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,
Ain't got no money but I don't give a damn
'Cos when I get it I spend it fast as I can
Ain't got no worries, at least none I can see
Gotta make a fast connection then I'll be free
I gotta
(Chorus:)
Break out and leave this life behind
Break out and see what I can find
Might lose I'm gonna try my luck
Might win don't really give a fuck
And I gotta try 'cos I gotta know
If I am the winner or the star of the show
Can't stand routine for another day
Rules and regulations getting in my way
I gotta
(Chorus)
And I won't let anyone put me down
I ain't gonna be nobody's clown
I won't be taken in by their promises, no
I'm gonna try on my terms this time
So if I can do it you can do it too
Why don't you try it you've got nothing to lose
A boring job living from day to day
Do something different try to break away
'Cos when I get it I spend it fast as I can
Ain't got no worries, at least none I can see
Gotta make a fast connection then I'll be free
I gotta
(Chorus:)
Break out and leave this life behind
Break out and see what I can find
Might lose I'm gonna try my luck
Might win don't really give a fuck
And I gotta try 'cos I gotta know
If I am the winner or the star of the show
Can't stand routine for another day
Rules and regulations getting in my way
I gotta
(Chorus)
And I won't let anyone put me down
I ain't gonna be nobody's clown
I won't be taken in by their promises, no
I'm gonna try on my terms this time
So if I can do it you can do it too
Why don't you try it you've got nothing to lose
A boring job living from day to day
Do something different try to break away
Lyrics submitted by black_cow_of_death
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Somewhere Only We Know
Keane
Keane
Per the FAQ on Keane's website, Keane's drummer Richard Hughes, stated the following:
"We've been asked whether "Somewhere Only We Know" is about a specific place, and Tim has been saying that, for him, or us as individuals, it might be about a geographical space, or a feeling; it can mean something individual to each person, and they can interpret it to a memory of theirs... It's perhaps more of a theme rather than a specific message... Feelings that may be universal, without necessarily being totally specific to us, or a place, or a time..."
With the nostalgic sentiment and the overall tone of the song, I think Keane is attempting to express a Portuguese term known as 'saudade', which does not have a direct English translation but roughly means "that which we remember because it is gone."
Is it just me or does this sound like one of the earliest 'grunge' songs ever? Particularly the
And I won't let anyone put me down I ain't gonna be nobody's clown I won't be taken in by their promises, no I'm gonna try on my terms this time
Great song!
why the hell hasnt anyone commented on this song??? this song has some of the greatest friggin lyrics around. whats better than a song that says alright fuck this im tired of conforming and doin everything everyone elses way im gonna live for me now and see if i can make something of myself. hey i might be the most spectacular guy out there but i dont give a fuck at least im tryin!
right on slf
this song gets a mention in U.S. Bomb's - Roll Around