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,
Did I tell you it was wine when really it was water?
I walked upon the wine it went to my head and I faltered
I've tried to heal your bones I've tried to tell your future
Maybe I should just call up my friends
And play some music, be myself
Well I've been thinking about what do I and say
To climb my way down this ladder keep me
from flying away
And if there's a preacher here will you preach
the truth?
I want to know more about Jesus
All I want is you (all I want is you)
All I want is you now
All I want is you (all I want is you)
All I want is you
Did I tell you it was fine to come and
question nothing?
To look upon the sign as the answer to it all
Oh why do I feel poor?
Why do I feel nervous?
I think it's time to put on my God shoes
And do what I'm here for
Raise the flag again
Can I be free from the chains of my religion
They wrap around my head and blind my eyes of faith
And I feel dangerous 'cause I hunger for the truth
This tight rope's swinging high
No turning back
Teach me to fly
I walked upon the wine it went to my head and I faltered
I've tried to heal your bones I've tried to tell your future
Maybe I should just call up my friends
And play some music, be myself
Well I've been thinking about what do I and say
To climb my way down this ladder keep me
from flying away
And if there's a preacher here will you preach
the truth?
I want to know more about Jesus
All I want is you (all I want is you)
All I want is you now
All I want is you (all I want is you)
All I want is you
Did I tell you it was fine to come and
question nothing?
To look upon the sign as the answer to it all
Oh why do I feel poor?
Why do I feel nervous?
I think it's time to put on my God shoes
And do what I'm here for
Raise the flag again
Can I be free from the chains of my religion
They wrap around my head and blind my eyes of faith
And I feel dangerous 'cause I hunger for the truth
This tight rope's swinging high
No turning back
Teach me to fly
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It's disappointing that there are no relevant comments about the meaning of this song.
By the way the lyrics above are not wholly correct.
"Well, I've been thinking about What I didn't say"
should be
Well, I've been thinking about What I "do and" say.
Sort of changes things abit. No one out there cares to attemp to take a crack at the meaning of this song?
U2 makes better sense out of the same song name.
I LOOOOOOOVE All I Want Is You by U2.... delirious did a cover of it actually. BUT this is a different song!
I think it's about how "religion" has kept us from the real point of the faith: to know and love Jesus Christ. We believe everything those who call themselves preachers tell us, without figuring it out for ourselves and becoming closer to God. I love these lines:
Can I be free, from the chains of my religion? They wrap around my head and they blind my eyes of faith And I feel dangerous cause I hunger for the truth This tightrope's swinging high No turning back, teach me to fly
We can get caught up walking the tightrope of religious doctrine, or we can jump off and work to what christianity really is. That's kinda what I think it means....
** Jars of Clay did the cover, whoops XD