Yo La Tengo - Autumn Sweater

Yo La Tengo - Autumn Sweater

"When I heard the knock on the door
I couldn't catch my breath
Is it too late to call this off?

We could slip away
Wouldn't that be better?
Me with nothing to say
And you in your autumn sweater

I tried my best to hide in the crowded room
It's nearly possible
I wait for you, oh, most patiently

We could slip away
Wouldn't that be better?
Me with nothing to say
And you in your autumn sweater

So I looked for your eyes and the waves looked like
They'd pour right out of them
I'll try hard, I'll try always
But it's a waste of time
It's a waste of time if I can't smile easily
Like in the beginning
In the beginning

We could slip away
Wouldn't that be better?
Me with nothing to say
And you in your autumn sweater"

I like this interpretation:

"I think the song describes an awkward meeting near the beginning of an intimate relationship. As the narrator recounts the events in the song, he primarily recalls the insecurity he felt. Throughout the song, references are make to nakedness or exposure that stand in sharp contrast to the you of the song, who is described only as wearing a sweater. Ira converys the bittersweet lyrics in a vocal style that sounds soft and plaintive, almost humiliated. The music also supports the theme of nakedness; each instrument stands apart from the others. The instruments seem concentric rather than coordinated -- that is, their distinct repetitious rhythms give the impression of something working together almost by accident rather than intent. At the point of narration, I get the feeling that the narrator has conquered some of the basic insecurities that he struggled with in the beginning of the relationship, but he still struggles with similar insecurities. These insecurities prevent him from moving into a completely conjoined and selfless relationship with his significant other. But I don't get the feeling that the relationship will break up. In fact, the relationship seems to be both strong and tender. I get the feeling that the struggle between self and selfless or I and we will continue as long as the relationship is alive, eventually gaining the consistent and essential qualities of a heartbeat".

Sorry to be hosting using zshare... filefreak simply does not allow enough bandwidth for me to get through a day. I miss minorcrisis so much.

Autumn Sweater Live at Lollapalooza


Yo La Tengo - I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One @Amazon.com