The Mountain Goats

[fox69]

"Early Spring"

"Early Spring"



The pictures you paint aren't as pretty as they once seemed to me
And the coffee's bitter 'cause it's been boiling too long
And the jokes you tell aren't as funny as they once seemed to me
And the songs you sing are just plain hackneyed

But the stars shine down on all God's children
And the sun sets on the good on the evil
And I know you
And I know you

The throbbing flowers outside, I get it
And the paint peeling from the bathroom walls
And the smile on your face is alive
And the smile on your face is real pretty

And the sun shines down on all God's children
And the stars burn for the good and the evil
And I know you
And I know you

 

[fox69]

"Earth Air Water Trees"

"Earth Air Water Trees"



Through the shifting colors in the sky
I heard the wild geese call.
And the liwas bright and clear and cold
Over eastern Montreal
And although, I know
You're only toying with me now,
And although, I know
You hold your affection for me like a bone on a string
I love you, I love you because
You gave me sausage and cheese when I was hungry.

You hold your closed hand out to me
And you told me to guess what you had inside
And I had a thousand guesses and some of them were good
But I knew for some reason that I was losing my mind
When the scent came rising
Through the spaces between your fingers
When the scent called to me
And I know we'd last at least until the end of december
I love you, I love you because
You gave me sausage and cheese when I was hungry

 

[fox69]

"Eleven Bands"

"Eleven Bands"



Follow the grass up the mountain up the foot of the mountain.
Follow the twisting branches.
When you look at them
Remember that they are alive, growing still.
See their colors lighten, as you climb.
Watch the sunlight catch them and reflect them.
It reflects them everywhere.

One of these paths leading up the nameless mountain
Was the one that told you something once.
But you will not find it here.
It has shriveled up and pickeled off the mountain.
Like a dying vine.
One these things take on their weightlessness,
The structure comes apart.

How do the trees grow in this weather?
It is freezing cold.
Take the map on up the mountain side.
And all the sounds from far and wide will leave you suddenly.
And sugar winds come through the clouds.

 

[fox69]

"Elijah"

"Elijah"



Streak the windows
Smear the walls with coconut oil, yeah
Fill the cast-iron kettle
With water and magnolia blossom

Let it boil
Let the water roll
Let the fire takes its toll
I'm coming home, I'm coming home

Dust off the idols
Give them something to eat
I think they're hungry
I know I'm starving half to death

I know you're waiting
I know you've been waiting for a long, long time
And I'm coming home
I'm coming home

Set the table
Those three extra places
One for me, one for your doubts
And one for God

Let the incense burn in every room
Feel the fullness of time in the empty tomb
Feel the future kicking in your womb
I'm coming home, I'm coming home

 

[fox69]

"Ending The Alphabet"

"Ending The Alphabet"



We've got the brightest skylight
Like a vision of heaven on the evening sky.
And a clocktower two block from the spot where i'm standing tonight.
The avenues are throbbing with people.
And the late sunlight makes them all look like angels.
And the transformation is seamless.
They are unbearably bright.
I can almost hear their voices
As i walk past them all toward the water.
What is there left in a city like this
When everyone you know is gone?
I saw the wind wash them all away and i was freezing

 

[fox69]

"Estate Sale Sign"

"Estate Sale Sign"



Crude little wooden idols and aviator shades
The trinkets and the treasures we brought back from the crusades
Some guy in an Impala shakes his head when he rides by
But I remember when we shared a vision, you and I

Worked hard to build this altar, we made it earn its keep
The cracks across its surface spiderweb while we're asleep
The sacrificial stains all spread out and soaking through
But I remember when we kept it pretty, me and you

And high above the water the eagle spots the fish
Every martyr in this jungle is gonna get his wish

Stockshots, stupid stockshots from the Pamona mall
Set up like unloved icons gathering dust up on the wall
From films no one remembers they call down silently
But I remember when their names were dear to you and me

Pennies on the dollar, everything's gotta go
The things that we can't even give away, I don't wanna know
Try to see if secrets burn when you hold them up into the light
I remember when we loved each other day and night

And high above the water the eagle spots the fish
Every martyr in the jungle is gonna get his wish

 

[fox69]

"Evening In Stalingrad"

"Evening In Stalingrad"



When you were 19, I first laid eyes on you
The small stream that ran through the center of town carried your name to me
Your hair was dark and your eyes were a frosty blue
Then they put me in jail until you were 23

When you were 24, we took to drinking and dancing
We boxed with our shadows like a couple of kangaroos
And then we went down to Chechnya for the weekend
Your eyes were glacial and your promises all rang true

And things are happening here while we sleep
I can feel it in my boiling brain
And I am dreaming in blood-red color
When I see the stolypin car riding through the light rain

They'll have to carry me out on my back
They'll have to tear me to pieces, all right
We are warm in our hidden room down here
We've got stars in our eyes tonight

 

[fox69]

"Ezekiel 7 And The Permanent Efficacy Of Grace"

"Ezekiel 7 And The Permanent Efficacy Of Grace"



The clouds explode and then the desert blooms
Someone will need to mop this floor for me
When I emerge, I find my car
Like a cathedral in a dream of the future

Drive until the rain stops
Keep driving

Pull over and blast off when I get the chance
Clear as an insect's wings in the sunlight
Flip on the high stakes radio
Try to sing the words right

Drive until the rain stops
Keep driving

I had his arms tied up behind him
We were together all day
Maybe make Culiacán by sunset
Try to, anyway

High as the clouds now
Flying
Drive until the rain stops
Keep driving

 

[fox69]

"Faithless Bacchant Song"

"Faithless Bacchant Song"



Somewhere in the damn forest...
Where the fat pines look like my brother's arms,
Thick and ripe
I'm trying to get out for days and these green vines
Keep getting in my way

I came up to a clearing.
Where the crosswinds cooled my face.
I would've sat down there in the middle,
I would've rested just a little,
But for the fire-bellied toads.
See the ground was wet and they were everywhere.
Fire-bellied toad number five
From what may or may not have been unlimited series
Opened up his little mouth
As though to speak,
And then he spoke
And then he spoke to me, and he said,

"you can't holler down a rain barrel.
You can't climb around a tree.
I don't want to play in your yard.
If you won't be good to me."

Honey it was downright creepy

 

[fox69]

"Fall Of The Star High School Running Back"

"Fall Of The Star High School Running Back"



Sophomore year
You rushed for an average of eight and third yards per carry
All eyes were on you

Junior year
You blew your knee out at an out town game
Nowhere to go but down, down, down
Nothing but the ground left for you to fall to

By July
You'd made a whole bunch of brand new friends
People you used to look down on

And you'd figured out a way to make real money
Giving ends to your friends and it felt stupendous
Chrome spokes on your Japanese bike

But selling acid was a bad idea
And selling it to a cop was a worse one
And the new law said that seventeen year olds could do federal time
You were the first one

So I sing this song for you
William Stanaforth Donahue
Your grandfather rode the boat over from Ireland
But you made a bad decision or two