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,
Take it all or leave it
I can't sleep like I used to
The world will try to tell you who are before you get to
Explain yourself, your thoughts, your motives, and all your reasons
Two albums every season
What the hell do ya'll believe in?
Why the hell do ya'll keep reachin'?
In the evenings when I see 'em
I tell myself that love will be the thing to keep us from grieving
Need something new to believe in
'Cause these new niggas are changing
I mean they change on you
Why the hell the BBC only writes about me when it comes down to controversy?
What about three CDs
And one year with no label
And then we signed and our story turned into a fucking fable
I was a nigga in a room with no motherfuckin' cable
And no table
Now my mom call me whenever she needs her car note
Cellphone, or whatever bill paid, too
Y'all niggas losers
You understand why I do what I do, so let me do it
Get the hell on, let me do it
Get the hell on, let me do it
I don't speak like I used to
I'm thinking of a way to change the world that I move through
I feel like Nikola, what I invent is what I'm true to
I feel for Nikola with these ideas that I grew through
I know that when they see a brilliant mind, they'll just abuse you
I started feelin' restless nights
I'm scared that I'm delusional
I'm scared I'm more like Nikola than I'd ever collude to
I'm scared of what can happen when ideas would consume you
'Cause there isn't room for peace I can achieve
You don't understand why I can't get up and shout
I keep tellin' you
You don't understand why I can't get up and shout
Stay off
Keep off
Get out
Hey boy
Stay off
Get buff
Get out
The monsters swarm around with them toys
The monsters swarm around with them toys
Keep off
Stay off
Keep off
Get out
Hey boy
Stay off
Get buff
Get out
The monsters swarm around with them toys
The monsters swarm around with them toys
Don't mind me, I'm just killin' time (you can pick me to pieces)
But if you got a life
I'm growin', growin'
Don't mind me, I'm just killin' time (you can pick me to pieces)
But if you got a life
I'm growin', growin'
Why the fuck would you share this shit with these people
I don't know these people
I don't know you either no more
I'm at war with myself
Every time I see this shit I wanna kill myself
And they coming for my mother sending bullets through my head
Think they foolin' us but I'd rather be dead
Just leave me alone, I don't wanna weird
Yeah ah
You don't understand why I can't get up and shout
I keep tellin' you
You don't understand why I can't get up and shout
You don't understand why I can't get up and shout
I keep tellin' you
You don't understand why I can't get up and shout
You don't understand why I can't get up and shout
I keep tellin' you
You don't understand why I can't get up and shout
You don't understand why I can't get up and shout
I keep tellin' you
You don't understand why I can't get up and shout
These the best years of our lives, motherfucker
You and I got to experience
These are the best years of our lives
I feel you
I can't sleep like I used to
The world will try to tell you who are before you get to
Explain yourself, your thoughts, your motives, and all your reasons
Two albums every season
What the hell do ya'll believe in?
Why the hell do ya'll keep reachin'?
In the evenings when I see 'em
I tell myself that love will be the thing to keep us from grieving
Need something new to believe in
'Cause these new niggas are changing
I mean they change on you
Why the hell the BBC only writes about me when it comes down to controversy?
What about three CDs
And one year with no label
And then we signed and our story turned into a fucking fable
I was a nigga in a room with no motherfuckin' cable
And no table
Now my mom call me whenever she needs her car note
Cellphone, or whatever bill paid, too
Y'all niggas losers
You understand why I do what I do, so let me do it
Get the hell on, let me do it
Get the hell on, let me do it
I don't speak like I used to
I'm thinking of a way to change the world that I move through
I feel like Nikola, what I invent is what I'm true to
I feel for Nikola with these ideas that I grew through
I know that when they see a brilliant mind, they'll just abuse you
I started feelin' restless nights
I'm scared that I'm delusional
I'm scared I'm more like Nikola than I'd ever collude to
I'm scared of what can happen when ideas would consume you
'Cause there isn't room for peace I can achieve
You don't understand why I can't get up and shout
I keep tellin' you
You don't understand why I can't get up and shout
Stay off
Keep off
Get out
Hey boy
Stay off
Get buff
Get out
The monsters swarm around with them toys
The monsters swarm around with them toys
Keep off
Stay off
Keep off
Get out
Hey boy
Stay off
Get buff
Get out
The monsters swarm around with them toys
The monsters swarm around with them toys
Don't mind me, I'm just killin' time (you can pick me to pieces)
But if you got a life
I'm growin', growin'
Don't mind me, I'm just killin' time (you can pick me to pieces)
But if you got a life
I'm growin', growin'
Why the fuck would you share this shit with these people
I don't know these people
I don't know you either no more
I'm at war with myself
Every time I see this shit I wanna kill myself
And they coming for my mother sending bullets through my head
Think they foolin' us but I'd rather be dead
Just leave me alone, I don't wanna weird
Yeah ah
You don't understand why I can't get up and shout
I keep tellin' you
You don't understand why I can't get up and shout
You don't understand why I can't get up and shout
I keep tellin' you
You don't understand why I can't get up and shout
You don't understand why I can't get up and shout
I keep tellin' you
You don't understand why I can't get up and shout
You don't understand why I can't get up and shout
I keep tellin' you
You don't understand why I can't get up and shout
These the best years of our lives, motherfucker
You and I got to experience
These are the best years of our lives
I feel you
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