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.
Evening In Stalingrad
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
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
The lyrics of Evening In Stalingrad by The Mountain Goats tell a story of a love affair that began when the singer was 19 and first saw their love interest, who they describe as having dark hair and frosty blue eyes, with a small stream in town carrying their name to the singer. However, the singer was put in jail until their love interest was 23, suggesting that their relationship faced some obstacles. When they were 24, they drank, danced, and boxed with their shadows, reminiscing about a weekend they spent in Chechnya, where their love interest's promises all rang true, and their eyes were glacial.
The lyrics take a sharp turn in the final stanza, where the singer describes something happening while they sleep, feeling it in their boiling brain, and dreaming in blood-red color when they see the stolypin car riding through the light rain. There is an air of impending danger and violence, highlighted by the line, "they'll have to tear me to pieces, all right," and an intimacy in the final line, where the singer and their lover are warm in their hidden room and have stars in their eyes tonight. The lyrics leave a lot of room for interpretation, but overall, they convey a sense of passionate love and danger lurking around the corner.
Line by Line Meaning
When you were 19, I first laid eyes on you
I met you when you were young and still full of life
The small stream that ran through the center of town carried your name to me
Even the natural elements, like the stream, seemed to reflect your presence in town
Your hair was dark and your eyes were a frosty blue
You were beautiful, with dark hair and piercing blue eyes
Then they put me in jail until you were 23
I was taken away, and didn't see you for years until you were older
When you were 24, we took to drinking and dancing
Once I was released, we spent time together and enjoyed each other's company
We boxed with our shadows like a couple of kangaroos
We were carefree and playful, just like kangaroos boxing
And then we went down to Chechnya for the weekend
We went on an adventure together, visiting another place for a short time
Your eyes were glacial and your promises all rang true
You were unfazed by the danger of going to Chechnya, and kept all your promises to me
And things are happening here while we sleep
Important events are occurring even when we are unaware or asleep
I can feel it in my boiling brain
I sense that something significant or troubling is happening
And I am dreaming in blood-red color
My dreams are vivid and intense, possibly reflecting fears or anxieties
When I see the stolypin car riding through the light rain
A car associated with a particular historical figure or event passes by, possibly symbolizing something significant
They'll have to carry me out on my back
I am so committed to what I believe in that I won't leave willingly
They'll have to tear me to pieces, all right
I am willing to fight to the death for what I believe in
We are warm in our hidden room down here
We are safe and secure in our secret hideaway
We've got stars in our eyes tonight
We are full of hope and possibility for our future together
Contributed by Alice V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.