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.
Stars Around Her
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
it posed no threat to me
i let the dakrness ease its way around
it was every good thing
i'd expected it would be
i saw you coming,
through the twisting vines outside
i saw the new moon collide
clustered around her.
i saw the young fruit, on the new lime
i felt your breath catch it's rhythm.
i heard your legs push away the tall dry brush
i saw the moon and the stars
and knew the secrets within them.
i heard you saying
my name into my ear
no one has to tell me
why you've come here,
'cause i know.
i know.
i know.
The Mountain Goats' song "Stars Around Her" begins with the singer observing the darkness that is "coming down," but instead of feeling threatened by it, he peacefully allows it to encompass him. He then sees someone he knows approaching through the "twisting vines" outside, and witnesses as the new moon collides with the stars around this person. The imagery of a collision between the moon and stars suggests a powerful and significant presence, and the use of the pronoun "her" suggests that this person is likely a woman.
The singer then focuses on the smaller details of the moment - the sight of young fruit on a new lime and the sound of the woman's breathing matching its rhythm, and the sound of her legs pushing through dry brush. The moon and stars continue to hold significance here, with the singer recognizing that there are secrets to be found within them. The woman whispers the singer's name into his ear, suggesting an intimacy between them and a closeness that could only have been achieved through time and familiarity. The repetition of "I know" at the end of the song reinforces the singer's confidence in his understanding of the situation - he knows why she has come, and he is not afraid.
Line by Line Meaning
i saw the darkness coming down,
I observed the darkness approaching.
it posed no threat to me
The darkness did not pose any danger to me.
i let the darkness ease its way around
I allowed the darkness to envelop me.
it was every good thing i'd expected it would be
The darkness was as wonderful as I had imagined it to be.
i saw you coming, through the twisting vines outside
I witnessed you arriving through the tangled foliage outside.
i saw the new moon collide with the stars clustered around her.
I saw the recently appeared moon intersect with the group of stars surrounding it.
i saw the young fruit, on the new lime
I noticed the youthful fruit on the brand-new lime.
i felt your breath catch its rhythm.
I sensed your breathing fall in line with a certain pattern.
i heard your legs push away the tall dry brush
I heard the noise of your legs brushing aside the tall, parched brush.
i saw the moon and the stars and knew the secrets within them.
After looking at the moon and stars, I comprehended the hidden information contained in them.
i heard you saying my name into my ear
I heard you speak my name softly into my ear.
no one has to tell me why you've come here, 'cause i know.
I do not need to be told why you are here, as I am already aware of the reason.
i know.
I am certain and confident of my understanding.
i know.
I am sure and knowledgeable of the situation at hand.
i know.
I am fully aware and have complete comprehension of the matter at hand.
Contributed by Lucas Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
After A Fashion ASMR
Verse 1: John Darnielle]
I saw the darkness coming down
It posed no threat to me
I let the darkness ease its way around
It was every good thing I'd expected it would be
I saw you coming through the twisting vines outside
I saw the new moon collide
With the stars
Clustered around her
[Verse 2]
I saw the young fruit on the new lime
I felt your breath catch its rhythm
I heard your legs push away the tall, dry brush
I saw the moon and the stars and knew the secrets within them
I heard you saying my name into my ear
No one has to tell me why you've come here
'Cause I know, I know
I know
Philip Arnzen-Jones
I love you John Darnielle
Chris Perks
I think this is the best Mountain Goats song.
Kelly MacLeod
:D You rock. Thanks for posting :)
Collin Congleton
1:39 butter bass line.
joegiuffr3
Forgot all about this song and how much I've loved it.