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.
Half Dead
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
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spent half of the morning throwing old things away.
try not to get caught up,
try to think like a machine.
focus in on the task, try not to think about what it means.
can't get you out of my head.
lost without you,
half dead.
took my spot at the window, looked out at the road.
dots and dashes of traffic, like a messaging code
of whole boxes of memories wrapped up at the curb,
I sang songs to myself that didn't have any words.
can't get you out of my head.
lost without you,
half dead.
stole out to the backyard late last night.
pine trees frozen in the silvery moonlight,
rising like giants from the cold earth.
what are the years we gave each other ever gonna be worth?
can't get you out of my head.
lost without you,
half dead.
The song 'Half Dead' by The Mountain Goats is a melancholic portrayal of a person struggling to cope with their loss. The lyrics delve deep into the emotional turmoil that the singer is going through, displaying his feelings of being lost without the person he loved. The song follows the singer as he tries to distract himself from his pain by cleaning the house and getting rid of old things, but he still can't escape the overwhelming grief. He tries to think like a machine, focusing only on the task at hand, but he can't stop thinking about the person he lost, and this constantly reminds him of his half dead state.
As the song progresses, the singer stares out the window, watching the traffic go by, thinking about the memories that he's boxed up at the curb. He sings songs to himself that don't have any words, reflecting his confusion and helplessness. But, the person he's lost is still at the forefront of his mind, and he's unable to shake off his thoughts. He's lost without them, and this loss has taken over his life, leaving him half dead.
In the final verse, he's in the backyard, gazing at the frozen pine trees in the moonlight, feeling the weight of the memories they shared. He wonders if the years they had together will ever be worth the pain he's going through. The ending is poignant, leaving the listener with a haunting sense of loss that lingers on long after the song ends.
Line by Line Meaning
it was raining outside, so I cleaned house today.
Due to the weather, the singer stayed indoors and cleaned their home.
spent half of the morning throwing old things away.
The singer got rid of old possessions in a long cleaning session.
try not to get caught up, try to think like a machine.
The singer wished to approach the cleaning in a detached, unemotional manner.
focus in on the task, try not to think about what it means.
They concentrated on the task at hand, avoiding reflection or ruminations.
can't get you out of my head.
The artist cannot forget about someone important.
lost without you, half dead.
Without that person, the singer feels unmoored and only partially alive.
took my spot at the window, looked out at the road.
Later on, the singer spent time by the window watching traffic.
dots and dashes of traffic, like a messaging code
The movement of vehicles felt as if it conveyed a hidden message.
of whole boxes of memories wrapped up at the curb,
Belongings on the street could contain a lifetime of memories.
I sang songs to myself that didn't have any words.
The artist created music that expressed emotions beyond language.
stole out to the backyard late last night.
At night, the singer quietly left for the backyard.
pine trees frozen in the silvery moonlight,
The trees outside were coated in shimmering frost.
rising like giants from the cold earth.
The trees appeared imposing and powerful in their surroundings.
what are the years we gave each other ever gonna be worth?
The singer questions the value of time spent with another now lost.
can't get you out of my head.
The same thought of the missed person persists.
lost without you, half dead.
The artist still feels incomplete and only half of themselves.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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