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.
Pure Intentions
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're brave, death defyin'
You're in your car, crossing town.
And i can feel you, coming down.
You're so pretty, i could burst
And i wonder, who's gonna talk first
My muscles all shaking, and blood's turned to foam
Yeah!
In this song, it appears that the singer is anticipating the return of someone whom they are quite enamored with. The lyrics paint a picture of this person as being strong and brave, with the singer feeling an almost electric connection to them despite their physical distance. The singer seems to be experiencing a range of emotions in anticipation of this person's arrival - their attraction to this person is so strong that they feel like they could "burst," and yet they also seem to be quite nervous, with their muscles shaking and their blood feeling like it's turned to foam.
The use of animal imagery in the first few lines of the song ("you're a lion," "death defyin'") suggests that the person being described is powerful and perhaps even dangerous, while the later lines where the singer describes their own physical reactions ("muscles all shaking") convey a sense of vulnerability or even fear. Overall, there is a palpable sense of tension to the song, as if the singer is on edge in anticipation of whatever conversation or interaction may be coming when the other person arrives.
Line by Line Meaning
You're a strong one, you're a lion
You possess great strength and courage, like a powerful lion.
You're brave, death defyin'
You fearlessly face danger and challenge mortality.
You're in your car, crossing town.
You're driving through the city and heading in my direction.
And i can feel you, coming down.
I sense your presence and imminent approach towards me.
You're so pretty, i could burst
Your beauty is so overwhelming that it fills me up to the point of bursting.
And i wonder, who's gonna talk first
I’m curious which one of us will initiate the conversation when we meet.
My muscles all shaking, and blood's turned to foam
I’m feeling anxious and my body is physically reacting to this impending encounter.
It's tuesday, and you're coming home.
You're returning home on a Tuesday, and I'm excited to see you.
Yeah!
An expression of enthusiasm for the upcoming meeting.
Contributed by Jonathan B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.