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 Autopsy Garland
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Red sun high in the sky tonight
Look west from London down to old Hollywood
Remember the first days in California
You don't wanna see these guys without their masks on
You don't wanna see these guys without their masks on
Fat rich men love their 12-year-olds
Deco cufflinks and cognac by the glass
Look West from London toward the emerald city
Remember Minnesota
You don't wanna see these guys without their masks on
You don't wanna see these guys without their masks on
Or their gloves...
Sweet spearmint and bitter tangerine
Bedside decked with roses
Look West look West look West and look away
From old familiar faces
You don't wanna see these guys without their masks on
You don't wanna see these guys without their masks on
The Autopsy Garland by The Mountain Goats is a haunting song with a murder mystery theme. The song starts off with an urgency in the lyrics - "One clear shot or else he gets away" - giving a feeling of a pursuit or a chase. The second line "Red sun high in the sky tonight" creates a sense of tension, with the color red often signifying danger or warning. The line "Look west from London down to old Hollywood" takes us on a journey across cities, possibly indicating a search for someone. The next line "Remember the first days in California" gives a clue that the person being pursued may have a connection to California.
The chorus of the song - "You don't wanna see these guys without their masks on" - is repeated three times, hammering home the idea that the persons being chased are somehow dangerous or have something to hide. The second verse talks about "Fat rich men" and their preferences, painting a picture of decadence and depravity. The line "Remember Minnesota" gives another geographical reference, possibly indicating that the person being chased has moved around quite a bit.
The final verse uses evocative imagery like "sweet spearmint and bitter tangerine" to create a mood of contrast and tension. The line "Bedside decked with roses" is a suggestive image, perhaps indicating a murder victim. The final lines "Look West look West look West and look away / From old familiar faces" leave us with a sense of foreboding, as if the person being chased is running away from something from their past.
Line by Line Meaning
One clear shot or else he gets away
The target must be taken down with precision or else he'll escape
Red sun high in the sky tonight
The sky is filled with the eerie red glow of sunset
Look west from London down to old Hollywood
Scanning the view from the West Coast of America to Europe
Remember the first days in California
Reflecting on the early days of being in California
You don't wanna see these guys without their masks on
These individuals are far more terrifying without their disguises
Fat rich men love their 12-year-olds
Wealthy individuals have an inclination towards immature and vulnerable individuals
Deco cufflinks and cognac by the glass
Enjoying opulent accessories and alcoholic beverages
Look West from London toward the emerald city
Gazing from London towards the West where the mythical emerald city lies
Remember Minnesota
Recollecting memories of Minnesota
Or their gloves...
Their gloves are just as crucial to their disguise as their masks
Sweet spearmint and bitter tangerine
The fragrance in the air is a mixture of both sweet and bitter scents
Bedside decked with roses
The bed is adorned with an abundance of roses
Look West look West look West and look away
Repeatedly looking towards the West while also averting the gaze
From old familiar faces
Avoiding the sight of people who were once familiar but are now estranged
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
12abirato
This is one of my favorite Mountain Goats songs. When he says, Minnesota, I just sort of crumple up where I'm sitting.
kq1039
It's where I'm from, references to MN do strange things to me.
IAmDeath
Jesus this song gave me chills.
br
"fat rich men love their twelve-year-olds"
uh holy shit darnielle. if there's a contest for darkest tMG lines that would be up there.
Communist Shoplifting
@CrispTomato94 but that's a reference to playing led zeppelin backwards, that line isn't Danielle's Invention.
CrispTomato94
Don't forget "There was a little toolshed where the sad man made us suffer".
TheNewNicCage
@br It's probably not what you think (though it's still very dark). The references to places, the title, and the 'Emerald City' line all point towards this song being about the life and death of Judy Garland. As a child star, Garland was given amphetamines and barbiturates to manipulate her sleep schedule to keep up with the constant pace of filming, by MGM executives and staff (the fat rich men), which both destroyed her childhood and led to a lifelong drug addiction, and also probably contributed to her later alcohol problem which killed her at the age of 47.
Gaius Cassius Longinus
Chilling. I like it!
The Famous Eccles
That guitar riff does my head in
nixie NICLA
DON'T LOOK AWAY ........ UNMASK THE BAD AND CELEBRATE MUSIC. Great band .... INTERESTING MESSAGE :(