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.
So Desperate
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
in our neutral meeting place, the Episcopalian churchyard
I had things I'd been meaning to say
but in the dazzling winter sun that late I could feel them melt away
And through the warm radio static
I couldn't hear my stage directions
And the fog on the windshield
I felt so desperate in your arms
We were parked near some trees
And the moonlight soaked the branches in ever-deepening degrees
Had my hand in your hair
Trying to keep my cool 'til it became too much to bear
When we cracked the windows open
Well the air was just so sweet
We could hear the cars ten feet away
Out there on the street
I felt so desperate in your arms
The lyrics of The Mountain Goats's song So Desperate are about a moment of intimacy between two people who are parked in a churchyard. The singer states that they had things that they had been meaning to say, but that in the winter sun, those thoughts melted away. As they listen to the radio, they can't hear their stage directions, and the fog on the windshield obscures their reflections. Despite all of this, the singer still feels desperate in the arms of the person they are with.
The second verse of the song continues with the theme of intimacy as the couple is now parked near some trees. The moonlight is shining down on the branches creating an even more intense atmosphere. The singer admits to having their hand in the other person's hair as they try to keep their cool, but eventually, it becomes too much. The final lines of the song describe the moment when they crack the windows open and can hear the sounds of the street. Despite this, the singer still feels desperate in the arms of the person they are with.
Overall, the lyrics of So Desperate showcase a moment of intimacy and vulnerability between two people. The specific details about the churchyard and the moonlight add to the nostalgic and romantic feel of the song. The singer's admission of feeling desperate in this moment shows that despite the beauty surrounding them, there is still a sense of fear and uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
We were parked in your car
We were in a car, belonging to you, that was not moving.
in our neutral meeting place, the Episcopalian churchyard
We parked the car in a place where we could meet each other undisturbed, the churchyard of the Episcopalian church.
I had things I'd been meaning to say
I wanted to express my thoughts and feelings about certain things I had been thinking about.
but in the dazzling winter sun that late I could feel them melt away
The bright sunlight of winter was overwhelming, causing my thoughts to dissipate and disappear.
And through the warm radio static
Despite the warm crackling sound of the radio, I was not able to concentrate.
I couldn't hear my stage directions
I was not capable of commanding my actions as if I was on stage.
And the fog on the windshield
The moisture in the air condensed onto the windshield and obstructed our view.
Obscured our sad reflections
The fog on the windshield made it hard for us to see our own reflections clearly, which made us feel melancholic.
I felt so desperate in your arms
I experienced a strong sense of desperation and longing for you while being embraced by you.
We were parked near some trees
The location of the car was close to a cluster of trees.
And the moonlight soaked the branches in ever-deepening degrees
The bright light of the moon illuminated the branches of the trees, causing their brightness to increase over time.
Had my hand in your hair
I had one of my hands in your hair, most likely as a gesture of comfort or as a form of intimacy.
Trying to keep my cool 'til it became too much to bear
I was trying to act relaxed and composed, but eventually I was overwhelmed by my emotions.
When we cracked the windows open
At some point, we decided to open up the car windows.
Well the air was just so sweet
The air outside was refreshing and pleasant.
We could hear the cars ten feet away
Despite being inside the car, we could clearly hear the sounds of cars passing by, which were only ten feet away.
Out there on the street
The cars were driving on the street outside.
I felt so desperate in your arms
Once again, I was struck with an intense feeling of desperation as I was held by you.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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