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,
Wouldn't it be nice if we were older?
Then we wouldn't have to wait so long
And wouldn't it be nice to live together
In the kind of world where we belong?
You know it's gonna make it that much better
When we can say goodnight and stay together
Wouldn't it be nice if we could wake up
In the morning when the day is new?
And after having spent the day together
Hold each other close the whole night through
Happy times together we've been spending
I wish that every kiss was never ending
Oh, wouldn't it be nice?
Maybe if we think and wish and hope and pray
It might come true
Baby, then there wouldn't be a single thing we couldn't do
Oh, we could be married (oh, we could be married)
And then we'd be happy (and then we'd be happy)
Oh, wouldn't it be nice?
You know it seems the more we talk about it
It only makes it worse to live without it
But let's talk about it
Oh, wouldn't it be nice?
Goodnight, my baby
Sleep tight, my baby
Goodnight, my baby
Sleep tight, my baby
Then we wouldn't have to wait so long
And wouldn't it be nice to live together
In the kind of world where we belong?
You know it's gonna make it that much better
When we can say goodnight and stay together
Wouldn't it be nice if we could wake up
In the morning when the day is new?
And after having spent the day together
Hold each other close the whole night through
Happy times together we've been spending
I wish that every kiss was never ending
Oh, wouldn't it be nice?
Maybe if we think and wish and hope and pray
It might come true
Baby, then there wouldn't be a single thing we couldn't do
Oh, we could be married (oh, we could be married)
And then we'd be happy (and then we'd be happy)
Oh, wouldn't it be nice?
You know it seems the more we talk about it
It only makes it worse to live without it
But let's talk about it
Oh, wouldn't it be nice?
Goodnight, my baby
Sleep tight, my baby
Goodnight, my baby
Sleep tight, my baby
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anyone remember being 14 and so in love??
when the time you had together ran between the early school morning hours and 10:00 pm (at the very lastest)... the rest was spent glued to the phone--spewing sweet nothings and making big plans...
...when cuddling to the sound of him (or her) passing out on the phone was the closest thing to snuggling up for the night you could hope for with your sweetheart...
when goodbyes lasted 3/4 of the date...
...looking back at the ripe (not so) ol' age of 22 this song, which used to make me long for my then-beau, leaves me with a bit of nostalgia for the times before adulthood...
...before my own apartment...
...before "my place or yours"...
...before actually having to worry about what my breath smells like, or what he'll think of me...
....back when i could only imagine what it could be like to wake up in his arms...
and that was simply enough.