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,
'Cause life ain't no jokin' business
This life ain't no jokin' business
'Cause I'm I'm a serious man
No don't be gossip with them heathens
Me I'm a serious man
Seem like the trouble it go for them
Me I'm a serious man
No don't be sitting with them heathen
Me I'm a serious man that's what I am
And I won't laugh and take life for a joke no-ho-ho
Then watch poor people life go up in smoke
And I don't feel that we gonna take this (on) I said no
We need to have praise in god
For our life is joy
So I'm I'm a serious man
No don't be gossip with no heathens
Me I'm a serious man
Seem like more trouble again for them
Me I'm a serious man
No don't be sitting with them heathen
Me I'm a serious man that's what I am
And I won't live oh for political ideology no ho ho
No value in dollars and the faith in economy
And I don't laugh and take this thing for fun I said no
We need to have praise in god
For our life is joy
So I'm I'm a serious man
No don't be sitting with them heathens
Me I'm a serious man
Seem like the trouble again for them
Me I'm a serious man
No don't be gossip with no heathens
Me I'm a serious man that's what I am
'Cause life ain't no jokin'' business
No no life ain't no jokin'' business
'Cause I'm I'm a serious man
No don't be gossip with them heathens
Me I'm a serious man
Seem like the trouble agian for them
Me I'm a serious man
No don't be gossip with the heathens
Me I'm a serious man that's what I am
my b i just pasted the first pf3 did
sorry heres what i got
'Cause life ain't no jokin' business
This life ain't no jokin' business
'Cause I'm I'm a serious man
No don't be gossip with them heathens
Me I'm a serious man
Seem like the trouble it come for them
Me I'm a serious man
No don't be sitting with them heathens
Me I'm a serious man that's what I am
And I won't let them take life for a joke no ho ho
Then watch poor people life go up in smoke
And I don't feel that we gonna take this gun I said no
We need to have praise in God
'For our life is done
So I'm I'm a serious man
No don't be gossip with no heathens
Me I'm a serious man
Seem like more trouble again for them
Me I'm a serious man
No don't be sitting with them heathen
Me I'm a serious man that's what I am
And I won't live oh for political ideology no ho ho
No value in dollars and the faith in economy
And I don't laugh and take this thing for fun I said no
We need to have praise in God
'For our life is done
So I'm I'm a serious man
No don't be sitting with them heathens
Me I'm a serious man
Seem like the trouble again for them
Me I'm a serious man
No don't be gossip with no heathens
Me I'm a serious man that's what I am
This life ain't no jokin' business
No the life ain't no jokin' business
'Cause I'm I'm a serious man
No don't be gossip with them heathens
Me I'm a serious man
Seem like the trouble again for them
Me I'm a serious man
No don't be gossip with the heathens
Me I'm a serious man that's what I am
This life ain't no jokin' business
'Cause I'm I'm a serious man
No don't be gossip with them heathens
Me I'm a serious man
Seem like the trouble it go for them
Me I'm a serious man
No don't be sitting with them heathen
Me I'm a serious man that's what I am
And I won't laugh and take life for a joke no-ho-ho
Then watch poor people life go up in smoke
And I don't feel that we gonna take this (on) I said no
We need to have praise in god
For our life is joy
So I'm I'm a serious man
No don't be gossip with no heathens
Me I'm a serious man
Seem like more trouble again for them
Me I'm a serious man
No don't be sitting with them heathen
Me I'm a serious man that's what I am
And I won't live oh for political ideology no ho ho
No value in dollars and the faith in economy
And I don't laugh and take this thing for fun I said no
We need to have praise in god
For our life is joy
So I'm I'm a serious man
No don't be sitting with them heathens
Me I'm a serious man
Seem like the trouble again for them
Me I'm a serious man
No don't be gossip with no heathens
Me I'm a serious man that's what I am
'Cause life ain't no jokin'' business
No no life ain't no jokin'' business
'Cause I'm I'm a serious man
No don't be gossip with them heathens
Me I'm a serious man
Seem like the trouble agian for them
Me I'm a serious man
No don't be gossip with the heathens
Me I'm a serious man that's what I am
my b i just pasted the first pf3 did
sorry heres what i got
'Cause life ain't no jokin' business
This life ain't no jokin' business
'Cause I'm I'm a serious man
No don't be gossip with them heathens
Me I'm a serious man
Seem like the trouble it come for them
Me I'm a serious man
No don't be sitting with them heathens
Me I'm a serious man that's what I am
And I won't let them take life for a joke no ho ho
Then watch poor people life go up in smoke
And I don't feel that we gonna take this gun I said no
We need to have praise in God
'For our life is done
So I'm I'm a serious man
No don't be gossip with no heathens
Me I'm a serious man
Seem like more trouble again for them
Me I'm a serious man
No don't be sitting with them heathen
Me I'm a serious man that's what I am
And I won't live oh for political ideology no ho ho
No value in dollars and the faith in economy
And I don't laugh and take this thing for fun I said no
We need to have praise in God
'For our life is done
So I'm I'm a serious man
No don't be sitting with them heathens
Me I'm a serious man
Seem like the trouble again for them
Me I'm a serious man
No don't be gossip with no heathens
Me I'm a serious man that's what I am
This life ain't no jokin' business
No the life ain't no jokin' business
'Cause I'm I'm a serious man
No don't be gossip with them heathens
Me I'm a serious man
Seem like the trouble again for them
Me I'm a serious man
No don't be gossip with the heathens
Me I'm a serious man that's what I am
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