Modest Mouse is an alternative rock band which formed in 1993 in Issaquah, … Read Full Bio ↴Modest Mouse is an alternative rock band which formed in 1993 in Issaquah, Washington, United States. The band's original lineup consisted of guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green and bassist Eric Judy. Since being signed to Sony's Epic Records in 2000, Modest Mouse has attained significant popular success with songs such as "Float On" and "Dashboard."

The band's current configuration is Isaac Brock (vocals, guitar), Tom Peloso (strings, horns, bass, keyboards), Jim Fairchild (guitar), and Eric Judy (bass)). Plummer has recently become the new drummer for The Shins.

Brock came up with the name "Modest Mouse" when he read the Virginia Woolf stream of consciousness essay The Mark On the Wall in which the author described the working middle class as "modest mouse-coloured people"

Brock frequently moved around with his mother when he was a child. Around this time, his mother left his father for his father's brother (Brock's uncle). Brock's mother's house flooded and forced them to move into his mother's new husband's trailer, but there was no room for Brock. Brock stayed behind, living in the second story of the flooded house, until he was eventually evicted by police. He then moved into a shed next to his mother's house and it is said this is where Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green and bassist Eric Judy first began playing music.

In 1994, the band recorded their debut EP, Blue Cadet-3, Do You Connect?, at Calvin Johnson's Dub Narcotic Studios, which was then released on Calvin's record label K Records. Then followed a single with Sub Pop that was recorded by producer Steve Wold at Moon Studios. Wold, who in the mid-2000's would begin to perform under the name Seasick Steve, would also perform on the band's albums, but was never an official member of the band. After moving to Up Records Modest Mouse put out several releases recorded at Moon Studios, including 1996's This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About. This double LP was produced and recorded by Steve Wold. The next offering on UP was Interstate 8; also produced by Steve Wold. 1997's The Lonesome Crowded West, (also recorded at Moon Studios, by Scott Swayze) turned out to be the band's breakthrough album. The Lonesome Crowded West gained the band a cult following and is now widely considered by many critics to be one of the defining albums of mid-90s indie rock.

In 2000, Modest Mouse released The Moon And Antarctica, their first album on a major label (Epic Records). The band enjoyed some success on alternative radio with the singles "3rd Planet" and "Gravity Rides Everything." Lead singer Isaac Brock has since put out an album with his side project Ugly Casanova on Sub Pop Records.

In 2003, drummer Jeremiah Green quit the band; the official word was that he was quitting to work with his side project, Vells. He was replaced with two members, drummer Benjamin Weikel (who also drummed for The Helio Sequence) and guitarist Dann Gallucci (Murder City Devils). Weikel being new to the band and Gallucci returning to the band for the first time since This is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About. On April 6, 2004, Modest Mouse released the platinum-selling Good News For People Who Love Bad News, which scored two hits with "Float On" and "Ocean Breathes Salty". In 2004 Jeremiah Green returned to the band, and Benjamin Weikel now drums exclusively for The Helio Sequence. Dann Gallucci left the band in August, and they toured with Hutch Harris of The Thermals during the fall of 2004.

Modest Mouse was mentioned by name in the 2005 Supreme Court decision in the case of MGM v. Grokster. Justice Souter wrote that on the Grokster P2P network, "Users seeking Top 40 songs, for example, or the latest release by Modest Mouse, are certain to be far more numerous than those seeking a free Decameron, and Grokster and StreamCast translated that demand into dollars."

In 2005, multi-instrumentalist Tom Peloso, who already played various instruments on Good News For People Who Love Bad News, officially joined the band. In 2006, Johnny Marr, former guitarist for The Smiths, became an official member of the band.

On March 20, 2007, the band released their fifth album, We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank. Four singles were released from the album: "Dashboard", "Missed the Boat", "We've Got Everything" and "Little Motel". The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart. James Mercer of The Shins provides backing vocals on three songs.

In 2009, they released No One's First And You're Next, an EP of unreleased songs from around the time Good News and We Were Dead were recorded, and two songs that had already been released, "I've Got It All (Most)" and "King Rat". The video for King Rat was directed by late actor Heath Ledger.

In 2009, Johnny Marr left the band and was replaced by Jim Fairchild, formerly of Grandaddy. The band performed at several festivals throughout 2009 and 2010, including the main stage of the Reading and Leeds Festivals in 2010.

After an 8 year wait, the band's latest full-length is "Strangers To Ourselves", released March 17th, 2015- two weeks after the original release date, March 3rd, 2015. The album art is an aerial photo of an RV resort located in Mesa, Arizona. Five singles were released before the album, "Lampshades on Fire", "Coyotes", "The Ground Walks, with Time in a Box", "The Best Room", and "Of Course we Know".

