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,
across from you in a crowded room
without a reason why i'm standing here at least one i could give to you
next to me there are lips moving
and while i can't tell what he's on about
the funny thing is i can hear you laughing
apart from me and what you can see
well i'm a fairly well adjusted loss
of composure and chemistry
i want to know that a light exists
i want to push away the distance
so you're close enough
so i can feel you laughing
i want to feel you laughing
sit out
you reticent driver
give us just a night
an hour just a chance to die
now here they come
well where did my friend run
he holds you while i nod
i think i just dissolved into the background
still close enough to see it
to see that you might like him
to see that you been laughing
my better half is somewhere in the middle
and i'm gonna fuck it up
i'm gonna fuck it up
i know
my better half is right there in the middle
and i'm still not reaching out
can't think to help myself
and i'm laughing
oh god why am i laughing
why can't i stop laughing
when all i've done is help him
i know by now there's a light i've missed
but is it leading me to her
or hurtling to obscurity
no time to dwell she's not on the floor
now they've just walked right out the door
and all i hear is everybody laughing
everybody's laughing
oh no where did my life go
trying to take stock in a rented room
i start to fold
so long i just let my blood go
it never once occurred
i'd need the things you'd take
without a reason why i'm standing here at least one i could give to you
next to me there are lips moving
and while i can't tell what he's on about
the funny thing is i can hear you laughing
apart from me and what you can see
well i'm a fairly well adjusted loss
of composure and chemistry
i want to know that a light exists
i want to push away the distance
so you're close enough
so i can feel you laughing
i want to feel you laughing
sit out
you reticent driver
give us just a night
an hour just a chance to die
now here they come
well where did my friend run
he holds you while i nod
i think i just dissolved into the background
still close enough to see it
to see that you might like him
to see that you been laughing
my better half is somewhere in the middle
and i'm gonna fuck it up
i'm gonna fuck it up
i know
my better half is right there in the middle
and i'm still not reaching out
can't think to help myself
and i'm laughing
oh god why am i laughing
why can't i stop laughing
when all i've done is help him
i know by now there's a light i've missed
but is it leading me to her
or hurtling to obscurity
no time to dwell she's not on the floor
now they've just walked right out the door
and all i hear is everybody laughing
everybody's laughing
oh no where did my life go
trying to take stock in a rented room
i start to fold
so long i just let my blood go
it never once occurred
i'd need the things you'd take
Lyrics submitted by brigandsrock
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