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 am buried up to my neck in
Contradictionary lies
I take pride as the kind of illiterature
I'm very ape and very nice
If you ever need anything, please don't
Hesitate to ask someone else first
I'm too busy acting like I'm not naive
I've seen it all, I was here first
Out of the ground
Into the sky
Out of the sky
Into the dirt
If you ever need anything, please don't
Hesitate to ask someone else first
I'm too busy acting like I'm not naive
I've seen it all, I was here first
Out of the ground
Into the sky
Out of the sky
Into the ground
Out of the ground
Into the sky
Out of the sky
Into the dirt
Contradictionary lies
I take pride as the kind of illiterature
I'm very ape and very nice
If you ever need anything, please don't
Hesitate to ask someone else first
I'm too busy acting like I'm not naive
I've seen it all, I was here first
Out of the ground
Into the sky
Out of the sky
Into the dirt
If you ever need anything, please don't
Hesitate to ask someone else first
I'm too busy acting like I'm not naive
I've seen it all, I was here first
Out of the ground
Into the sky
Out of the sky
Into the ground
Out of the ground
Into the sky
Out of the sky
Into the dirt
Lyrics submitted by justinjtp, edited by spacebat11, BudGreen0420, KurtDC, sony105798, daniels102
Very Ape Lyrics as written by Kurt Cobain
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
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Well, I once read about how kurt refered to himself as 'the king of illiterature' to mock Coutney when she would rub it in his face, the fact that she was had read a lot more books than he had. And the rest of the song, I think, is not pointing the finger at the people he grew up with, but is revelaing his own warts. In interviews toward the end of his life, a Kurt who is becoming more and more painfully aware of his own short comings of chartactor emerges. Hence, I would be inclined to beleive that this song is a minor 'inventory' of defects. I could be wrong...
Yea, I think this has Kurt himself written all through it, but it's also a look at himself through the lens of the media (and in this case, sarcastic/sardonic).<br /> <br /> It's quite clear he had difficulty making his ideals a reality; the popularity explosion and constant media exposure meant he could not escape from the lies, the contradictions - even if some of these were media fabrications; and some of the contradictions, part of the media persona he created himself.<br /> "...and very nice. If you ever need anything..."<br /> he was a nice, caring guy, and yet selfish and insular - both are true.<br /> <br /> I think this, and the "too busy acting like I'm not naive" is a pretty good description of the lengths kind people will go to so they do not get used and abused - and hence another contradiction. I also think it's a sarcastic (and self-immolating) remark about the "punk rock ethic".<br /> <br /> The chorus is chilling.<br /> <br /> --<br /> I think that kurt was probably aware of other interpretations of these lyrics - as an attack on other people/society - that others have mentioned, and that in a sense he intended these also, but I feel that the real drive behind the lyrics is <i>against</i> himself, though never with total sincerity.