Drummer Jeremiah Green passed away from cancer on December 31, 2022 at the age of 45.

This Devil's Workday
Modest Mouse Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

All the folks I know are gone.

All the people that you know.
All the people that you know.
All the people that you know
Floatin' in the river are logs.

So I ate the wedding cake
'til the whole damn thing was gone.
And I'm gonna drown the ocean.
Now ain't none o' that so wrong?

All the people that you know.
All those people that you know.
All those people that you know
Floatin' in the river are gone.

Gonna take this sack of puppies.
Gonna set it out to freeze.
Gonna climb around on all fours
'til all the blood falls out my knees.

All the people that you know.
All the people that you know.
All those people that you know
Floatin' in the river are logs.
Well let's take this potted plant
To the woods and set it free.
I'm gonna tell the owners
Just how nice that was of me.

I could buy myself a reason.
I could sell myself a job.
I could hang myself on treason.

Oh I am my own damn god.
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Modest Mouse's "This Devil's Workday" are complex and enigmatic, as is typical of the band's music. The song centers around the idea of isolation, both physical and emotional. The repeated refrain of "All those people that you know, floating in the river are logs" can be interpreted as a commentary on the transience of human connections and the idea that in the end, all that remains is one's own company. This idea is further explored in lines like "All the folks I know are gone" and "Oh I am my own damn god," which suggest a state of complete self-reliance and self-sufficiency.

However, the song's themes are not entirely despondent. Lines like "I'm gonna tell the owners just how nice that was of me" suggest a desire for connection and recognition, even in the face of overwhelming isolation. Additionally, moments of absurdity and humor, like the image of someone climbing around on all fours until their "blood falls out [their] knees," provide a playful counterbalance to the song's heavier themes. Overall, Modest Mouse's "This Devil's Workday" is a complex and thought-provoking meditation on loneliness, isolation, and the human condition.

Line by Line Meaning

All those people that you know.
The many individuals you are familiar with.

All those people that you know,
The many individuals you are familiar with.

Floatin' in the river are logs.
Logs are afloat down the river.

I could buy myself a reason.
I am capable of purchasing an explanation.

I could sell myself a job.
I am capable of deceiving myself into thinking I am employed.

I could hang myself on treason.
I could execute myself for going against my country.

All the folks I know are gone.
All the people I know have passed away.

All the people that you know.
All the people that you're acquainted with.

All the people that you know
All the people that you're acquainted with.

Floatin' in the river are logs.
Logs are afloat down the river.

So I ate the wedding cake
I consumed the wedding cake.

'til the whole damn thing was gone.
Until the entire cake had been eaten.

And I'm gonna drown the ocean.
I plan to submerge the entire ocean.

Now ain't none o' that so wrong?
Is it really that bad?

All the people that you know.
All the people that you're familiar with.

All those people that you know.
The many individuals you are familiar with.

All those people that you know
The many individuals you are familiar with.

Floatin' in the river are gone.
The floating logs are no longer present.

Gonna take this sack of puppies.
I plan to seize this bag of puppies.

Gonna set it out to freeze.
Then, I'll put it outside to become extremely cold.

Gonna climb around on all fours
I will move on my hands and feet.

'til all the blood falls out my knees.
Until the blood exits my knees.

All the people that you know.
All the people that you are knowledgeable about.

All the people that you know.
All the individuals that you know.

All those people that you know
All the people that you are acquainted with.

Floatin' in the river are logs.
There are floating logs in the river.

Well let's take this potted plant
Shall we remove this potted plant.

To the woods and set it free.
And then release it into the woods.

I'm gonna tell the owners
I intend to inform the rightful owner.

Just how nice that was of me.
How generous I was.

I could buy myself a reason.
I am capable of acquiring justification for myself.

I could sell myself a job.
I am capable of selling myself a false profession.

I could hang myself on treason.
I am capable of condemning myself for betrayal.

Oh I am my own damn god.
I am my own divine being.

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
Laughs exclaiming what was just said.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ISAAC BROCK

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@americalynn3001

5y↑3

All those people that you know.
All those people that you know.
All those people that you know,
Floatin' in the river are logs.
I could buy myself a reason.
I could sell myself a job.
I could hang myself on treason.
All the folks I know are gone.
All the people that you know.
All the people that you know.
All the people that you know
Floatin' in the river are logs.
So I ate the wedding cake
'til the whole damn thing was gone.
And I'm gonna drown the ocean.
Now ain't none o' that so wrong?
All the people that you know.
All those people that you know.
All those people that you know
Floatin' in the river are gone.
Gonna take this sack of puppies.
Gonna set it out to freeze.
Gonna climb around on all fours
'til all the blood falls out my knees.
All the people that you know.
All the people that you know.
All those people that you know
Floatin' in the river are logs.
Well let's take this potted plant
To the woods and set it free.
I'm gonna tell the owners
Just how nice that was of me.
I could buy myself a reason.
I could sell myself a job.
I could hang myself on treason.
Oh I am my own damn god.
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha

All comments from YouTube:

@starchmonkey

10y↑203

So many people hate on this song; it's my personal favorite off the album.

