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.
Heretic Pride
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And they drag my body through the streets
And the sun's so hot I think I'll catch fire and burn up
in the summer air so moist and sweet
And the people all come out to cheer
Rocks in the pathway break my skin
And there's honeysuckle on the faint breeze today
I want to cry out but I don't scream and I don't shout
And I feel so proud to be alive
And I feel so proud when the reckoning arrives
Crowds grow denser by the second
As we near the center of the town
And they dig a trench right in the main square right there
And they pick me up and throw me down
And I start laughing like a child
And I mark their faces one by one
Transfigurations gonna come for me at last
And I will burn hotter than the sun
I waited so long and now I taste jasmine on my tongue
And I feel so proud to be alive
And I feel so proud when the reckoning arrives
The opening verse of The Mountain Goats’s “Heretic Pride” introduces the thematic motifs of persecution and pride amid the physical and emotional pain. The singer is being dragged through the streets by a group of people, presumably because he has committed an act or voiced an idea that is unacceptable to society. As he is carried through the streets by the angry mob, he describes the feeling of burning up in the summer sun, and taking in honeysuckle with every breath. Despite the physical pain and his imminent demise, the singer is proud to be alive and is waiting for the “reckoning” to arrive.
The second verse portrays the events as they unfold, with the crowds growing denser as the singer approaches the center of town. The mob digs a trench in the main square, revealing a ritualistic and symbolic aspect to his persecution. As he is thrown into the trench, the singer laughs like a child and marks the faces of his tormentors with a sense of defiance. He welcomes his death, anticipating that he will finally be transfigured and burn hotter than the sun. The final lines of the song depict the singer’s final moments, where he tastes jasmine on his tongue, and feels the most profound sense of pride in his life.
The song can be interpreted as a commentary on the challenges and struggles faced by those who seek to live on their terms, and act against the expectations and parameters of the society around them. Despite the emotional and physical pain that they may endure, those that are considered heretics or nonconformists often find a sense of liberation and pride in the face of their adversaries.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, they come and pull me from my house
The singer is forcefully taken from their home.
And they drag my body through the streets
The singer is being paraded through the town.
And the sun's so hot I think I'll catch fire and burn up
in the summer air so moist and sweet
The weather is hot and humid, and the singer feels like they could catch fire if exposed to the sun for too long.
And the people all come out to cheer
The townspeople are excited to see the artist being punished.
Rocks in the pathway break my skin
The artist is being physically hurt by the rough terrain.
And there's honeysuckle on the faint breeze today
With every breath I'm drawing in
Despite their pain and suffering, the singer is still able to enjoy the simple pleasures of nature.
I want to cry out but I don't scream and I don't shout
The singer wants to express their pain, but chooses to remain silent.
And I feel so proud to be alive
Despite their situation, the artist takes pride in still being alive.
And I feel so proud when the reckoning arrives
The artist is looking forward to the judgment day.
Crowds grow denser by the second
As we near the center of the town
The crowd following the artist has grown larger as they approach the town center.
And they dig a trench right in the main square right there
And they pick me up and throw me down
The townspeople have created a pit in which the singer will be punished.
And I start laughing like a child
And I mark their faces one by one
Despite the pain and suffering, the artist finds joy in the situation and starts to mock the townspeople.
Transfigurations gonna come for me at last
And I will burn hotter than the sun
The singer believes they will be transformed and experience an intense pain.
I waited so long and now I taste jasmine on my tongue
And I feel so proud to be alive
And I feel so proud when the reckoning arrives
The singer finds joy in the midst of their punishment and takes pride in their survival and the coming judgment day.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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