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.
The Anglo-Saxons
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Inhabitants of the british isles!"
They used to paint their bodies blue
A couple of them might be distantly related to you.
According to ceasar they shaved their entire bodies,
Except for the upper lip and the head
Yeah, the anglo-saxons
A sub-literate bunch of guys,
Though some sources say otherwise.
Yeah, the anglo-saxons
Yeah, they were men on a mission,
Preserving their poetry by oral tradition
Yeah, oral tradition is all you get
Until saint augustine brought in the alphabet.
Yeah, the anglo-saxons
Yeah, the anglo-saxons,
In 1065 they were ragin'
But 1066 brought the norman invasion.
Yeah, the anglo-saxons
Go!
The Mountain Goats' "The Anglo-Saxons" is a humorous ode to the ancient people who once inhabited the British Isles. The song takes a playful approach to their history, describing how they used to paint their bodies blue and shave everything except for their upper lip and head, according to Caesar. The lyrics also allude to the fact that some listeners might be distantly related to the Anglo-Saxons.
The song goes on to describe the Anglo-Saxons as a "sub-literate bunch of guys," although some sources say otherwise. They were known for preserving their poetry through oral tradition until Saint Augustine brought the alphabet. The song's lyrics ultimately poke fun at their identity as a people, celebrating their quirks and oddities with a lively and upbeat tune.
Overall, "The Anglo-Saxons" can be interpreted as a playful tribute to a unique culture that has long since faded into history. It's a lighthearted reminder that even the most ancient and forgotten people had their own idiosyncrasies and sense of humor.
Line by Line Meaning
They used to paint their bodies blue
The former inhabitants of the British Isles were once known for painting their bodies blue.
A couple of them might be distantly related to you.
It is possible that some people could be distantly related to the Anglo-Saxons who once inhabited the British Isles.
According to ceasar they shaved their entire bodies,
Julius Caesar wrote that the Anglo-Saxons were known for shaving their entire bodies.
Except for the upper lip and the head
They left hair on their upper lip and head when shaving their bodies.
Yeah, the anglo-saxons
Referring once again to the former inhabitants of the British Isles, the Anglo-Saxons.
A sub-literate bunch of guys,
While some consider them to be a sub-literate group, others disagree.
Though some sources say otherwise.
There are sources that argue against the idea that the Anglo-Saxons were sub-literate.
Yeah, the anglo-saxons
Repeating their name once again as the focus of the song.
Yeah, they were men on a mission,
The Anglo-Saxons were a determined group of people with a clear mission.
Preserving their poetry by oral tradition
They preserved their poetry through passing it down orally through generations.
Yeah, oral tradition is all you get
Prior to Saint Augustine, the only way to record anything was through oral tradition.
Until saint augustine brought in the alphabet.
It wasn't until Saint Augustine brought the alphabet with him that a new method of recording information was introduced.
In 1065 they were ragin'
In 1065, the Anglo-Saxons were upset about something.
But 1066 brought the norman invasion.
However, the Norman invasion occurred the following year in 1066.
Yeah, the anglo-saxons
Concluding the song by once again referring to the Anglo-Saxons as the topic of discussion.
Contributed by Taylor Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.