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.
Song for the Julian Calendar
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I tasted chocolate on my tongue
Darkness climbing up the ladders to the sky
Rung by agonizing rung
I heard firecrackers popping next door
Wondered what it was I'd bargained for
When I laid quiet on the floor
Let me be your witness
Let me walk out on the edge
The sun refused to shine on my backyard today
Darkness climbing up the house, coming through the window ledge
I saw the firecrackers bursting on the sidewalk
Heard you talking your baby talk
Saw the bright lights again and I
Felt the shock when you were knocking
The song "Song for the Julian Calendar" by The Mountain Goats is a melancholic track that seems to be about the passage of time and the cyclical nature of life. The opening lines describe a peaceful scene of the sun twinkling on the river as the singer tastes chocolate on their tongue. However, this peaceful scene is interrupted by the darkness climbing up the ladders to the sky, rung by agonizing rung. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the approach of nighttime and the gradual end of the day.
The second verse starts with the sound of firecrackers popping next door, which the singer wonders about. They describe laying quiet on the floor while someone knocks on their door. The repetition of the knocking creates a sense of unease and anticipation. The chorus starts with the singer asking to be a witness and to walk out on the edge, possibly in reference to the fragility and unpredictability of life. The final lines of the song describe the singer seeing the firecrackers bursting on the sidewalk and hearing someone talking their baby talk. The bright lights create a sense of shock and create a mood that is simultaneously dreamlike and disorienting.
Line by Line Meaning
Sun twinkling on the river this evening
The singer describes the sunny evening with the sun reflecting on the river.
I tasted chocolate on my tongue
The singer savoring the taste on their tongue, perhaps enjoying a treat.
Darkness climbing up the ladders to the sky
The darkness gradually overcomes the sky, spreading like it's climbing a ladder.
Rung by agonizing rung
The darkness takes over with painful slowness, like it's climbing a ladder rung by rung.
I heard firecrackers popping next door
The artist hears noise of firecrackers exploding nearby.
Wondered what it was I'd bargained for
The singer wonders if the noise is related to something they did.
When I laid quiet on the floor
The singer is lying still on the floor, perhaps hiding or trying not to draw attention to themselves.
And you were knocking
While the artist is hiding, someone is knocking and trying to get their attention.
Let me be your witness
The artist offers to be a witness to something significant that may happen.
Let me walk out on the edge
The artist wants to take risks and live life to the fullest, even if it means taking a daring leap.
The sun refused to shine on my backyard today
The singer didn't get the light they were hoping for in their backyard due to unfavorable weather.
Darkness climbing up the house, coming through the window ledge
The darkness takes over the house, creeping in through the open window.
I saw the firecrackers bursting on the sidewalk
The singer sees firecrackers shooting across the surface of the sidewalk.
Heard you talking your baby talk
The singer hears someone talking in a childish voice or infant-talk.
Saw the bright lights again and I
The singer sees bright lights once more.
Felt the shock when you were knocking
The artist feels surprised and startled when the knocking started.
Contributed by Liam W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.