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,
Turn out the light
Just say goodnight to yourself
May I remind you
When you find you
Are all alone, It's when you
You've got to be strong
That's when they call you, in the night
He's got your picture in his mind
He's got your number on a paper
At his disposal, anytime
Is it really true?
Could you save yourself
For someone who
Could love you for you
So many times we just give it away
To someone who
To someone who
You met in a bar
The back of a car
And for a moment, you felt important
But not in your heart
Cause my self esteem
It's been low
Go ahead and count
It's been lower than low
I know the feeling
Of it stealing
life out from under me
'Cause I wanna learn
Could you save yourself
For someone who
Love you for you
So many times
We just give it away
To someone who
Couldn't even remember your name
Could you save yourself
For someone who
Loves you for you
Loves me for me
Just give it away
To someone who
To someone who
Would cherish your name
'Cause I wanna learn
Could you save yourself
For someone who
Could loves you for you
Loves me for me
Just give it away
To someone who
To someone who
Would cherish your name
Would cherish your name
Just say goodnight to yourself
May I remind you
When you find you
Are all alone, It's when you
You've got to be strong
That's when they call you, in the night
He's got your picture in his mind
He's got your number on a paper
At his disposal, anytime
Is it really true?
Could you save yourself
For someone who
Could love you for you
So many times we just give it away
To someone who
To someone who
You met in a bar
The back of a car
And for a moment, you felt important
But not in your heart
Cause my self esteem
It's been low
Go ahead and count
It's been lower than low
I know the feeling
Of it stealing
life out from under me
'Cause I wanna learn
Could you save yourself
For someone who
Love you for you
So many times
We just give it away
To someone who
Couldn't even remember your name
Could you save yourself
For someone who
Loves you for you
Loves me for me
Just give it away
To someone who
To someone who
Would cherish your name
'Cause I wanna learn
Could you save yourself
For someone who
Could loves you for you
Loves me for me
Just give it away
To someone who
To someone who
Would cherish your name
Would cherish your name
Lyrics submitted by mAkEaWiSh*
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Yeah, this song is about giving your virginity up to someone who really means something or wasting it. It's a great song.