Satori in Denver
The Mountain Goats & John Vanderslice Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Technically out of bounds
Roll my window down
Hear my tires sing to the asphalt and drink in the highway sounds
Oh, solitude, friend of the friendless
Light in the dark night coming on
Grab what I want without saying a word
Track lights blur together
Anklet buzzing on my leg
Thinking up lies to tell
And this may be the time I get banished from the palaced
To seek out some smaller cell
Oh, solitude, friend of the friendless
Light in the dark night coming on
Grab what I want without saying a word
And drive through the dark 'till dawn
The lyrics to "Satori in Denver" paint a picture of a solitary road trip towards the city, where the singer is seeking supplies but also indulging in the freedom of the open road. The singer is technically out of bounds, perhaps referring to a self-imposed exile or the crossing of some boundary in their life. As they speed down the road, the singer revels in the sensory experiences around them - the sound of their tires on the asphalt, the feel of the wind rushing past with the window down, and the blur of track lights passing by.
However, there is also an undercurrent of loneliness and desperation in the lyrics. The singer refers to themselves as "friendless" and seeks solace in the solitude of the trip. They are thinking up lies to tell, hinting at some kind of deception or inner turmoil. The mention of being banished from the palace suggests a fall from grace or loss of status, adding to the sense of displacement and uncertainty. Despite this, however, the singer is still able to indulge in a sense of freedom and possibility, grabbing what they want without saying a word and driving through the dark until dawn.
Overall, "Satori in Denver" captures the conflicting emotions of a solitary journey - the sense of liberation and possibility, but also the loneliness and uncertainty that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Speed down 24 toward the city for supplies
Rush towards the city to get provisions, breaking the rules.
Technically out of bounds
Going outside of where one is allowed.
Roll my window down
Open the car window.
Hear my tires sing to the asphalt and drink in the highway sounds
Listen to the sound of the tires on pavement and appreciate the sounds of the freeway.
Oh, solitude, friend of the friendless
Solitude is a valuable companion for those without friends.
Light in the dark night coming on
Hope is beginning to appear in the midst of darkness.
Grab what I want without saying a word
Take what is desired without expressing any words.
And drive through the dark 'till dawn
Keep driving through the night until daybreak.
Track lights blur together
The lights alongside the road blend and become fuzzy.
Anklet buzzing on my leg
The sound of the anklet is audible on the leg.
Thinking up lies to tell
Devising stories to share.
And this may be the time I get banished from the palaced
This could be the occasion where I am exiled from reputations.
To seek out some smaller cell
To look for a smaller space.
Contributed by Matthew T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Andrew Heakes
Surrounded 0:00
Lucifer Rising 5:20
Satori in Denver 5:08
Scorpio Rising 7:40
Sudden Oak Death 10:10
Columns Pillars Steps 13:30
Emerging 16:00
My favourite album about organ harvesting on the Moon.
notasfarwest
Andrew Heakes Thanks for this - added to the description.
Berenice Schiele
Is the best album about organ harvesting on the moon <3
EvilBarrels
What's your second favorite album about organ harvesting on the Moon?
Friendly Object In Orbit
@EvilBarrels now i’m not Andrew but I’m willing to venture Aaron’s Party (Come Get It) is pretty high up there
Sampson
Moon Colony Bloodbath hits me in ways nothing else I’ve ever listened to has made me feel. Hope everyone has something that speaks to them the way that this EP speaks to me.
Joshua Thompson
I feel so lucky to have heard these songs in a live setting when John and John were touring this album on the 'Gone Primitive' tour. It only elevated the music/lyrics to hear these songs in an acoustic setting.
Eric Miller
John Vanderslice came out to the Mountain Goats show in SF with a broken leg and they played Surrounded By Machines and it was magical
Antonia Sause
This is the ep I come back to over and over. The songs are so majestic in scope and I can see so many details from the vivid words. Love this so much
The Resurrected From the Dead Cartoon Channel
Big goat fan here. have not heard this before and love it! Beautiful album. Thank you rabbit hole.