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.
International Small Arms Traffic Blues
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My love is like a powder keg in the corner of an empty warehouse
Somewhere just outside of town
About to burn down
My love is like a Cuban plane
My love is like a Cuban plane flying from Havana
Up the Florida coast to the 'Glades
Our love is like the border between Greece and Albania
Our love is like the border between Greece and Albania
Trucks loaded down with weapons crossing over every night
Moon yellow and bright
There is a shortage in the blood supply
But there is no shortage of blood
The way I feel about you, baby, can't explain it
You got the best of my love
The first verse of this song, "My love is like a powder keg," sets the tone for the rest of the song, which is a tale of the illegal weapons trade. The comparison of the singer's love to a powder keg highlights the explosive and dangerous nature of the relationship, which is in danger of causing destruction. The description of the empty warehouse outside of town adds to this sense of isolation and danger.
In the second verse, the singer compares their love to a Cuban plane flying up the Florida coast to the Everglades. This reference may allude to the United States' decades-long embargo on Cuba and the illegal smuggling of goods into the country. The mention of the "Soviet made" plane may further suggest the involvement of larger political forces in the illegal trade.
In the final verse, the singer compares their love to the border between Greece and Albania, which was notorious for illegal weapons trafficking in the 1990s. The trucks crossing the border loaded with weapons symbolize the dangers that the singer and their lover face in their relationship, as well as the violence that comes with the illegal trade. The line "moon yellow and bright" adds to the eerie and haunting atmosphere of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
My love is like a powder keg
My love is unstable and could explode at any moment
My love is like a powder keg in the corner of an empty warehouse
My love is dangerous and isolated
Somewhere just outside of town
It is in a secluded area
About to burn down
It is at its breaking point
My love is like a Cuban plane
My love is complex and controversial
My love is like a Cuban plane flying from Havana
My love is coming from a place of political tension
Up the Florida coast to the 'Glades
It is moving towards something dangerous and risky
Soviet made
It has roots in something with communist influence
Our love is like the border between Greece and Albania
Our love is strained and conflicted
Trucks loaded down with weapons crossing over every night
We are constantly dealing with negativity and danger
Moon yellow and bright
Despite the darkness, there are moments of hope
There is a shortage in the blood supply
There is a lack of substance or support
But there is no shortage of blood
We are still alive and fighting
The way I feel about you, baby, can't explain it
I am unable to put into words how I feel about you
You got the best of my love
You have my everything, despite the hardships
Contributed by Joshua F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Wiciteglega
This is the most played song in my doze-off-in-the-back-seat-at-night-with-half-my-face-pressed-against-the-window spotify playlist
Michael Ekegren
"My love is like the border between Greece and Albania" is one of the best lines ever written. All categories.
Danial Cauley
I am very greatful for these uploads. These sessions were amazing, and making them available for free is very generous of you guys.
Come back to Vegas, please! π
girls poop too
One of my favorite songs of all time.
Thanks guys
Aditya Khanna
"The shortage in the blood supply" part just makes this so so much better
Marc Pavlofsky
The Matt Douglas factor is off the charts
insane_lennit
yall that EP tone is nutty... love it
Dane Cobain
One of my favourite Mountain Goats songs <3
aaron corbett
First time I heard Mountain Goats it was Cottons and it was on the show Weeds and I thought "who is this hipster doofus?" But the song grew on me. Then I heard this song and became a Goats fan forever.
Layton Dean
Thanks for this one Detta. I had forgotten about this tune....lmao