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 Sign
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
you would hardly recognize me.
i'm so glad.
how could a person like me care for you?
why should i bother when you're not the one?
i saw the sign
and it opened up my eyes i saw the sign.
yeah i saw the sign and it opened up my eyes i saw the sign
and no one's gonna drag you up.
under the pale moon,
for so many years i've wondered who you are.
how could a person like you bring me joy?
under the pale moon where i see a lot of stars.
i saw the sign
and it opened up my eyes i saw the sign.
love is demanding without understanding
yeah i saw the sign and it opened up my eyes i saw the sign
and no one's gonna drag you up
to get into the light where you belong.
i saw the sign
and it opened up my eyes i saw the sign.
love is demanding without understanding
yeah i saw the sign and it opened up my eyes i saw the sign
and no one's gonna drag you up
hey!
The Mountain Goats' "The Sign" is both a song about new beginnings and a reflection on a past relationship. The singer has moved on from a toxic relationship, and now looks back on it with clarity. They have a newfound sense of optimism and self-confidence, and they recognize that the person they used to care for was not right for them. The lyrics "I've got a new life, you would hardly recognize me. I'm so glad," signify this sense of freedom and relief.
The chorus of the song is a reference to Ace of Base's hit song "The Sign," which came out in 1993. The line "I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes" emphasizes the power of recognizing when something is not working in one's life and making a change. The line "Love is demanding without understanding" highlights the fact that relationships can be difficult and complicated without a true connection.
The song also touches on themes of self-discovery and stargazing. The singer spends time under the "pale moon" pondering their past, but also experiencing the beauty of the stars. This signifies that even when we are going through difficult times, there is always something to be grateful for and appreciate in our lives.
Overall, "The Sign" is a song about growth, reflection, and finding the courage to move on from what no longer serves us.
Line by Line Meaning
i've got a new life
I have started a new life and transformed into a new person
you would hardly recognize me.
I have changed so much that you may not even recognize me anymore
i'm so glad.
I am happy with the change I have undergone
how could a person like me care for you?
I wonder if someone like me is capable of caring for someone like you
why should i bother when you're not the one?
I question why I should care for someone who is not the right person for me
i saw the sign
I noticed a sign or an indication of something important
and it opened up my eyes i saw the sign.
The sign I saw made me see things in a new light
love is demanding without understanding
Love can be challenging and requires more than just feeling affection
and no one's gonna drag you up.
No one will force or pressure you to do something against your will
under the pale moon,
In the dim light of the moon
for so many years i've wondered who you are.
I have been curious about who you really are for a long time
how could a person like you bring me joy?
I doubt that someone like you could bring me happiness
where i see a lot of stars.
In a place where I can see many stars shining in the sky
and no one's gonna drag you up to get into the light where you belong.
Nobody will push you to change and become a better version of yourself
hey!
An exclamation expressing surprise or excitement
Contributed by Kylie N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Josh Goff
What a great recording. John is always such a crowd master live.
Alexandra Mandell
I absolutely LOVE that he has made the story about the Sam Goody in Bloomington Indiana, etc a part of the song. He does it EXACTLY like this on another recording /a HUGE Goat nerd.
Ryan
Do you know which other recording he does this on?
YarrBr0
when he starts writing another Mountain Goats song in the middle of playing another song
Lindsay A Gossett
There is NOTHING like John singing live. The most fun.
Michael Strietz
Oh my god those two people in the front row doing his dance to it, that's fantastic
Jackamiah Ullmann
Kudos to a man with a well of creative genius deep enough to draw from both Ace of Base and GG Allin 👏
olivia trevino
Ok listen; this vid shows one of my fave things abt seeing John live which is him jumping around while totally jamming out. I fuckin love that so much
Joseph Gregor
A clearly drunk JD STILL has a button cuff for every time he has utterly ruled the world in absolution.
_•star•_
Darnielle at his majestic, majestic best. Super stuff.