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,
Remember Pericles?
He democratized the city with his mind
A little wisdom never hurt anyone--
Tell that to Socrates!
Telling the citizens what they needed to hear
But still they fed him hemlock
Now, the Greeks don't speak my language
I don't get the relevance
I am irreverent
I have no reverence
Show me no deference, I'll do the same for you
Did you ever know you're my tragic hero?
You be the pity
I'll be the fear
And every subscriber will know what a truly great man you are
In the conference room he said to me quote:
"Avoid your generation's proclivity for irony and negativity, held so commonly
Don't let me down, son.
There was a car, the wheels came off it,
And I know that nobody never made a profit.
Center your gravity, boy.
I'm counting on you to be my protege."
Cast it off with a wrist flip
Your footsteps are filling up
Every time you turn around
You can see the idols and you'll be knockin' 'em down
One, two, three, four
Did you ever know you're my tragic hero?
You be the pity, I'll be the fear
And every advertiser will know what a truly great man you truly are
Some wear their politics like angora
Some take it on like a mantle
Some can't hold the candle
Some touch, some dabble
But not him!
Tragic hero
You're my tragic hero
He's my tragic hero
He democratized the city with his mind
A little wisdom never hurt anyone--
Tell that to Socrates!
Telling the citizens what they needed to hear
But still they fed him hemlock
Now, the Greeks don't speak my language
I don't get the relevance
I am irreverent
I have no reverence
Show me no deference, I'll do the same for you
Did you ever know you're my tragic hero?
You be the pity
I'll be the fear
And every subscriber will know what a truly great man you are
In the conference room he said to me quote:
"Avoid your generation's proclivity for irony and negativity, held so commonly
Don't let me down, son.
There was a car, the wheels came off it,
And I know that nobody never made a profit.
Center your gravity, boy.
I'm counting on you to be my protege."
Cast it off with a wrist flip
Your footsteps are filling up
Every time you turn around
You can see the idols and you'll be knockin' 'em down
One, two, three, four
Did you ever know you're my tragic hero?
You be the pity, I'll be the fear
And every advertiser will know what a truly great man you truly are
Some wear their politics like angora
Some take it on like a mantle
Some can't hold the candle
Some touch, some dabble
But not him!
Tragic hero
You're my tragic hero
He's my tragic hero
Lyrics submitted by Kustard
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Dang it seems like in every song this band's singer sounds like he is going crazy real luancy specially when he starts to laugh in this song. . . .
this song would have earned a spot as "the song from 'cruel intentions'," had the band been willing to change the lyrics to better suit the film.
which they weren't.
These lyrics are wrong in a number of places.
isn't it something to do with greek tragedys?
but that's as far as i know, we were talking about them in an english lesson and she mentioned lots of things from this song.