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.
Resonant Bell World
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
sometimes you're a kite
you're a hyena from early to mid afternoon
you're a stray dog at night
it's the most amazing thing i've ever seen
how you will not act like a human being
and you made your special lunge for my throat
between you and me,
it was, it was really exciting.
it's the most alarming thing i've ever seen
how you will not act like a human being
it's the most incredible thing i've ever seen
how you refuse to act like a human being
in the starlight.
in the starlight.
in the starlight.
in the starlight.
in the starlight.
in the starlight.
The lyrics of The Mountain Goats' song Resonant Bell World is an interesting exploration of the duality of human nature. The song tells the story of an individual who is unpredictable and switches between different personas. The person being addressed in the song is likened to a starling, a kite, a hyena, and a stray dog at different times of the day. The singer is in awe of this individual's ability to be so unpredictable, saying that it's the most amazing and incredible thing they've ever seen. However, the singer is also alarmed and finds it alarming that the person won't act like a human being.
The second half of the song focuses on a specific interaction between the singer and this individual where they put on a special coat and made a special lunge for the singer's throat. Despite this potentially dangerous encounter, the singer seems to find it exciting. Throughout the song, the repeated refrain of "in the starlight" seems to evoke a sense of fascination or even worship of this person's unpredictable behavior.
Overall, the lyrics of Resonant Bell World offer an intriguing exploration of the many sides of human nature and the allure of those who refuse to conform to societal expectations of how one should behave.
Line by Line Meaning
sometimes you're a starling
Sometimes you are like a starling bird, delicate and fleeting.
sometimes you're a kite
Other times, you are like a kite, soaring high and free.
you're a hyena from early to mid afternoon
During the day, you are like a hyena, cunning and wild.
you're a stray dog at night
At night, you become like a stray dog, wandering and alone.
it's the most amazing thing i've ever seen
The way you transform is truly astonishing to me.
how you will not act like a human being
I am struck by the fact that you do not conform to typical human behavior.
when you put on your special coat
When you don a specific article of clothing,
and you made your special lunge for my throat
and aggressively attacked me,
between you and me,
Confiding in me,
it was, it was really exciting.
You found it thrilling, regardless of the danger.
it's the most alarming thing i've ever seen
I am also deeply concerned by your lack of human-like behavior.
it's the most incredible thing i've ever seen
Despite my apprehension, I cannot deny the impressive nature of your transformation.
in the starlight.
All of this takes place under the light of the stars.
in the starlight.
Once again emphasizing the setting of this unusual behavior.
in the starlight.
And again, the stars serve as a backdrop to these strange occurrences.
in the starlight.
Repeatedly driving home the importance of this setting.
in the starlight.
Reminding us that this is all taking place under the light of the stars.
in the starlight.
And yet again, the setting of this behavior is emphasized by this line.
Contributed by Adam N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.