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,
Your face filling up with regret
Never thought you'd see the consequences of what you have said
Well I'm here now so tell me again
Give me one good reason to not rip off your god damn head
So sing the song that you sing
I don't do this for me so what the fuck do you bring
I'd like to see all the mountains you've moved
So somebody remind me what the fuck is left to prove
So give me something, we come from nothing
Been through the war, seen it all and we're still hungry
Try as you may, suffer your day
Your ideas, your insights only getting in the way
You betrayed your, you betrayed your future with this game
Can you look me in the eye
You take advantage of the distance
Just take a step outside
Get on your knees and pray for your existence
Could you even count the times
You shared destructive forms of thinking
You're infecting lives
But there is fuel in the fire, you're the spark that ignites us
You can't bring me down
You can't bring me down
You can't bring me down
You're weak, you're all alone, they pass by you, you're a clone
A leprosy, you condone, from place to place, never felt at home
You're weak, all alone, no one sees a clone
Never thought you'd see the consequences of what you have said
Well I'm here now so tell me again
Give me one good reason to not rip off your god damn head
So sing the song that you sing
I don't do this for me so what the fuck do you bring
I'd like to see all the mountains you've moved
So somebody remind me what the fuck is left to prove
So give me something, we come from nothing
Been through the war, seen it all and we're still hungry
Try as you may, suffer your day
Your ideas, your insights only getting in the way
You betrayed your, you betrayed your future with this game
Can you look me in the eye
You take advantage of the distance
Just take a step outside
Get on your knees and pray for your existence
Could you even count the times
You shared destructive forms of thinking
You're infecting lives
But there is fuel in the fire, you're the spark that ignites us
You can't bring me down
You can't bring me down
You can't bring me down
You're weak, you're all alone, they pass by you, you're a clone
A leprosy, you condone, from place to place, never felt at home
You're weak, all alone, no one sees a clone
Lyrics submitted by sokorny
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