@cenfre2866

10y↑3

Same here

@hollywykert4423

9y↑28

I like it cause its so dark, people probably think it sounds obnoxious but, it's modest mouse, and personally, their lyrics and obnoxious sound is majority of the reason they're so good to me

@joelaporte1270

9y↑6

starchmonkey Tom Waits on vocals...

@jamesderoc6717

9y↑7

+starchmonkey gimme their names

@starchmonkey

9y↑10

I actually had a theory on this song and why it's so great: it plays with 'Float On''s lyrics a little bit and totally overshadows the happy and peppy themes of that song. ("We'll all float on" contrasted with "All those people that you know... floating in the river are logs")

8 More Replies...

@ffpartytricks5058

6y↑6

Always only known this band for "float on" and "dashboard" but I have literally spent all night listening to their music. Was supposed to go bed at 12 I'm here at half 7 wondering how I have never had this band in my life. Absolutely fucking excellent

@sarahtifft5401

8y↑33

I don't know why this is my favorite off this album but it definitely is. Satin in a coffin comes pretty close, too.

@Hans-yo2cq

4y↑1

Same reason why dramamine is one of the most godlike songs ever. Isaac knows how to make a kick ass riff.

@richardmacdougall7812

10y↑89

Isaac Brock is one of the few who can actually pull off Tom Waits styled vocals.

@_alienaids

5y↑3

Richard MacDougall And that's the truth, Sis

@anthonymiozza526

3y↑3

hmmm... youve obviously not listened to Tom Waits then, he gives it a good try though.

@jeremyskadsen6395

Issac brock is modest mouse

@MouseThatsModest

12y↑47

"Well let's take this potted plant to the woods and set it free. I'm gonna tell the owner just how nice that was of me." I cracked up.

@BipolarBear_pen15

4y↑19

You can just hear the insanity when he says “oh, I am my own damn God!”

@MAGiCALxQWERTY

9y↑3

This is one of my favorite Modest Mouse songs!

@LilithFilth

12y↑7

It's great that so many other people can hear Tom Waits in this. I'd like to hear him do a cover version :)

@MissDancergirl100

12y

Modest Mouse is amazing! I just can't get enough of them!! :D

@SmilingWolfofBurnaby

10y↑27

His laugh in this gets me every time at 1:59

@sparkpenguin

5y↑2

for all the tom waits comments that laugh is such a john darnielle moment, the whole tone and lyrics too. i wasn't interested in this band when they kicked off mainstream in 04 and indie was kinda irritatingly everywhere under the surface but i am glad i came back for em later in life.

@santsi7306

It so good

@p5y4n1d3

7y↑43

'I could buy myself a reason,
I could sell myself a job,
I could hang myself for treason,
I am my own damn god'
Pure gold.

@spirit848

Cool comment but I think it's 'I can hang myself on trees'

@onecrewproductions

@spirit no

@onecrewproductions

@spirit actually now that you've said it I think you're right

@Dogman_35

No, it is treason lol

@wooddemon6838

5y↑2

Gonna crawl around on all fours till the blood falls out my knees, My favorite line from any song!

@oscar5584

12y↑2

modest mouse is so unique..

@toddgeffken1915

5y↑6

I was playing this at work one day and a guy I work with said it sounded like someone was torturing an elephant!

@ryderthomas24

41w↑4

My interpatation of this song was always that it was about a Psychopath with no feelings for others And overall displaying very anti-social behavior.
Think about it "All those people that you know Floating in the river are logs"
He Doesn’t Care about Anybody but himself as he sees himself above them. So a Bunch of people Floating in a river might as well be logs to him
That could be why the track was made to stick out so much and alienate some people as its sorta the Anti-Modest mouse song
just like how in society Psychopath is the anti-social

@christianwoolsey1683

10y↑16

I like to see this song as the beginning of Act II on this album. It's the second occurrence of the horns from the intro.

@iwayovelayouyay123

13y

I LOVE THIS SONG!

@americalynn3001

5y↑3

@left4dead162

12y

i want to play this song in my band!!!!!

