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.
New Britain
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can hardly understand a word I say
The shortest tree around here is a hundred feet tall
It's gonna rain today
I try and tell you secrets until my face turns blue
I am not getting through to you
All the way across the ocean they're gathering their strength again
This morning I know who you are
This morning I know who you are
On the river, the sun is bright gold
And the things you try to say to me make my blood run cold
But I hold you anyway
And we stare into the sun all day
And you're about to leave again, I've learned to read your movements
And I'm learning how to read your mind
The sun climbs the sky for us, above the Mississippi
And I can feel you in my arms but you're hardly even with me
This morning I know who you are
This morning I know who you are
The song "New Britain" by The Mountain Goats describes a relationship where the singer feels misunderstood and struggles to communicate with their partner. The lyrics suggest a disconnect between the two, with the singer's west country accent being a barrier to comprehension. The metaphor of the "shortest tree" being a hundred feet tall implies that the singer's world is vastly different from their partner's, making it difficult to bridge the gap.
In the second verse, the singer laments that they cannot get through to their partner, even when trying to tell them secrets. The lines "all the way across the ocean they're gathering their strength again / lining up along the country's length again" suggest the political unrest and possible wars happening beyond their immediate world. The singer is aware of these events but is unable to convey the significance to their partner.
The third verse finds the couple on a river, with the sun shining and attempting to communicate again. The singer remarks that despite the partner's words making their blood run cold, they still hold them close and stare at the sun. The final lines describe how the singer is becoming attuned to their partner's behavior and thoughts but still feels a disconnect.
Overall, the song is a poignant examination of a relationship where communication is lacking, and both parties feel like they are in different worlds. The imagery and metaphors used add depth and complexity to the emotions explored.
Line by Line Meaning
You had it up to here with my west country talk
You are fed up with me talking about my hometown in the West Country.
You can hardly understand a word I say
My accent and dialect are making it difficult for you to comprehend me.
The shortest tree around here is a hundred feet tall
The flora in this area are much bigger than what you may be used to.
It's gonna rain today
The weather is going to be inclement soon.
I try and tell you secrets until my face turns blue
I am attempting to share my deepest secrets with you, but to no avail.
I am not getting through to you
The information that I convey to you is not being understood by you.
All the way across the ocean they're gathering their strength again
Enemies of my country are regrouping and preparing to attack again.
Lining up along the country's length again
The adversaries are becoming organized and positioning themselves.
This morning I know who you are
I realize and understand your true identity today.
On the river, the sun is bright gold
The sun has a yellow hue as it reflects on the water.
And the things you try to say to me make my blood run cold
Your words are causing me to become terrified and petrified.
But I hold you anyway
Despite my fears, I still cling to you.
And we stare into the sun all day
We gaze at the sun for an extended amount of time, allowing it to metaphorically blind and overtake us.
And you're about to leave again, I've learned to read your movements
You will soon depart, and I am acutely tuned-in to your behavioral patterns.
And I'm learning how to read your mind
I am developing the skill to anticipate your thoughts and feelings.
The sun climbs the sky for us, above the Mississippi
The sun rises in our honor over the Mississippi River region.
And I can feel you in my arms but you're hardly even with me
I possess you physically, yet it is as though I still have lost you.
This morning I know who you are
Once again, I am cognizant of who you truly are and what you mean to me.
Contributed by Isabella N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.