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.
Sax Rohmer #1
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
An agent crests the shadows of the nearby alleyway
Piles of broken bricks, sign posts on the path
Every moment points towards the aftermath
Yeah ah ah
Sailors straggle back from their nights out on the town
Hopeless urchins from the city gather around
Every battle heads toward surrender on both sides
And I am coming home to you
With my own blood in my mouth
And I am coming home to you
If it's the last thing that I do
Bells ring in the tower, wolves howl in the hills
Chalk marks show up on a few high windowsills
And a rabbit gives up somewhere, and a dozen hawks descend
Every moment leads toward its own sad end
Yeah ah ah
Ships loosed from their moorings capsize and then they're gone
Sailors with no captains watch awhile and then move on
And an agent crests the shadows and I head in her direction
All roads lead toward the same blocked intersection
I am coming home to you
With my own blood in my mouth
And I am coming home to you
If it's the last thing that I do
The lyrics of "Sax Rohmer #1" describe a scene of chaos and destruction, perhaps in a war-torn city. The first verse sets the stage with the fog lifting and an agent appearing from an alleyway, as piles of broken bricks and sign posts litter the path. The second verse brings in more characters, such as sailors returning from their nighttime excursions and helpless individuals gathering around. The lyrics suggest that everyone is on the losing side, as spies from China wash up with the tide and every battle leads to surrender.
In the chorus, the singer declares that they are coming home to someone, even if it means doing so with blood in their mouth. This line suggests that the singer has been through a harrowing experience, perhaps in battle or somehow caught up in the chaos of the scene described in the opening verses. The final verse brings in more imagery, as bells ring in a tower and wolves howl in the hills. The mention of chalk marks on windowsills and a rabbit giving up add to the sense of despair, as every moment seems to lead to a sad end.
Overall, the lyrics of "Sax Rohmer #1" paint a vivid picture of a turbulent time, where no one seems to be winning and everyone is just trying to survive. The recurring theme of all roads leading to the same blocked intersection suggests that there is nowhere to go and no escape from the destruction.
Line by Line Meaning
Fog lifts from the harbor, dawn goes down today
The start of a new day as the fog clears and dawn breaks.
An agent crests the shadows of the nearby alleyway
A spy emerges from the darkness of an alleyway.
Piles of broken bricks, sign posts on the path
A scene of destruction and chaos with remnants of broken buildings and signs.
Every moment points towards the aftermath
The events that are unfolding will lead to a disastrous aftermath.
Sailors straggle back from their nights out on the town
Tired sailors returning from a night of revelry.
Hopeless urchins from the city gather around
Desperate children from the city gather together.
Spies from imperial China wash in with the tide
Chinese spies arrive by sea as part of a larger conflict.
Every battle heads toward surrender on both sides
All conflicts eventually lead to defeat for all parties involved.
And I am coming home to you
The artist is returning home to someone they care about.
With my own blood in my mouth
The artist has suffered injuries and is bleeding.
If it's the last thing that I do
The singer is determined to make it home at all costs.
Bells ring in the tower, wolves howl in the hills
A mixture of man-made and natural sounds create an eerie atmosphere.
Chalk marks show up on a few high windowsills
Evidence of some sort of marking or signaling on windowsills is observed.
And a rabbit gives up somewhere, and a dozen hawks descend
The death of one prey animal leads to the feeding of many predators.
Every moment leads toward its own sad end
The events that are unfolding will inevitably lead to a tragic conclusion.
Ships loosed from their moorings capsize and then they're gone
Boats that are unsecured will be lost in the chaos.
Sailors with no captains watch awhile and then move on
Without leadership, sailors are lost and directionless.
And an agent crests the shadows and I head in her direction
The singer follows a spy towards some unknown destination.
All roads lead toward the same blocked intersection
All paths and options lead to the same impasse or obstacle.
I am coming home to you
The artist reiterates their desire to return home.
With my own blood in my mouth
The artist is still injured and bleeding.
If it's the last thing that I do
The artist is still determined to make it home at all costs.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Ekaterina-uu1zn
God, I love him just so much. Every time I hear this song it makes me cry with delight and adoration.
@talon1091
+
@user-zf7cy3mf9r
It's the only weapon I have I'm more than willing to use.
@misti-step
love how determined this song feels, full of energy and devotion :)
@howtomeetwomen-
"determined" somehow belongs in the description of every TMG song ever and possibly everything about John
@jeffystreet
I can't believe this is the first time I see someone on youtube with a picrew pfp.. Hell yeah honestly, not sure how it took this long but it looks nice.
@greedymuppet
My God, these guys are brilliant. I haven't yet quite gotten into their music, but their performances are outstanding and reason enough to go see them live. My favorite part of this video is at 1:07 when "on both sides" is said and the doors are opened. I'm sure the song is saying "I'm going to defy my fate and make it back to you despite the odds against me."
@una_10bananas
yeah-hah-hah!
@adammahiouche4508
thats my favourite part of the lyrics
@yanglavik6303
A 2008 song????? Unbelievable! Bravo!