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.
Lion's Teeth
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Was asleep in his car
When your chances fall in your lap like that
You've gotta recognize them for what they really are
Nobody in this house
Wants to own up to the truth
I crawl in shotgun and reach into his mouth
And grab hold of one long sharp tooth
And hold on
For dear life
I hold on
Well of course he wakes up
His paw hits the horn
I am gonna regret
The day that I was born
And then mom
Rushes out to the driveway
My sister too
Everyone's screaming
I am dreaming of you
I hold on
For dear life
I hold on
And my arms get sore
And my palms start to sweat
And the tears roll down my face
Till my cheeks are hot and red and soaking wet
In come the cops
They blowtorch the doors
I start wailing
The lion roars
There's no good way to end this
Anyone can see
There's this great big you
And little old me
And we hold on
For dear life
We hold on
We hold on
The lyrics to The Mountain Goats' "Lion's Teeth" tell a story of a risky and dangerous situation that the singer finds themselves in. The imagery of the "king of the jungle" sleeping in his car juxtaposes the idea of being powerful and in control with vulnerability and weakness. The singer recognizes an opportunity in this situation, but also understands the potential consequences. Despite this, they take action and grab hold of the lion's tooth, willing to risk everything for a chance at success.
As the lion wakes and chaos ensues with family members rushing to the scene, the singer continues to hold on for dear life. The physical pain of holding on is matched by the emotional turmoil, as tears roll down their face and they are overwhelmed with fear and uncertainty. The arrival of the police further heightens the tension, with the use of a blowtorch adding to the already intense situation. The song ends with a sense of unresolved tension and danger, with the overwhelming feeling being that the singer is still holding on, unsure of what will happen next.
Overall, "Lion's Teeth" is a song that explores the idea of taking risks, recognizing opportunities, and holding on despite the potential consequences. It is a song about bravery and fear, strength and vulnerability, and the intense emotions that come with facing dangerous situations.
Line by Line Meaning
The king of the jungle
The most powerful and respected among us
Was asleep in his car
The one who holds the most power let his guard down
When your chances fall in your lap like that
When once in a lifetime opportunities present themselves
You've gotta recognize them for what they really are
It's important to understand and act on these opportunities
Nobody in this house
None of the people involved
Wants to own up to the truth
Wants to admit to the reality of the situation
I crawl in shotgun and reach into his mouth
I take a bold action and confront the lion, the holder of power
And grab hold of one long sharp tooth
I take control of his power by holding onto one dangerous aspect
And hold on
I maintain control and don't let go
For dear life
Because my life depends on it
Well of course he wakes up
The holder of power realizes what I'm doing
His paw hits the horn
He reacts with force and power
I am gonna regret
I will soon face consequences for my actions
The day that I was born
My birth will be the source of my pain and suffering in this situation
And then mom
The maternal figure in the situation
Rushes out to the driveway
Comes out to see the situation firsthand
My sister too
The sibling figure in the situation
Everyone's screaming
Emotions are high and everyone is reacting strongly
I am dreaming of you
In the midst of chaos, I can only think of someone else
And my arms get sore
I begin to feel the physical strain of holding onto power
And my palms start to sweat
I feel nervous and anxious
And the tears roll down my face
I show vulnerability in a difficult situation
Till my cheeks are hot and red and soaking wet
My emotions are overwhelming and show on my face
In come the cops
Authority figures arrive
They blowtorch the doors
They use extreme force to gain control
I start wailing
I react emotionally to the situation
The lion roars
The holder of power reacts with equal force
There's no good way to end this
The situation has led to an inevitable, difficult conclusion
Anyone can see
It's obvious to anyone involved
There's this great big you
The one holding power and control
And little old me
The one fighting for control and power
And we hold on
We both refuse to give up power
For dear life
Because our lives and well-being depend on it
We hold on
We keep fighting to maintain power until the very end
Contributed by Savannah B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.