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.
Hello There Howard
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and he says he feels kinda sad and his hands are cold
and he refuses the dice
so I pick 'em up myself.
I let 'em roll.
and the little white spots gleam like stars
and the guy on my right gets a look at the stickman
and the table's hot
but so am I
and I grab the bones and I let 'em fly.
so come 2 come 3 come 4 come 5 come 6 come 7 come 9
it doesn't matter to me now
'cause I've got all kinds of time.
In "Hello There Howard," The Mountain Goats vividly describes a scene in a casino. The singer is seated at a Craps table with strangers, one of whom is feeling sad and hesitant. The singer takes control, picking up the dice and rolling them on his own. As the dice roll across the table, the little white spots gleam like stars, and for a moment, all attention is focused on the game. The tension is palpable, as each roll determines the fate of the players. The singer is in the moment, feeling the heat of the table and the excitement of the game.
Despite the stakes, the singer is optimistic and feels like he has all the time in the world. He is detached from the outcome, content to roll the dice and see where they land. This can be interpreted as a metaphor for life, where we have no control over the outcomes but must still enjoy the ride.
The song also touches on themes of loneliness and the desire for human connection. The stranger beside the singer is feeling sad and disconnected, and the game provides a temporary distraction from his troubles. The singer, who is also a stranger, takes a chance and rolls the dice for both of them, forging a brief connection in the midst of the chaos.
Overall, "Hello There Howard" is a poignant and introspective look at the highs and lows of life, as seen through the lens of a Craps table in a Las Vegas casino.
Line by Line Meaning
the guy on my right is new
There is someone new sitting next to the singer.
and he says he feels kinda sad and his hands are cold
The new guy feels sad and has cold hands, which he mentions to the singer.
and he refuses the dice
The new guy declines to roll the dice in the game they are playing.
so I pick 'em up myself.
The singer decides to roll the dice instead.
I let 'em roll.
The singer rolls the dice.
and the little white spots gleam like stars
As the dice roll, they appear to twinkle like stars due to the spots on them.
and the guy on my right gets a look at the stickman
The new guy sees the stickman, who oversees the game.
and he begins to sense where it is that we are
The new guy starts to understand the setting and context of the game they are playing.
and the table's hot
The table is doing well and has a lot of winnings on it.
but so am I
The singer is also doing well in the game.
and I grab the bones and I let 'em fly.
The singer picks up the dice again and rolls them quickly.
so come 2 come 3 come 4 come 5 come 6 come 7 come 9
The numbers that come up on the dice are listed in order, from 2 to 9.
it doesn't matter to me now
The singer isn't worried about what numbers come up.
'cause I've got all kinds of time.
The singer feels like he has plenty of time to play the game and doesn't need to rush.
Contributed by Isaiah M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ryan Greenlaw
this song is about hell. imo
Jack Schafer
hi joseph augustine cook