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.
We Have Seen the Enemy
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
so imagine my surprise when i blink my eyes
and realize that i've been talking to you
and i've told you everything
even the parts i'd meant to leave out
and i shake my hair, and i look about
and the wild dogs are hungry
and the wild dogs in the mountains to the north of us
come down
"We Have Seen the Enemy" by The Mountain Goats is a song that explores the themes of vulnerability, betrayal, and survival. The lyrics convey the intimate details of a conversation that reveals sensitive information and then alludes to the dangerous consequences that follow. The song starts off with the line, "everything I've told you was true," which raises the question of whether or not the person the singer is speaking to can be trusted. The singer then expresses their surprise when they realize that they have revealed everything, even the parts they had intended to keep hidden.
The chorus of the song is a powerful one, featuring the refrain "and the wild dogs are hungry, and the wild dogs howl." This line signifies the imminent danger that the singer is facing. The "wild dogs" may be a metaphor for the threatening forces that surround them, or perhaps they are a literal representation of the animals that roam the mountains to the north. Whatever the case may be, the use of this imagery conveys a sense of impending doom.
In the final verse, the singer sings, "and the wild dogs in the mountains to the north of us, come down." This line serves as a climax to the story that is being told: the singer has revealed too much, and now they are at the mercy of their enemies. The use of the phrase "come down" suggests that the wild dogs are closing in on the singer and that they may not survive.
Line by Line Meaning
everything i've told you was true
I have been honest with you and have not lied about anything I've said so far.
so imagine my surprise when i blink my eyes
I am surprised to realize what I'm seeing or experiencing is not what I expected.
and realize that i've been talking to you
I finally understood that I have been having a conversation with you.
and i've told you everything
I have opened up to you and disclosed all the secrets I have carried.
even the parts i'd meant to leave out
I shared even those secrets that I had originally intended to conceal or omit from my disclosure.
and i shake my hair, and i look about
I move my head, and I glance around to observe my surroundings better.
and the wild dogs are hungry
The untamed or uncontrolled animals around us are starving, and they need food.
and the wild dogs howl
The wild animals make long, loud, melancholic cries as they are hungry and need food or attention.
and the wild dogs in the mountains to the north of us
The feral animals dwelling in the mountains situated towards the northern side of our location.
come down
They are descending from their habitat and coming closer to our area of living.
Contributed by Harper H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.