This Year

The Mountain Goats

I broke free on a Saturday morning
I put the pedal to the floor
headed north on mills avenue
and listened to the engine roar

my broken house behind me
and good things ahead
a girl named Cathy
wants a little of my time
six cylinders underneath the hood
crashing and kicking
aha!
listen to the engine whine

i am going to make it through this year
if it kills me
i am going to make it though this year
if it kills me

i played video games in a drunken haze
i was seventeen years young
hurt my knuckles punching the machines
the taste of scotch rich on my tongue

and then Cathy showed up
and we hung out
trading swigs from a bottle
all bitter and clean
locking eyes
holding hands
twin high maintenance machines

i am going to make it through this year
if it kills me
i am going to make it though this year
if it kills me

i drove home in the California dusk
i could feel the alcohol inside of me hum
pictured the look on my stepfather's face
ready for the bad things to come
i down shifted
as i pulled into the driveway
the motor screaming out
stuck in second gear
the scene ends badly
as you might imagine
in a cavalcade of anger and fear

there will be feasting and dancing
in Jerusalem next year

i am going to make it through this year
if it kills me
i am going to make it though this year
if it kills me


Lyrics submitted by fuckedupdog

This Year song meanings
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54 Comments

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  • +8
    General Comment

    Actually, the phrase "Next year in Jerusalem" (Hebrew L’shana ha’ba-ah b’Yerushalayim) is associated with Passover. The idea was that maybe next year, the Jewish people would be free and have their own homeland in which to celebrate Passover instead of always being on the run. Ties in, in a way, with what abe is saying about escaping--and with the line, "I am going to make it through this year," i.e. just one more year to endure (maybe b/c once he's 18 he can leave his abusive stepfather's home)

    TheRealDannyMon October 09, 2006   Link

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