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.
Early Spring
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Aren't as pretty as they once seemed to me
And the coffee's bitter because 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 and on the evil
And i know you
The throbbing flowers outside i get it
And the paint peeling from the bathroom wall
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
In "Early Spring," The Mountain Goats explore the concept of disillusionment in a relationship. The singer has come to realize that the idyllic image they had of their partner is not as perfect as they once thought. The pictures the partner paints are no longer as pretty, the coffee is bitter, and the jokes and songs seem trite. Yet, despite these flaws, the singer acknowledges that they know their partner, and the smile on their face is real and beautiful.
The second verse takes a different tone, almost as if the singer is trying to justify their partner's flaws. They understand the impermanence of things, whether it be the peeling paint or the throbbing flowers. They find beauty in their partner's smile, even though it is not perfect or flawless. The final lines again reinforce the idea that they know their partner, flaws and all.
Line by Line Meaning
The pictures that you paint
The mental images you generate for me
Aren't as pretty as they once seemed to me
Don't appear as attractive as they used to
And the coffee's bitter because it's been boiling too long
The coffee is acidic because it has been heated excessively
And the jokes you tell
The humorous remarks you make
Aren't as funny as they once seemed to me
Don't seem as amusing as they earlier used to
And the songs you sing are just plain hackneyed
The music you perform is tedious and overused
But the stars shine down on all god's children
However, the stars radiate on every creature of God
And the sun sets on the good and on the evil
Also, the sun goes down on both the virtuous and the wicked
And i know you
And I'm informed of your character
And i know you
And I'm informed of your character
The throbbing flowers outside i get it
I understand the pulsating flowers outside
And the paint peeling from the bathroom wallpaper
The peeling paint on the bathroom wall
And the smile on your face is alive
Also, the grin on your countenance is vibrant
And the smile on your face is real pretty
Further, the smile on your countenance is genuinely delightful
And the sun shines down on all god's children
Additionally, the sun radiates on every creature of God
And the stars burn for the good and the evil
As well, the stars blaze for both the virtuous and the wicked
And i know you
And I'm informed of your character
And i know you
And I'm informed of your character
Contributed by Cameron W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
cringy teen on the web
the pictures that you paint
aren't as pretty as they once seemed to me
and the coffee's bitter because 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 and 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 wall
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
thom jordan
sad ghost always heard it as and the smile on your face is a lie