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,
Spec's almost drowned off the coast of California
And started this museum
To help the shipwrecked remember
They grow quiet
The sea grows colder
Drinking the night away
Burn bridges grow older
Kent worked at Spec's since 1970
Right after Haight Street finally choked on its own vomit
An impartial smile made him a gentleman
Some bartenders have the gift of pardon
A bar has a longer history than a country
What keeps the moon chained
Are ridiculous acts of faith
And after a couple of drinks
Visionary eyes all burn
The drunks seem saint-like
In their disillusion
Kent always knew the serious nature of a smile
Knew the serious nature of the job he was given
Never told himself there's only so much a man could take on
Some bartenders have the gift of pardon
With the same old tape wearing out in the background
Billie Holiday "Solitude"
Or some sad old Irish folk songs
You're not promised the moon
Or lied to by its distractions
You enter the world alone
And that's the first and the last thing
It seems one night he was having a hard time falling asleep
And found himself in an accidental shipwreck
Dreaming he's still at the bar counting sheep
The cold ocean threw its chains around his neck
Never have to worry about counterfeits at 2 a.m.
'Cause that's all there is
'Cause that's all there is
Just some old poets drinking
The last nightmare in
And the comfort of the dark
And being forgotten
Some bartenders have the gift of pardon
Some bartenders have the gift of pardon
And started this museum
To help the shipwrecked remember
They grow quiet
The sea grows colder
Drinking the night away
Burn bridges grow older
Kent worked at Spec's since 1970
Right after Haight Street finally choked on its own vomit
An impartial smile made him a gentleman
Some bartenders have the gift of pardon
A bar has a longer history than a country
What keeps the moon chained
Are ridiculous acts of faith
And after a couple of drinks
Visionary eyes all burn
The drunks seem saint-like
In their disillusion
Kent always knew the serious nature of a smile
Knew the serious nature of the job he was given
Never told himself there's only so much a man could take on
Some bartenders have the gift of pardon
With the same old tape wearing out in the background
Billie Holiday "Solitude"
Or some sad old Irish folk songs
You're not promised the moon
Or lied to by its distractions
You enter the world alone
And that's the first and the last thing
It seems one night he was having a hard time falling asleep
And found himself in an accidental shipwreck
Dreaming he's still at the bar counting sheep
The cold ocean threw its chains around his neck
Never have to worry about counterfeits at 2 a.m.
'Cause that's all there is
'Cause that's all there is
Just some old poets drinking
The last nightmare in
And the comfort of the dark
And being forgotten
Some bartenders have the gift of pardon
Some bartenders have the gift of pardon
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
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