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.
In Memory of Satan
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stayed up late and wrecked this place
Woke up on the floor again
Cellphone stuck to the side of my face
Dead space on the other end
Perfect howl of emptiness
Cast my gaze around the room
Tape up the windows
Call in a favor from an old friend
Make some scratches on my floor
Crawl down on my hands and knees
In old movies people scream
Choking on their fists when they see shadows like these
But not one screams cuz it's just me
Locked up in myself
Never gonna get free
Something sacred something blue
Cannons in the harbor dawn
Crawled down here to dig for bones
One more season then I'm gone
Black drapes over the crosses
Call in a favor from an old friend
The song "In Memory of Satan," by The Mountain Goats, explores themes of self-destructive behavior, isolation, and the search for meaning in life. The opening lines refer to the singer's artistic pursuits, as he stayed up late to "wreck this place" using a paintbox. However, it becomes clear that this is not a healthy expression of creativity, as he wakes up to find himself on the floor with his cell phone stuck to his face. When he tries to use the phone, he is met with "dead space on the other end" and a "perfect howl of emptiness." The singer is surrounded by a mess that needs to be cleaned up, but he seems to lack the motivation to do so.
The second stanza describes the singer's obsessive search for meaning, which is met with disappointment and frustration. He scratches the floor and crawls around, hoping to find something that will give his life purpose. He references old horror movies where people scream when they see "shadows like these," but he is alone in his struggle, "locked up in himself." The final stanza suggests a sense of impending doom, with mentions of "cannons in the harbor" and "black drapes over the crosses." The singer seems resigned to his fate, stating that he will continue to search for answers for "one more season" before giving up.
Line by Line Meaning
Got my paintbox out last night
Started indulging in harmful habits and destructive behavior
Stayed up late and wrecked this place
Continued with the destructive behavior, disregarding the consequences
Woke up on the floor again
Succumbed to the negative effects of reckless actions
Cellphone stuck to the side of my face
Evidence of a poor decision while under the influence
Dead space on the other end
No one to reach out to or help in this situation
Perfect howl of emptiness
Feeling of deep loneliness and isolation
Cast my gaze around the room
Took stock of surroundings and evaluated the damage
Someone needs to clean up this mess
Acknowledging the need to take responsibility for one's actions and consequences
Tape up the windows
Attempt to hide or mask the damage caused, to avoid facing consequences
Call in a favor from an old friend
Seeking help from someone who may be able to fix or alleviate the problem
Make some scratches on my floor
Self-destructive behavior continues despite attempts to hide or mask it
Crawl down on my hands and knees
Feeling of powerlessness or submission to negative behaviors
In old movies people scream
Watching others struggle with similar issues and using them as a distraction
Choking on their fists when they see shadows like these
Intense feelings of fear or stress when confronted with the consequences of poor choices
But not one screams cuz it's just me
Acceptance of personal responsibility for one's actions and the consequences that follow
Locked up in myself
Feeling of being trapped or isolated due to the negative consequences of one's choices
Never gonna get free
Anticipated future of continued negative behaviors and inability to break free from them
Something sacred something blue
Reflecting on a past love or relationship that may have been lost or damaged due to negative behaviors
Cannons in the harbor dawn
Symbolic of a time of change or upheaval in one's life
Crawled down here to dig for bones
Desperately searching for a way to escape the negative consequences of one's actions
One more season then I'm gone
Anticipated end of a cycle or period of life impacted by negative choices
Black drapes over the crosses
Symbolic of mourning or loss
Call in a favor from an old friend
Continued attempt to seek help or support from those with past connections
Contributed by Penelope B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.