@gemmabear1234

10y↑123

GONNA TAKE THIS POTTED PLANT
TO THE WOODS AND SET IT FREE
NOW I'M GONNA TELL THE OWNERS
JUST HOW NICE THAT WAS OF ME

too good isaac haha

@glowstickqueen7139

4y↑1

The plant is the Vegan's pet! leave them be!

@hoagielamp6543

GONNA TAKE THIS SACK OF PUPPIES GONNA SET IT OUT TO FREEZE

@rastachicc

11y

I love this song <3

@flipdiesel9652

9y↑71

so much Tom Waits influence in this song... dayum. Love this shit.

@thepowerofweed

7y↑1

ok so it's not just me i was checking the comments to see if anyone knew if it was actually influenced but someone else thinking it is good enough for me.

@Lucols4

straight out ripping off

@courage3001

6y↑1

Max Thomas Nah

@lupusalbus3795

I feel you. Love tom

@michaelrizzo5312

6y↑3

Seems like not many people know this song, I like that. I bet their floating in a river

@Misslt27

I lose it every time at the potted plant line!

@Eeveeswhimsicalwonders

9y↑2

I remember when I was 4 and moving to New York, my mom would play this song and it was funny as fuck. It's still funny as fuck.

@Shortieplaya2012

13y↑1

this song always makes me think of new orleans cause of all the trumpet. i've never even been there haha

@BertleMcGertle

4y↑2

One of my least favorite modest mouse albums and it's a masterpiece

@Hans-yo2cq

4y↑1

It took me awhile to appreciate it, until I learned that this was going to possibly be their last album. There simply isn’t another album where he is this angry and frustrated, not only that, but this album probably saved the band altogether.

I think people who hate this album aren’t true fans. That’s not saying this album is better than their old music, but it’s simply god awful and stupid to say this album isn’t good at all.

@3Carbon6

Annoying customers sat down at the smoke shack while I'm on lunch break, gossiping at an obnoxiously loud level...
So I'm blasting this song.

@brandeecastilleja1753

This song live the BEST !!

@notsure8354

horn intro is the best text notification ever. you become known around town real fast.

@Nastuf

12y↑1

13th time today I can't stop listening.

@-Heda-

48w↑1

Always loved the fucking darkness and truth to their music, always.

@moonsuns2941

Very wicked!!!

@joseosuna8793

11y↑16

Tom Waits wrote this when he was 8 thats why he sounds so young in this song :)

@bludwulf999

8y↑30

Don't freeze the puppies! =,(

@j.vanpelt4669

8y↑1

o fim é a melhor parte

@crazybeastly

13y

great song

@Eve6fangirl

12y

haha i love thier songs on this cd XD their so odd lol i love it

@alexmorrison9863

8y↑1

Oh my, this song makes me go insane.

@SpankMyPlatypus

9y↑5

This song always makes me think of the story The Black Cat by Edgar Allen Poe.

@mandylaws6434

3y↑2

Modest Mouse is my favorite band and Edgar Allen Poe is my favorite writer and I can see it!

@bloody_jaydee2405

4y↑8

Remus blessed my ears with this 😂💚😂

@destinyh8556

8y↑31

my 7 year old asked if she could sing this for the talent show. she likes this song does the lagh and all hahaha!!!!

@cheislies0012

8y↑10

10/10 parenting!!! Just don't let her close to Modest Mouse sadest songs LOL Stares at first albums

@isaaclightle123

lucky for you isaac brock hates kids lol

@andymcgowan7384

Now that's a top quality mom.

@_alienaids

The only true queen is your daughter

@Insomiak

13y↑1

My bestfriend decided to ditch me for cooler kids one day, permanently. This is what I listened to...

@Shay16236

11y↑9

1:56 I really like how Isaac is a Biblical name....meaning "he who laughs".

@dougscott9965

Come back to modest from time to time here weeeeee go again.

@christopher11morris

10y

Brilliant :-)

@henrymohn7571

3y↑1

This is like, the theme song of an early 1900's oil tycoon or something

@yaoiluver9000

I think you could animate a really nice slapstick cartoon to this ^_^

@Guppyg53

It's so weird and I love the banjo :p

@ScreamsGeo

8y↑3

Anyone ever see "Let's Make a Deal"? Sometimes there'd be shows where a person would trade several hundred dollars for what's behind door #3, only for it to be an obstinate donkey. I imagine the horn intro of this song is the reveal of the donkey as a prize, while the rest of the song is the luckless contestant trying to actually take said donkey back home, with the donkey having none of it. Anyone else have a similar reaction to the song?

@Jeshuakrc

7y↑17

I'm I the only one who thinks this goes perfect for Cuphead?

