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.
White Cedar
The Mountain Goats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In radiant array
I saw the light of my spirit
Descend the other day
I was standing the bus stop
On North East 33rd
When I got the word
I will be made a new creature
One bright day
I don't have to be afraid
Speed that day on it's way
And you can't tell me what my spirit tells me isn't true
Can you?
Woke up on lockdown one more time
My visions won't ever learn
But I see the light that much clearer
Every time I return
Forge my armor in the old fire
My spirit sings loud and clear
Even in here
I'll be reborn someday, someday
If I wait long enough
I don't have to be afraid
I don't wanna be afraid.
And you can't tell me what my spirit tells me isn't true
Can you?
The Mountain Goats's song White Cedar is a deep exploration of the singer's relationship with their inner spirit and the idea of being reborn or transformed into a new creature. The first verse describes a moment of revelation, where the light of the singer's spirit descends to the earth in a radiant array. This experience fills them with hope and reassurance that they will be made new someday. The singer also challenges anyone who might doubt this truth, asking if they can tell them what their spirit tells them isn't true.
The second verse takes a darker turn and describes the singer's experience of waking up in lockdown, suggesting that they have been in prison or some other form of confinement. Despite this, the singer continues to see the light of their spirit more clearly each time they return to this place. The chorus repeats the idea that the singer doesn't have to be afraid and that they will be reborn someday if they wait long enough.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of vulnerability and openness, as the singer lays bare their thoughts and experiences. There is also a deep sense of longing and hope for transformation, for a new beginning where the burdens of the past can be shed and a brighter future can be embraced.
Line by Line Meaning
Like a star come down to walk the Earth
I felt an out-of-this-world kind of presence in my life.
In radiant array
It was dazzling and awe-inspiring.
I saw the light of my spirit
The true essence of my being became clear to me.
Descend the other day
This revelation happened very recently.
I was standing at the bus stop / On North East 33rd / When I got the word
I was going about my daily life when this realization hit me.
I will be made a new creature / One bright day
I will be transformed into a better version of myself one day.
I don't have to be afraid
I can face the future with confidence.
Speed that day on its way
I'm eagerly anticipating this transformative day.
And you can't tell me what my spirit tells me isn't true / Can you?
I trust my own intuition and no one can convince me otherwise.
Woke up on lockdown one more time / My visions won't ever learn
I'm in a familiar situation of confinement and my hopes and dreams are not accepted by everyone.
But I see the light that much clearer / Every time I return
Despite my struggles, my inner light shines brightly and reveals itself more every time I'm in confinement.
Forge my armor in the old fire
I use my past struggles and hardships to strengthen myself for the future.
My spirit sings loud and clear / Even in here
I stay true to who I am and refuse to let my circumstances silence me.
I'll be reborn someday, someday / If I wait long enough
I trust that my present struggles will lead to my transformation and rebirth.
I don't wanna be afraid
I refuse to let fear rule my life.
And you can't tell me what my spirit tells me isn't true / Can you?
My intuition is too strong to let anyone else's opinion convince me otherwise.
Contributed by Bailey D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
William May
At my mother's funeral, I read the last stanza out loud to the gathered congregation. I finished it with "This past week, my mother's spirit sang loud and clear for the first time. No one can ever silence it now."
I love this song so much. It sums up her life and mine, her struggles and mine, and how much I love her perhaps more in death than in life.
You don't have to be afraid anymore, Mom. And no one can tell you what your spirit tells you isn't true.
Mo Go
John Darnielle is incomparable in his ability to craft such effortlessly uplifting lyrics. The music these guys make reminds me to keep moving forward every day. I have so much love for The Mountain Goats.
Joseph M.
@SlimeQueenSupreme I never thought of that interpretation. I think it’s interesting, thought I absolutely disagree. I think this is a proud proclamation of transforming yourself into something else, even if that means dying and being reincarnated. The 2 snare hits at 2:01 sound like a heartbeat. The only percussion instrument in this song (save for piano but I’ve heard debate that that’s not a “real” percussion instrument) is playing the sound Of Life Force.
Also, I love how John writes lyrics that can have so many different interpretations for different people. It might be my favorite things about The Mountain Goats.
SlimeQueenSupreme
I wouldn't necessarily call it uplifting in a pure sense. You can easily read the whole song as wish to die as soon as possible because you don't have any hope left to find happiness in life. Like most Mountain Goats songs, this one is really ambivalent in its feelings of hope and doom.
RandoMcMorrison
two perfectly placed snare hits. best TMG album in years.
Joseph M.
I personally interpret the 2 hits as a heartbeat—the universal sound driving human life.
IlaughedIcried
Those snare hits devastate me every time. Every single time.
Kari Mehr
Despite being a generally unemotional person, this song moves me to tears because of its simple beauty. It breaks my heart how simply and sincerely it describes my experience with my chronic pain.
Morgan Howard
I love that small challenge you hear when he says "You can't tell me what my spirit tells me isn't true... Can you?"
Orange Joe
@William May Poked me in the heart with that one, William. A bit of the Darnielle touch.