the open road

Alibi

There's no good video or audio for this song but here's a solo live version:

Mountain Goats appreciation month #12

It's been officially more than a month that I started my "Mountain Goats appreciation month" but I'll continue for a little while longer anyway since I just feel like it.
Today's song it called Alibi and is from the Babylon Springs EP. The meaning is obvious, although if you listen closely you can notice the doubting undertones (but maybe that's just me).

Alibi

I got off work just past 11
Laid one finger to the breeze
You can almost taste the action
On nights like these

Trees were bending in the wind
And you were 40 miles away
And I was headed your direction
I'd been waiting all day, I'd been waiting all day

Moon over West Covina
Was huge and white
And I was like a patient on a table
Headed toward the light
Leaned toward the center divider
Feel the wind in my hair
Keep a light up in your window
I'm gonna be right there, I'm gonna be right there
With a gleam in my eye
and an almost airtight alibi

Down by the Chemistry building
I found a quiet place to park
And I made my way down the street toward your place
Stepping lightly in the dark
Climbed the steps up to your doorway
Like a man prepared to jump beneath a train
It's real warm outside tonight
Maybe tomorrow it rains, maybe tomorrow it rains

Inside your room we shut the window
And we turned on a fan
And we lay there together in the darkness
I can keep a secret if you can
Finishing one another's sentences
Like a pair of identical twins
Your boyfriend's out of town until Tuesday
And nobody saw me come in, nobody saw me come in

With a gleam in my eye and an almost airtight alibi

Michael Myers Resplendent

audio only (demo version)

Mountain Goats appreciation month #11

This is one of John Darnielle's newer songs from the 2008 album "Heretic Pride". I like it for its sound and the chorus lyrics (you should really listen to it). If you take the story it tells then it's about the death of Michael Myers in "Halloween II" and/or the actor playing it. (John has this fascination among other things with horror movies and monsters.)
JB says the song is arguably "about a negative epiphany arrived at through the glory of progressive trance." I like that.

Michael Myers Resplendent

I am ready for my close up today
Too long I've let my self-respect stand in my way
Well the prom queen's caught in the high beams
And the strings keen it's a big scene

But when the house goes up in flames
No one emerges triumphantly from it
When the scum begins to circle the drain
Everybody loves a winner

I spent eight hours in my make-up chair
Waxed my chest and shaved off all my hair
Well the fire's bright and the frame's tight
Try to get right while we've still got light

But when the house goes up in flames
No one emerges triumphantly from it
When the scum begins to circle the drain
Everybody loves a winner

So Desperate

audio only

Mountain Goats appreciation month #10

JD wrote that is "a love song about people who're involved with each other when they probably shouldn't be."

So Desperate

We were parked in your car
In our neutral meeting place
The Episcopalian church yard
I had things I had been meaning to say
But in the dazzling winter sunlight
I could feel them melt away
And through the warm radio static
I couldn’t hear my stage directions
And the fog on the windshield obscured our sad reflections

I felt so desperate
In your arms
I felt so desperate
In your arms

We were parked near some trees
And the moonlight soaked the branches in ever deepening degrees
Had my hand in your hair
Trying to keep my cool
Til it became to much to bear
When we cracked the windows open
Well the air was just so sweet
We could hear the cars ten feet away
Out there on the street

I felt so desperate
In your arms
I felt so desperate
In your arms

Mountain Goats appreciation month #9

After talking about a Mountain Goats song that's actually an Extra Glenns song I'm going to take it one step further now and talk about a cover song next.
It's an acoustic cover/mashup of "The boys are back in town"(Thin Lizzy) and "Ignition [Remix]" (R.Kelly).
As it's not a Mountain Goats song it's not about fucked up people in fucked up situations! Great, huh!

Listen to it here:

[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

or here:
the Mountain Goats - The Boys Are Back In Town (Thin Lizzy)

I'm posting the lyrics anyway:

Guess who just got back today?
Them wild-eyed boys who had been away
Hadn't changed, hadn't much to say
I still think those guys are great

They were asking if you'd been around
How you was, where you could be found
Told 'em you were living downtown
Driving all the old men crazy

The boys are back in town
(The boys are back in town)
The boys are back in town
(the boys are back in town)

You remember that chick who used to dance a lot?
Every night she'd be on the floor, shaking what she'd got
Man, when I tell you was cool, she was red hot
I mean, she was steaming

And that time over at Johnny's place
Well this chick she got up and she slapped Johnny's face
Man, we just fell about the place
If that chick don't wanna know, then forget her

G
The boys are back in town
(the boys are back in town)
the boys are back in town
(the boys are back in town)

Spread the word around
Guess who's back in town
Spread the word around

Friday night they'll be dressed to kill
Down at Dino's bar and grill
Drink will flow and blood will spill
And if the boys wanna fight, you better let 'em

That jukebox in the corner blasting out my favorite song
The nights are getting warmer, it won't be long
Won't be long till summer comes
Now that the boys are here again

The boys are back in town
(The boys are back in town)
I said the boys are back in town

The boys are back in town
(the boys are back, the boys are back, the boys are back)
The boys are back in town, yeah

It's the remix to ignition

Hot and fresh out the kitchen
Mama rollin' that body
Got every man in here wishin'
Sippin' on Coke and rum
I'm like so what I'm drunk
It's the freakin' weekend baby
I'm about to have me some fun

Crystal poppin in the stretch navigator
We got food everywhere
as if this party was catered
Fellas on my left
And honeys to my right
You put em both together
And we'll party all night, yeah.

Mountain Goats appreciation month #8

I have to explain a few things about this song: First of all, "officially" it's not a Mountain Goats song but rather by the "Extra Glenns" - a side project of John Darnielle. Nevertheless, John sometimes sings this one at Mountain Goats concerts as well.
Secondly, it's part of the "Going to ..." series of songs. The "Going to" series basically deals with the notion that people think going to other places will change anything, e.g. improve an relationship, when it does not. There are roughly about 45 "Going to" songs so far that John wrote.
Let's turn to the song. It actually seems very similar to "No Children" to me, maybe not as extreme (or some time before in the chronology of things). Still the idea is that it's about a dysfunctional relationship. Though in this case one where there's still some feeling that just doesn't go away.
I especially love the line "our love is like Jesus, but worse, though you seal the cave up where you've lain its body, it rises." Pure genius!
By the way: I formed the theory that all Mountain Goats songs are about fucked up people in fucked up situations! I think that summons it up quite nicely. You agree?

Going to Marrakesh

The fog is lifting from the water
the bells are sounding on the boats
and our love is a monster plain and simple
though you weigh it down with stones to try to drown it
it floats
it floats.

The day of reckoning is coming
faster than anyone here realizes
and our love is like Jesus, but worse
though you seal the cave up where you've lain its body
it rises
it rises.

I keep waiting for our love to die
the machines by its bed dim and flicker, but it won't stay dead
and it perks up when the nurses bring its medication by.

I wish our love could go the way of all flesh
but it's not right, and its not nice
to try and kill the same thing twice
would you pack your things?
We are going to Marrakesh!