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.
Dirty Old Town
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dreamed a dream by the old canal
I Kissed my girl by the factory wall
Dirty old town
Dirty old town
Clouds are drifting across the moon
Cats are prowling on their feet
Spring's a girl from the streets at night
Dirty old town
I Heard a siren from the docks
Saw a train set the night on fire
I Smelled the spring on the smoky wind
Dirty old town
Dirty old town
I'm going to make me a big sharp axe
Shining steel tempered in the fire
I'll chop you down like an old dead tree
Dirty old town
Dirty old town
I met my love by the gas works wall
Dreamed a dream by the old canal
Kissed my girl by the factory wall
Dirty old town
Dirty old town
Dirty old town
Dirty old town
The Mountain Goats' "Dirty Old Town" is a nostalgic tribute to a gritty, industrial city that brings back memories of love, dreams, and hard work. The song's narrator meets his love by the gas works wall, an unlikely rendezvous location that suggests that they are both working-class individuals drawn together by their shared challenges and aspirations. The imagery of the old canal, factory wall, and smoky wind evokes the city's industrial past, and the singer's affection for the place can be discerned by his repeated invocation of the phrase "dirty old town." The chorus serves as a kind of refrain that emphasizes the song's sense of place and the singer's connection to it.
The song's second verse continues its evocative description of the city, with "clouds drifting across the moon" and "cats prowling on their feet." The personification of spring as a "girl from the streets at night" suggests that the city is not just a place but also a living entity that shapes the lives of its inhabitants. The third verse adds a note of danger, with the singer hearing a siren from the docks and seeing a train set the night on fire. But even this sense of peril is tempered by the "smell of spring on the smoky wind," which suggests that even in the midst of chaos, there is beauty and hope to be found.
The song's final verse is perhaps the most enigmatic, as the singer resolves to make a "big sharp axe" and chop down the city itself, like an "old dead tree." This could be interpreted as a manifestation of frustration or disillusionment, as the singer seeks to take control of his environment and assert his will upon it. However, the repeated chorus connects back to the idea that the city is a place worth cherishing, and suggests that the singer's feelings are more complex than a simple desire for destruction.
Overall, "Dirty Old Town" is a beautiful and poignant ode to a working-class city, with wistful lyrics and a strong sense of place. The song captures a moment in time when industrial towns were vibrant centers of economic activity and communal solidarity, even as they struggled with the challenges of pollution, inequality, and decay.
Line by Line Meaning
I met my love by the gas works wall
I fell in love with someone I met by the industrial area
Dreamed a dream by the old canal
I had a hope or ambition for my future while standing next to the old, stagnant waterway
I Kissed my girl by the factory wall
I shared an intimate moment with my partner next to the industrial building's facade
Dirty old town
This city is old and dirty, but it's still home.
Clouds are drifting across the moon
The night sky is obscured by passing clouds, creating a sense of disorientation and uncertainty.
Cats are prowling on their feet
The nocturnal felines are active and on the hunt.
Spring's a girl from the streets at night
The season of spring is personified as a young woman who roams the city after dark.
I Heard a siren from the docks
There was an emergency alert coming from the port area.
Saw a train set the night on fire
A passing train created a trail of sparks and flames in its wake.
I Smelled the spring on the smoky wind
The air was thick with smoke, but it carried with it the fragrance of fresh blossoms associated with springtime.
I'm going to make me a big sharp axe
I plan to create a tool capable of causing great damage and destruction.
Shining steel tempered in the fire
The metal used in the production of this tool has been hardened and strengthened through the heating process.
I'll chop you down like an old dead tree
I'll bring down someone or something that is past its prime and no longer useful.
Dirty old town
This city may be worn and soiled, but it's familiar territory and we'll weather it together.
Dirty old town
The refrain repeats to emphasize the song's theme of finding beauty in an imperfect place.
Contributed by Sophie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Zakistan
Lovely version. Doesn't matter who wrote it guys, welcome to Irish folk where no one cares about copyright, It's all about the music, I've been singing this song since I was 5 and have never known the name Ewan MacColl, it's not really misplaced credit as long as the song itself is appreciated as a piece of music, the recognition is there. Whiskey in the Jar, author unknown, covered by The Dubliners, Thin Lizzy and Metallica, I bet the author would be content enough after seeing all 3 versions
Eclectic Acoustic
Zakistan Whiskey in the Jar is more than a century old. Author unknown. Dirty Old Town was written in 1949 as part of a London stage play. By Ewan MacColl. Verifiable information. Why would you not give the author the credit he deserves?
acepunks
Mountain Goats, I love you so much, but it's impossible to both do all of my homework and listen to you at the same time! You're so good it's distracting!
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$s
this might be my favorite cover by the mountain goats, and that say's a lot
Nixer Doyle
It's not a Pogues song, although their cover is the most famous (and the best I've heard). It's a Ewan MacColl song.
dribblingbacon
It's an excellent cover.
Requiem
I prefer this version to the original
Dan
Swear to god it`s by Ewan MacColl.
Dominic
Holy fuck yes
Ionlyjoined Toremovethatsign
Bo diddely, I know you posted that 3 years ago but I feel I must stand up for justice here. Their comment was directed at the poster of the video - in the description, they say this is a cover of Dirty Old Town by the Pogues.
Now if you'll excuse me, I must go and find more years-old comments to disagree with ahahaa