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 off your mind, relax and float downstream
It is not dying
It is not dying
Lay down all thoughts, surrender to the void
It is shining
It is shining
That you may see the meaning of within
It is being
It is being
That love is all and love is everyone
It is knowing
It is knowing
That ignorance and hate may mourn the dead
It is believing
It is believing
But listen to the color of your dreams
It is not living
It is not living
Or play the game "Existence" to the end
Of the beginning
Of the beginning
Of the beginning
Of the beginning
Of the beginning
Of the beginning
Of the beginning
It is not dying
It is not dying
Lay down all thoughts, surrender to the void
It is shining
It is shining
That you may see the meaning of within
It is being
It is being
That love is all and love is everyone
It is knowing
It is knowing
That ignorance and hate may mourn the dead
It is believing
It is believing
But listen to the color of your dreams
It is not living
It is not living
Or play the game "Existence" to the end
Of the beginning
Of the beginning
Of the beginning
Of the beginning
Of the beginning
Of the beginning
Of the beginning
Lyrics submitted by Ice, edited by eptakyrios
Tomorrow Never Knows Lyrics as written by Paul Mccartney John Lennon
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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The lyrics were inspired by The Tibetan Book Of The Dead. Originally, John wanted his voice to sound like he was singing from the top of the Himalayas, and he wanted a bunch of Buddhist monks chanting in the background. Of course, they didn't have the money to do such a thing, and what you got is what you hear, which is spectacular anyway. And it was actually Macca who made and suggested that random loops be put into the song.
small detail, but i seem to recall Lennon saying that it was after the album was released that he came up with the idea that it should have had chanting monks.