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.
Oceanographer's Choice
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Guy in a skeleton costume
Comes up to the guy in the Superman suit
Runs through him with a broadsword
I flipped the television off
Bring all the bright lights up
Turn the radio up loud
I don't know why I'm so persuaded
Long enough and hard enough
I'll somehow get to you
But then you came in and we locked eyes
You kicked the ashtray over as we came toward each other
Stubbed my cigarette out against the west wall
Quickly lit another
Look at that
Would you look at that?
We're throwing off sparks
What will I do when I don't have you
To hold onto in the dark?
Yes
Everybody's going to need a witness
Everybody's going to need a little backup
In case the scene gets nasty
You throw the attic window open
And I throw myself all around you
And night comes to Tallahassee
I don't know why it's gotten harder to keep myself away
Thought I'd finally beat the feeling back
It all came back today
And then we fell down
And we locked arms
We knocked the dresser over as we rolled across the floor
I don't mean it when I tell you
That I don't love you any more
Look at that
Would you look at that?
The way the ceiling starts to swerve
What will I do when I don't have you
When I finally get what I deserve?
The song "Oceanographer's Choice" by The Mountain Goats is rich in metaphorical language and vivid imagery that may initially seem unconnected but ultimately conveys the complexities of human relationships. The lyrics describe a scene where a man in a skeleton costume using a broadsword comes into conflict with a man in a Superman suit. The singer then turns off the TV and turns up the radio to drown out his thoughts. He thinks deeply about his feelings and how he can reach his loved one, only for them to unexpectedly appear and lock eyes with him. In this moment, there is a spark between them that ignites their passion, and they become entwined in each other's arms.
The theme of the song is centered around the idea that everyone needs a witness or a backup in difficult situations, and that relationships are complex and layered. The two characters in the song are dressed up in costumes, suggesting that they are seeking refuge in these fictional characters instead of their true identities. They are throwing off sparks and locked in each other's arms, but the singer is aware that this passion will not last forever. The line "What will I do when I don't have you to hold onto in the dark?" implies that the singer understands that their love will eventually end, leaving him alone in the darkness once again.
Overall, "Oceanographer's Choice" portrays the desperate search for love and the transient nature of human relationships. The use of metaphorical language, paired with vivid imagery, captures the complexities of these feelings and makes the song a powerful exploration of the human condition.
Line by Line Meaning
Well
Beginning of the song
Guy in a skeleton costume
A person wearing a skeleton costume
Comes up to the guy in the Superman suit
Someone is approaching another person dressed up as Superman
Runs through him with a broadsword
The person in the skeleton costume attacks Superman with a sword
I flipped the television off
The artist turns off the TV
Bring all the bright lights up
Turning up the lights
Turn the radio up loud
Increasing the volume of the radio
I don't know why I'm so persuaded
I am uncertain why I feel this way
That if I think things through
If I contemplate long enough
Long enough and hard enough
And with sufficient effort
I'll somehow get to you
I will be able to reach you somehow
But then you came in and we locked eyes
The artist and another person make eye contact
You kicked the ashtray over as we came toward each other
As they approached each other, the other person kicked over an ashtray
Stubbed my cigarette out against the west wall
Extinguishing a cigarette on a wall
Quickly lit another
Lighting another cigarette promptly
Look at that
Observing something
Would you look at that?
Asking someone else to observe something
We're throwing off sparks
The two people are creating sparks or chemistry
What will I do when I don't have you
The singer is wondering what they will do without the other person
To hold onto in the dark?
As a source of comfort in difficult times
Yes
Acknowledgment
Everybody's going to need a witness
Everyone will require a witness to their experiences
Everybody's going to need a little backup
Everyone will require some help at times
In case the scene gets nasty
If things get unpredictable and unpleasant
You throw the attic window open
The singer opens a window in the attic
And I throw myself all around you
The singer embraces the other person
And night comes to Tallahassee
It becomes evening in Tallahassee
I don't know why it's gotten harder to keep myself away
The artist is having a hard time staying away from the other person
Thought I'd finally beat the feeling back
Believed they had overcome their emotions
It all came back today
Emotions resurfaced
And then we fell down
The two people fell to the ground
And we locked arms
They locked arms
We knocked the dresser over as we rolled across the floor
They hit a dresser while rolling along the floor
I don't mean it when I tell you
The artist doesn't intend what they are saying
That I don't love you any more
They still love the other person
Look at that
Observing once again
Would you look at that?
Asking to share the observation
The way the ceiling starts to swerve
The ceiling is moving or spinning
What will I do when I don't have you
Narraotr is wondering about their future
When I finally get what I deserve?
When they get the appropriate result they earned
Lyrics © SCHUBERT MUSIC PUBLISHING INC.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind