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,
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Come loose your dogs upon me
And let your hair hang down
You are a little mystery to me
Every time you call around
We talk about it all night long
We define our moral ground
But when I crawl into your arms
Everything, it comes tumbling down
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Your face has fallen sad now
For you know the time is nigh
When I must remove your wings
And you, you must try to fly
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Come loose your dogs upon me
And let your hair hang down
You are a little mystery to me
Every time you call around
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Come loose your dogs upon me
And let your hair hang down
You are a little mystery to me
Every time you call around
We talk about it all night long
We define our moral ground
But when I crawl into your arms
Everything, it comes tumbling down
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Your face has fallen sad now
For you know the time is nigh
When I must remove your wings
And you, you must try to fly
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Come loose your dogs upon me
And let your hair hang down
You are a little mystery to me
Every time you call around
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Lyrics submitted by typo, edited by trillium8, sara102081
Ship Song Lyrics as written by Roland Wolf Blixa Bargeld
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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"We talk about it all night long We define our moral ground But when I crawl into your arms Everything comes tumbling down"
Talk about a weird verse...
@Vertigo22 Not really? It opens with the chorus, which uses medieval / early modern l war imagery (sail your ships, burn bridges, loose your dogs). So this more explicitly describing an argument that yields to lovemaking pulls it all together. It's great. And it fits Cave's own description of the song beautifully. "The first verse contemplates arguing all night long until one gives in and they embrace each other and start over."