The Mountain Goats

fox69 · 02.05.2016

"Stars Around Her"

"Stars Around Her"

i saw the darkness coming down,
it posed no threat to me
i let the dakrness ease its way around
it was every good thing
i'd expected it would be
i saw you coming,
through the twisting vines outside
i saw the new moon collide
with the stars
clustered around her.

i saw the young fruit, on the new lime
i felt your breath catch it's rhythm.
i heard your legs push away the tall dry brush
i saw the moon and the stars
and knew the secrets within them.
i heard you saying
my name into my ear
no one has to tell me
why you've come here,
'cause i know.
i know.
i know.

fox69 · 02.05.2016

"Stars Fell On Alabama"

"Stars Fell On Alabama"

You looked real calm as we made our way up the walk
there were lazy kisses, hands brushing and small talk
the moon was high, your smooth face was dry, and the kudzu grew

and the stars fell on alabama
and your eyes filled up with light
and the stars fell on alabama

the warm earth underneath us gave way
dry grass crinkled like paper as a breeze came in across the bay
cold clean water nearby, glimmered in your eyes
and your pistol glistened.

and the stars fell on alabama
and your eyes filled up with light
and the stars fell on alabama

but if you think I'll take a bullet for you - you're dreaming.

fox69 · 02.05.2016

"Sun Song"

"Sun Song"

The sun was a yellow eye in a blue face
When you came over to my place
And you said how things looked dead around here
Well that's alright if things look dead around here
Cause it's only a little while longer that things are gonna look dead around here

And there are certain gardening skills
That you don't have yet
And there are certain gardening skills
That you'll never learn

How to leave alone what's doing fine
How to mulch what's dying on the vine
There are certain gardening secrets
You don't know

You said the soil looked nitrogen poor
Well, don't you worry about the soil looking nitrogen poor
I think that's my problem if the soil is nitrogen poor
But for myself it looks kind of nitrogen rich

And there are certain gardening secrets
You don't have yet
And there are certain gardening skills
You'll never learn

How to leave alone what's doing fine
How to mulch what's dying on the vine
There are certain gardening secrets
You don't know

fox69 · 02.05.2016

"Tahitian Ambrosia Maker"

"Tahitian Ambrosia Maker"

We were real hungry and half dead
When you broke out half a loaf of sourdough bread
And in the tropical air the scent rose like a spirit
Moments of grace like this being wholly unmerited

We were newly alive and I felt your hand on my arm
I was awake to the sensation and immune from all harm
You pressed your soft cheek up against my gut
Pure gold, nothing but gold

And I'm gonna bake you a nice coconut cream pie
'Cause I saw the sky coming down to meet you

fox69 · 02.05.2016

"Tallahassee"

"Tallahassee"

Window facing an ill-kept front yard
Plums on the tree heavy with nectar
Prayers to summon the destroying angel
Moon stuttering in the sky like a film stuck in a projector

And you
You

Twin prop airplanes passing loudly overhead
Road to the airport, two lanes clear
Half the whole town gone for the summer
Terrible silence coming down here

And you
You

There is no deadline
There is no schedule
There is no plan
We can fall back on

The road this far can't be retraced
There is no punchline anybody can tack on
There are loose ends by the score
What did I come down here for?

You
You

fox69 · 02.05.2016

"Teenage World"

"Teenage World"

You bought me a rabbit to keep me company
And i'm here in my car and the rabbit's here with me
Heading out highway one, respecting posted speed limits
And i tried to figure this one out but i can't find any meaning

And i'm sick and tired of trying to figure out your gestures
And i'm sick and tired of wondering what your presents mean
I'm gonna take this rabbit into malibu
And he'll chew on sour grass while i wolf down dexadrine
Dexadrine.

The wind comes through the open window and i button my shirt
And the rabbit's riding shotgun my teeth hurt
You sent me a package marked "live animals inside"
And the sun's coming up quickly above the rising tide

And i'm sick and tired of trying to figure out your gestures
And i'm sick and tired of wondering what your presents mean
I'm gonna take this rabbit into malibu
And he'll chew on sour grass while i wolf down dexadrine
Dexadrine

fox69 · 02.05.2016

"Tell Me On A Sunday"

"Tell Me On A Sunday"

Don't write a letter
When you want to leave
Don't call me at 3 a.m. from your friend's apartment

I'd like to choose
How I hear the news
Take me to a park that's covered with trees
Tell me on a Sunday, please

Let me down easy, no big song and dance
No long faces, no long looks, no deep conversation
I know the way
I want to spend that day

Take me to the zoo with fake chimpanzees
Tell me on a Sunday, please

Don't want to know who's to blame
Won't help knowing
I don't wanna fight, day and night
It's bad enough that you're going

Don't leave in silence, with no words at all
Don't get mad and slam the door
That's no way to end this
I know how I want you to say goodbye

Find a circus tent with a big trapeze
Tell me on a Sunday, please

I don't wanna fight day and night
It's bad enough that you're going

Don't leave in silence, with no word at all
Don't get mad and slam the door
That's no way to end this
I know how I want you to say goodbye

Don't ride off in the pouring rain
Don't call me as they call your plane
Take the hurt out of all the pain

Take me to a park that's covered with trees
Tell me on a Sunday, please

fox69 · 02.05.2016

"Thanks For The Dress"

"Thanks For The Dress"

...he'll still be like
...it's so good. she's
...tell ya about personal testimony
...please keep feeding us

the young sun
the old story forming
hasn't been the same
since dad came by this morning
did you see the way mom's looking at us
mark it well

your eyes meet mine
when we hear her call
the strange birds in the yard
a portrait of the symbols that she painted on the garden wall
did you see the way mom's looking at us
did you see the way mom's looking at us
don't say anything

fox69 · 02.05.2016

"The Admonishing Song"

"The Admonishing Song"

tell me why.
tell me why.
tell me why you lied.
that was not a nice thing to do.
not a nice thing to do.
it wasn't very nice of you.
not a nice thing to do.

tell me why.
tell me why.
tell me why when you got caught in it you told the same lie.
that was not a nice thing to do.
not a nice thing to do.
it wasn't very nice of you.
not a nice thing to do.

tell me why.
tell me why.
tell me why you made threats against the life of the prime minister of canada.
that was not a nice thing to do.
not a nice thing to do.
it wasn't very nice of you.
not a nice thing to do.

fox69 · 02.05.2016

"The Alphonse Mambo"

"The Alphonse Mambo"

I could almost hear the rhythm section
Kick in as the sun began to blaze
I saw you walk across the plaza
Figured I'd just play it like it lays

I think I'm gonna be real sick again
I think it's gonna happen real soon
And I know I can't afford another night here in this place
With its sixteenth floor view of the ocean and the dunes

And it's gonna be just you and me today
Waiting for the other shoe to drop in Tampa Bay

I can hear the roar of the crowd
In the stadium a couple of blocks away
It's the kind of thing that used to get me all worked up
But I don't want to talk about it now, okay, okay?

Okay

I just want to get this whole thing over with
I don't want to deal with it anymore
I hear the cogs all slipping at the same time
And then I see you walk in through the door

And it's gonna be just you and me today
Waiting for the other shoe to drop in Tampa Bay