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,
I'm affected by the winter leaves walk
The romantic words that lose their feathers like birds
I'm affected by the songs at the end of the record
When the strings make your eyes want to sing
I'm affected by the column of life
From the ghost of your fires that haunt you all your life
And I'm affected by the photos you meant
To put in the letter that you never sent
And the first words
That I thought of
The first words that I wrote
The first thing that I thought of
Don't leave me alone in our haunted home
I really don't want to be alone without you
I'm affected by the words that don't fit
They're beautiful, awkward, and they're falling to bits
On the ground with the pages you found
From the pockets where poets keep their attempts to make sound
I'm affected by the corniest scenes of the cheesiest movie
As if it were real
As a hack steals your afternoon half for the sake of the buck
With a shrug of, 'oh shucks'
I'm affected 'cos you think that it's real
And it's true what you feel from the tears your cheeks steal
And the first words
That I thought of
The first words that I wrote
The first thing that I thought of
Don't leave me alone in our haunted home
I really don't want to be alone without you
G. W., the trees are with you
You sometimes get found, and sometimes you're lost
I'll run, run, run to catch you
Sometimes I'm with the hounds
Now I run with the fox
Now I run with the fox
The romantic words that lose their feathers like birds
I'm affected by the songs at the end of the record
When the strings make your eyes want to sing
I'm affected by the column of life
From the ghost of your fires that haunt you all your life
And I'm affected by the photos you meant
To put in the letter that you never sent
And the first words
That I thought of
The first words that I wrote
The first thing that I thought of
Don't leave me alone in our haunted home
I really don't want to be alone without you
I'm affected by the words that don't fit
They're beautiful, awkward, and they're falling to bits
On the ground with the pages you found
From the pockets where poets keep their attempts to make sound
I'm affected by the corniest scenes of the cheesiest movie
As if it were real
As a hack steals your afternoon half for the sake of the buck
With a shrug of, 'oh shucks'
I'm affected 'cos you think that it's real
And it's true what you feel from the tears your cheeks steal
And the first words
That I thought of
The first words that I wrote
The first thing that I thought of
Don't leave me alone in our haunted home
I really don't want to be alone without you
G. W., the trees are with you
You sometimes get found, and sometimes you're lost
I'll run, run, run to catch you
Sometimes I'm with the hounds
Now I run with the fox
Now I run with the fox
Lyrics submitted by modernrocksong
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