Darnielle began the new millennium with The Coroner's Gambit for Absolutely Kosher before signing to 4AD for the release of the surprisingly polished Tallahassee in 2002. We Shall All Be Healed followed in 2004, and one year later, Darnielle was back with The Sunset Tree. Remaining as prolific as ever, Darnielle turned away from the intensity of The Sunset Tree for a calmer, more reflective set of songs on 2006's Get Lonely. The accessible and assured Heretic Pride appeared in 2008. Next up was the Bible verse-inspired The Life of the World to Come, the group's sixth album for 4AD, in 2010. Switching to Merge Records in 2011, Darnielle released All Eternals Deck, which was recorded in four different studios in Brooklyn, Boston, North Carolina, and Florida with four different producers -- John Congleton, Scott Solter, Brandon Eggleston, and Morbid Angel guitarist and Hate Eternal frontman Erik Rutan -- helming various tracks. That year the band was also handpicked by Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel to perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival that he was curating in Minehead, England, but they were ultimately unable to appear due to scheduling issues.
Deuteronomy 2:10
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Scratch at the chain links, maybe bare my teeth for show
Fed twice a day, I don't go hungry anymore
Feel in my bones just what the future has in store
I pace in circles
So the camera will see
Look hard at my stripes
Laze by the shoreline while the sailors disembark
Scratch out a place to sit and rest down in the dark
Smell something burning downwind just a little ways
They set up camp and sing and sweat and work for days
I have no fear of anyone
I'm dumb and wild and free
I am a flightless bird
And there'll be no more after me
In Costa Rica, in a burrow underground
Climb to the surface, blink my eyes and look around
I'm all alone here as I try my tiny song
Claim my place beneath the sky, but I won't be here for long
I sang all night
The moon shone on me through the trees
No brothers left
And there'll be no more after me
The song "Deuteronomy 2:10" by The Mountain Goats is a melancholic and contemplative piece that touches on themes of captivity, isolation, and the inevitability of death. The first two stanzas of the song speak of the life of an animal in captivity, perhaps a tiger or a lion, pacing back and forth in its small enclosure. The animal is resigned to its fate, understanding that it has no control over its future, and that there will be many others like it to come after it.
The third stanza talks about sailors disembarking on a shoreline, set against the backdrop of something burning in the distance. This potentially hints at some sort of conflict or destruction, but the sailors continue to work and sing, seemingly oblivious to the world burning around them. The fourth stanza takes the listener to Costa Rica, where the singer describes the life of a small animal living in a burrow underground. The animal sings its "tiny song", trying to find its place in the world, but knowing that it will not be for long.
The song's overall message is clear - everything has an expiration date, and life goes on without us. The animal in captivity will be replaced by another, the sailors will continue to work, and the small animal in Costa Rica will be gone before long. The lyrics convey a certain sadness, but also a sense of acceptance and understanding. The world will keep on turning, and there's nothing we can do about it.
Line by Line Meaning
The sun above me and a concrete floor below
I'm trapped in a place with no escape
Scratch at the chain links, maybe bare my teeth for show
I act tough, but I'm really powerless
Fed twice a day, I don't go hungry anymore
I'm kept alive, but I'm not really living
Feel in my bones just what the future has in store
I know what's coming, and it's not good
I pace in circles
I'm restless and anxious
So the camera will see
I'm being watched and judged
Look hard at my stripes
I'm different and exotic
There'll be no more after me
I'm the last of my kind
Laze by the shoreline while the sailors disembark
I watch others enjoy life, but can't participate
Scratch out a place to sit and rest down in the dark
I make the best of a bad situation
Smell something burning downwind just a little ways
I sense danger, but can't avoid it
They set up camp and sing and sweat and work for days
Others have a purpose and a community, but I don't
I have no fear of anyone
I'm so beaten down, nothing can hurt me anymore
I'm dumb and wild and free
I'm not intelligent, but at least I'm still myself
I am a flightless bird
I can't escape this situation
In Costa Rica, in a burrow underground
Even in a beautiful place, I'm hidden away
Climb to the surface, blink my eyes and look around
I'm curious about the world, but too scared to explore
I'm all alone here as I try my tiny song
I try to make meaning in a meaningless life
Claim my place beneath the sky, but I won't be here for long
I only exist briefly before disappearing forever
I sang all night
I express myself, even though no one hears
The moon shone on me through the trees
I find beauty in small moments
No brothers left
I have no family or community
And there'll be no more after me
I'm the end of my line
Contributed by Samantha J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.