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.
US Mill
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down the road a little
Back in New England
Right here in the middle
And all the way out west
We had our ears to the ground
All of our dreams resting in the same spot
It was ringing as clear as crystal
It was shining as bright as gold
Grain gathering on stone floor
And we were spring-heeled and we were real cold
All summer long
Deep into autumn
In a high room
And down here in the bottom
Down here in the bottom
The song "US Mill" by The Mountain Goats tells a story of the mill workers in America in the early 20th century. The lyrics suggest that these workers were scattered all over the country, from New England to the west. They are united in their work and dreams of a better life, which they all hope to achieve through their labor in the mill. The song describes the hard work and dedication of these workers, who are willing to endure the cold and long hours to make ends meet.
The lyrics of "US Mill" are also poignant in their descriptions of the workers' struggles. The line "Grain gathering on stone floor" suggests the back-breaking labor of those who gather the raw materials. The line "We were spring-heeled and we were real cold" implies that these workers were young and strong, but also cold and perhaps struggling to make ends meet. The final line, "Down here in the bottom," reinforces the idea that these workers were at the bottom of the economic ladder, but also resilient and determined to make a better life for themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Way up north
Referring to a specific location up north
Down the road a little
The location is not far from here
Back in New England
Referring to a location in New England
Right here in the middle
The location is in the center of everything
And all the way out west
Referring to a location out west
We had our ears to the ground
We were very attentive and listening carefully
All of our dreams resting in the same spot
All of our hopes and aspirations were focused on one thing
Listening for the old sound
We were searching for something nostalgic or traditional
It was ringing as clear as crystal
We finally found what we were looking for and it was unmistakable
It was shining as bright as gold
The thing we found was valuable and precious to us
Grain gathering on stone floor
Painting a picture of a specific scene or environment
And we were spring-heeled and we were real cold
We were full of energy but also felt exposed and vulnerable
All summer long
Referring to a specific time period during the year
Deep into autumn
Referring to a specific time period during the year
In a high room
Describing a specific location within a larger building or space
And down here in the bottom
Describing a specific location within a larger building or space, but on a lower level
Contributed by Camden J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.