@Treyworld

6y↑2

YES!

@rockehrollmcdonals3605

5y↑1

It reminds me of the level with the frogs

@Donttrustmyresearch

9y↑1

That trumpet though..

@dumbfoundedstudent

11y

The best kind Andrew, the best kind.

@lordxeras

11y↑8

This song is to music what meth is to drugs.

@chiefbeef1003

7y↑16

Tom Waits was a pretty cool guy.

@teddydotson5682

Damn; if you don't hear this. you're so sane. "Oh I am my own damn "God".

@bunnypuppets4557

6y↑1

MOUNEST MOUSE YAAAAAS

@AudioGardenSlave123

13y

this is so different which is just like them while at the same time nothing like them

@justinthomas1710

8y↑8

Makes me wonder if I am my own God.

@_alienaids

Justin Thomas hmmm

@mastercabbage9882

10y↑18

I am my own damn god

@julianvision6705

Modest Mouse 9. This Devil’s Workday
A Picture Of The Dirty
Dozen Brass Band Who
Helped Out Always In This
Song And In Horn Intro

@gtc1103

Jazzy!

@MaximumMatthew

Anyone still bop to this?

@purpletycoon

12y

madness!

@definitelynotanasaagent8695

39 people are floating in the river like logs.

@deleteddeleteplease1940

True that!

@thychaos

12y

isnt it "This Devil's Workday"?

@osbeo4345

All the people that you know.

@rosakuboleznennyesladkij1415

9y↑2

Song reminds me of Sudomemo as a whole.

@davestrider3452

ah same :0

@aweshad9

12y

the beginning kinda reminds me of king rat

@Guercinator

13y↑2

@letterstometro sweet, since your still new to Mouse, check out the really early work (This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About, The Lonesome Crowded West, Everywhere And His Nasty Parlour Tricks, Sad Sappy Sucker, etc...)

@TrevorTSmith

12y

its a good album but no were near their first three

@AirzoneRaptor

3y↑2

I found this from lupisvulpes's animations back then before we know that she was transphobic and I'm not disappointed.

@JackPassmore

Noice. Thanks for the context.

@_alienaids

5y↑2

Wait people hate this song?

@Moonfoote

12y

@jujubucks12 Because all the people that they know floating in the river are logs.

@Jeeves_

10y↑2

The BariSax <3

@444shuma

12y↑1

@Dogfuckedthepope I would hope more people than us have heard tom waits, especially since im only fifteen

@AzmiKamarullah

5y↑1

in the video the title is the devil's workday but in the youtube is "this devil's wokday", I always remember the title is with THE not THIS, is this mandela effect?

@DeathbyProxy

Azmi Kamarullah SAME I literally have “the devil’s workday” in my search history and have always put “the” whenever I was referring to this song

@AzmiKamarullah

@Death by Proxy I'm totally sure it's "The" not This, also happened to Stephen Malkmus's album, it's supposed to be "Wig Out The Jagbags" but now it is "Wig Out at Jagbags" so weird both title exist when I google it, like both of "the devil's workday and "this devil's workday" are exist in this video

@444shuma

12y

@Dogfuckedthepope hahahaha yes i have, hes so wonderful. have you heard edgar winter?

@40ozgang

🔮🔮🔮

@soeyesays5696

Yes😈

@osbeo4345

5y↑1

Aw shiittt

@backuss11

11y↑5

WTF kind of genre of music is this?

@bennyboy2573

4y↑1

Awesome genre

@AriTheMothQueen

Yes

@dipperdandy

AH HAH HAH HA HA HA HA

@garyfitz8531

Big Daddy Graham's 3 Amigos!

@julianvision6705

33w

2:08

@nicholeleekolovanigruber2678

1y↑1

Ù GOALLLLLL by KOLOVANI

@Insomiak

13y

@bdebramo Oh yes ;D

@Blungusssy

I came from the yaga

@BlueOctober13th

12y

@Shortieplaya2012 me too!

@julianvision6705

34w

Warner Bros. Animation/Teletoon/Cookie Jar

@basedbri

Remember the Holodmar

@TheOcularmigraine

12y

Just read the comments. The song was better.

@nathanielnuckols9234

2y↑1

whoah lsd. ever been aloof?

@lilwaynedick

12y

@xxxassasinatedxxx some one has their sassy pants on

@feedbackblues

i don’t find this song funny at all i just reeeeaally like it

makes me think of a guy who killed all of the friends of this other guy he’s stalking and affixed them to logs and floated them down the river.. then is like “LOOK WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR FRIENDS WOW KINDA FUCKED UP HUH?? payattentiontome”