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.
Orange Ball of Hate
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
in the wild wind and the hissing rain
I know that one of us, I'm not saying who,
has got rocks in her head
as the rain comes through the open window
But you don't think so
I sure do love you
When I notice that the radio is broken
I see you standing there in the doorway soaking
The water drizzles off of you down to the floor
and I say that I don't want to live in New England anymore
Some flower petals stick to your skin
I grab hold of your hip, and I pull you in
When the building establishes control
When the thunder from the north begins to roll down our way
I know I've been right all along
and you start singing that stupid children's song
You think I don't know it
but I just don't feel like singing it
I sure do love you
I sure do love you
The opening lines of The Mountain Goats' song "Orange Ball of Hate" introduce an ominous tone through the screeching of a weather vane in wild winds and hissing rain. This leads to the recognition that someone amongst the two of them has "rocks in her head" as the rain spills through an open window. Though one of them may be plagued with instability, it doesn't diminish the love the singer feels for the other person. He asserts this love twice before describing the rainy scene further: noticing the broken radio and seeing the other person, soaked, standing in the doorway with water dripping from her to the floor. It is here where he declares that he doesn't want to live in New England anymore, a statement that could signify the desire for change or escape from something. As a few flower petals cling to her skin, he grabs her hip and pulls her in closely.
The song continues with the building becoming the dominant force and thunder from the north echoing through their space, solidifying the singer's conviction that he has been right all along. At this point, the other person begins to sing a childish tune, implying that she is either trying to ease the tension of the moment or carelessly dismissing the singer's seriousness. He assures her that he knows the song, but is unwilling to join her in its singing. The song ends with the repeated lines, "I sure do love you," further emphasizing the power of his affection.
Line by Line Meaning
When I hear the screeching weather vane
Whenever I hear the loud, piercing noise of the weather vane during a storm
in the wild wind and the hissing rain
when the strong gusts of wind and rain are beating against our house
I know that one of us, I'm not saying who,
I'm certain at least one of us has gone insane, but I prefer not to disclose who it could be
has got rocks in her head
either I or my partner are acting irrationally due to the harsh weather conditions
as the rain comes through the open window
while the rain pours inside the house through the open window
But you don't think so
however, you seem to remain oblivious to the odd behavior
I sure do love you
I want to express how much I love you through this chaos
When I notice that the radio is broken
When I realize that the radio is not working
I see you standing there in the doorway soaking
I witness you standing in the doorway, drenched from the rain
The water drizzles off of you down to the floor
Droplets of water are falling down from your soaked clothes onto the ground
and I say that I don't want to live in New England anymore
I voice my opinion that I no longer want to reside in New England, possibly because of the harsh climate
Some flower petals stick to your skin
Some petals from the flowers outside have adhered to your skin
I grab hold of your hip, and I pull you in
I hold onto your waist and draw you closer to me
When the building establishes control
When the house regains its composure after the storm has passed
When the thunder from the north begins to roll down our way
When we hear the sound of thunder approaching from the north
I know I've been right all along
I am confident that I have been correct in my assumptions from the beginning
and you start singing that stupid children's song
You begin to sing a childish song that annoys me
You think I don't know it
You believe that I am unaware of the song you are singing
but I just don't feel like singing it
I choose not to join in and sing along because I do not like the song
I sure do love you
Despite the challenges we face together, I still love and appreciate you
Contributed by John J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.