet I'd kiss it
Waiting for takeoff
I wanna fly
Wanna watch me flake off
I can't move 'cause
The man has a rake off
You gotta help me
Help me to shake off
This body of mine
I wanna get out of this void
(Body of mine) and I don't wanna be destroyed
(Body of mine) I don't wanna turn android
(Body of mine) You gotta help me avoid that
Brainstorm, here I go
Brainstorm, flying low
Brainstorm, I wanna miss it
Brainstorm, you'd bet I'd kiss it
I can't get no peace
Until I get into motion
Sign my release from
This planet's erosion
Paranoia police have
Sussed out my potion
You gotta help me or
There'll be an explosion
In this body of mine
I wanna get out of this void
(Body of mine) and I don't wanna be destroyed
(Body of mine) I don't wanna turn android
(Body of mine) You gotta help me avoid that
Brainstorm, here I go
Brainstorm, flying low
Brainstorm, I wanna miss it
Brainstorm, you'd bet I'd kiss it
I'm breaking up
I'm falling fast
I'm floati~ing aw~ay...
I can't get no peace
Until I get into motion
Sign my release from
This planet's erosion
Paranoia police have
Sussed out my potion
You gotta help me or
There'll be an explosion
In this body of mine
I wanna get out of this void
(Body of mine) and I don't wanna be destroyed
(Body of mine) I don't wanna turn android
(Body of mine) You gotta help me avoid that
Brainstorm, here I go
Brainstorm, flying low
Brainstorm, not gonna miss it
Brainstorm, you'd bet I'd kiss it
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Brainstorm Lyrics as written by Nik Turner
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Gentle Hour
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Amazing
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Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.

Midnight
Ed Sheeran
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“Midnight” is a song about finding a love that is so true that it provides a calming feeling through every storm. Ed Sheeran reflects on his good fortunes in landing someone with such peace and support and speaks of not fearing the dark days because he knows they’ll all end in the safety nets of her arms.
“Well, good morning there / What a way to start the day / With everything laid bare,” Ed Sheeran sings in the first verse, enthusiastic to be waking up beside his woman. He apologizes for missing her calls in the second verse and promises to return them because for him, speaking to her is the most important thing. “Well, I get lost inside my head / In this chaos, you’re my calm / And I will find my feet again / ‘Cause еven the worst days of my life will always еnd / At midnight in your arms,” sings Ed Sheeran in the chorus, revelling in his good luck.

Somewhere Only We Know
Keane
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Per the FAQ on Keane's website, Keane's drummer Richard Hughes, stated the following:
"We've been asked whether "Somewhere Only We Know" is about a specific place, and Tim has been saying that, for him, or us as individuals, it might be about a geographical space, or a feeling; it can mean something individual to each person, and they can interpret it to a memory of theirs... It's perhaps more of a theme rather than a specific message... Feelings that may be universal, without necessarily being totally specific to us, or a place, or a time..."
With the nostalgic sentiment and the overall tone of the song, I think Keane is attempting to express a Portuguese term known as 'saudade', which does not have a direct English translation but roughly means "that which we remember because it is gone."

System
Mel And Kim
Mel And Kim
Just listening for the 784,654th time....and it's just perfect in every way. Just incredible. The only reason it was remade was to scoop up a boatload of money from a more modern and accepting audience. But it is a completely different song than the other one that sounds slapped together in a few takes without a thought for the meaning.
This song captivates me still, after 50+ years. Takes me to the deep South and the poverty of some who lived thru truly hard times. And the powerful spirit of a poor young girl being abandoned to her future with only a red dress and her wits to keep her alive.
She not only stayed alive, she turned her hard beginnings around, became self sufficient, successful and someone with respect for herself. She didn't let the naysayers and judgers stop her. She's the one sitting in the drivers seat at the end.
So, not a song about a poor girl, but a song of hope and how you can rise up no matter how far down you started.
There is a huge difference between a singer who simply belts out a song that is on a page in front of them, and someone who can convey an entire experience with their voice. Telling not just a story with words, but taking you inside it and making you feel like you are there, with their interpretation.