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 Love
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and the late light falling on it
i feel scared and i scope the area out for a good place to hide
when i feel the way your fingers
wiggle in my palm
i feel warm and i feel good inside
and i know that you're wearing a wire
i lose interest in this and other such inconsequential questions
when you kick off your shoes
and i see the wet grass give way underneath your feet
and the sunset rears up once more to its burial ground
well, you look so sweet
and i know you'll be turning me in
but i also know your real name's not amy lynn
and as the orange globe rears up to swallow us, too,
i see you look at me and figure out what i know about you
well, i'm not telling
i'm not telling you anything
The Mountain Goats' "Orange Ball of Love" describes the complex and confusing emotions experienced by the singer when they are around their lover. On one hand, the singer feels scared and paranoid, constantly searching for a good hiding place, which suggests that they may have something to hide or fear their lover's true intentions. On the other hand, they also feel warm and comforted by the touch of their lover's fingers, implying that there is a real emotional connection between them. The song's chorus acknowledges the fact that the lover is possibly wearing a wire, but the singer realizes that these concerns are trivial when faced with the overwhelming beauty of the sunset.
As the song progresses, the singer continues to describe their lover in intimate detail, including how they look when they take off their shoes and stand on the wet grass. The singer also hints that they may know more about their lover's true identity than they let on, and that the lover may be planning to betray them in some way. Despite this, the singer refuses to reveal any information and keeps their thoughts and feelings to themselves.
Overall, "Orange Ball of Love" is a poignant exploration of the conflicting emotions that can arise in a relationship, particularly when there is a sense of uncertainty or danger involved.
Line by Line Meaning
when i catch sight of your face
Whenever I see your face
and the late light falling on it
And the evening sunlight illuminating it
i feel scared and i scope the area out for a good place to hide
I become afraid and start scanning the surroundings for a secure place to hide
when i feel the way your fingers wiggle in my palm
When I sense the motion of your fingers as they move in my hand
i feel warm and i feel good inside
I feel a sense of warmth and happiness within me
and i know that you're wearing a wire
I am aware that you are wearing a recording device
but as the sun becomes a blazing orange ball of fire
But as the sun sets and turns into an intense orange sphere
i lose interest in this and other such inconsequential questions
I stop caring about these trivial matters and any other similar concerns
when you kick off your shoes
When you remove your shoes
and i see the wet grass give way underneath your feet
And I observe the moist grass giving way under your footstep
and the sunset rears up once more to its burial ground
And the sunset rises again towards its final place of rest
well, you look so sweet
You look exceedingly delightful
and i know you'll be turning me in
And I know you will report me to the authorities
but i also know your real name's not amy lynn
But I am aware your actual name is not Amy Lynn
and as the orange globe rears up to swallow us, too,
And as the fiery sun mounts to embrace us as well
i see you look at me and figure out what i know about you
I notice you staring at me and trying to guess how much I know about you
well, i'm not telling
But I am not revealing anything
i'm not telling you anything
I am not disclosing any information to you
Contributed by Jayden E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.