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.
When a Powerful Animal Comes
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We move by night
Cover our tracks well, and we pack light
Follow the shoreline 'til we've run clean out of land
Speak in gestures only we can understand
We've made mistakes
Everyone spots their own mess when the dawn breaks
We get so exhausted
Lost kids, just wasted
Sleep in short shifts and then rise up to our feet
Life is short, and life is hard, and life is sweet
The treeline shakes
We roll hard along some long odds when the dawn breaks
See soft peaks off in the distance
Those people in the mountains
They will never know what hit them
We shed dead weight
It gets pretty hard to concentrate
Practice our prayers until some small hope crystallizes
Follow the shoreline 'til some better hope arises
Behold, the beast awakes
Stand trapped in his great shadow when the dawn breaks
In these lyrics, The Mountain Goats paint a vivid picture of a group of individuals on a journey, moving under the cover of darkness and leaving no trace behind. They are resourceful and cautious, carrying only what they need and navigating along the shoreline until they reach the end of the land. Communication between them is primarily nonverbal, conveyed through gestures that hold significance only to them.
Despite their efforts, they acknowledge that they have made mistakes, and as the dawn breaks, these errors become more visible to everyone. The exhaustion they feel is palpable, like lost children who have wasted their energy. They find brief moments of rest before rising to their feet again, as life is both challenging and fleeting, yet bittersweet in its own way.
The mention of the treeline shaking implies a sense of danger or uncertainty that they bravely face, rolling ahead against improbable odds. In the distance, they spot soft peaks of mountains and the people who inhabit them, unaware of the imminent encounter that will change their lives.
As they continue on their journey, they shed any unnecessary burdens and distractions that hinder their progress. Concentration becomes paramount, and they diligently practice their prayers, hoping for some small glimmer of optimism to manifest. They diligently follow the shoreline in search of a better hope, holding onto the idea that their efforts will lead to a positive outcome.
However, there is a turning point in the lyrics. The powerful animal, symbolizing an unforeseen force or challenge, awakens. Its presence casts a great shadow, leaving the individuals trapped and vulnerable as the dawn breaks. Here, the sense of impending danger intensifies, suggesting that their journey may take an unexpected and potentially perilous turn.
Line by Line Meaning
We move by night
We operate under the cover of darkness
Cover our tracks well, and we pack light
We ensure that no evidence of our presence is left behind and carry minimal belongings
Follow the shoreline 'til we've run clean out of land
We continue along the coast until there is no more land left
Speak in gestures only we can understand
We communicate using non-verbal cues that are exclusive to our group
We've made mistakes
We have experienced failures
Everyone spots their own mess when the dawn breaks
Each individual becomes aware of their own errors when the day begins
We get so exhausted
We become extremely tired
Lost kids, just wasted
We are like misdirected children, completely spent
Sleep in short shifts and then rise up to our feet
We rest in brief intervals and then quickly resume our activities
Life is short, and life is hard, and life is sweet
Existence is brief, challenging, yet also enjoyable
The treeline shakes
The forest's edge trembles
We roll hard along some long odds when the dawn breaks
We take determined action against significant obstacles as the day starts
See soft peaks off in the distance
Observe gentle mountain summits far away
Those people in the mountains
The inhabitants of the elevated regions
They will never know what hit them
They will be completely caught off guard
We shed dead weight
We remove unnecessary burdens
It gets pretty hard to concentrate
Focusing becomes quite difficult
Practice our prayers until some small hope crystallizes
Persistently engage in personal rituals until a flicker of optimism solidifies
Follow the shoreline 'til some better hope arises
Continue along the coast until a more promising outlook appears
Behold, the beast awakes
Witness the powerful creature stirring from slumber
Stand trapped in his great shadow when the dawn breaks
Find ourselves in a predicament of being confined under its imposing silhouette as daylight arrives
Lyrics © SCHUBERT MUSIC PUBLISHING INC.
Written by: John Darnielle
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind