13 Meanings
Add Yours
Follow
Share
Q&A
The Mess Inside Lyrics
we took a weekend, drove to provo.
the snow was white and fluffy.
but a weekend in utah won't fix what's wrong with us.
the gray sky was vast and real cryptic above me.
i wanted you to love me like you used to do.
we took two weeks in the bahamas.
went out dancing every night.
tried to fight the creeping sense of dread with temporal things.
most of the time i guess i felt alright.
but i wanted you to love me like you used to do.
but you cannot run
and you cannot hide,
from the wreck we've made of our house,
and from the mess inside.
we went down to new orleans
one weekend in the spring.
looked hard for what we'd lost.
it was painful to admit it, but we couldn't find a thing.
i wanted you to love me like you used to do.
we went to new york city in september.
took the train out of manhattan to the grand army stop.
found that bench we'd sat together on a thousand years ago
when i felt such love for you i thought my heart was gonna pop.
i wanted you to love me like you used to do.
but i cannot run.
and i can't hide.
from the wreck we've made of our house.
from the mess inside.
the snow was white and fluffy.
but a weekend in utah won't fix what's wrong with us.
the gray sky was vast and real cryptic above me.
i wanted you to love me like you used to do.
went out dancing every night.
tried to fight the creeping sense of dread with temporal things.
most of the time i guess i felt alright.
but i wanted you to love me like you used to do.
and you cannot hide,
from the wreck we've made of our house,
and from the mess inside.
one weekend in the spring.
looked hard for what we'd lost.
it was painful to admit it, but we couldn't find a thing.
i wanted you to love me like you used to do.
took the train out of manhattan to the grand army stop.
found that bench we'd sat together on a thousand years ago
when i felt such love for you i thought my heart was gonna pop.
i wanted you to love me like you used to do.
and i can't hide.
from the wreck we've made of our house.
from the mess inside.
Song Info
Submitted by
sendthestars On Apr 10, 2004
More The Mountain Goats
No Children
This Year
Dance Music
Dilaudid
The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
I think that this is the explanation of the "Going to..." series. A couple that escapes from their problems by escaping to far away places rather than escaping into alcohol like the Alphas.
This is probably the saddest song I have ever heard. It is absolutely bursting with feeling and his vocals are so wonderfuly emotional.
"It was painful to admit but we couldn't find a thing"
This line just kills me it so sad and pensieve. Not only is John a great songwirter but his vocals really compliment his work and add so much.
"we went to new york city in september. took the train out of manhattan to the grand army stop. found that bench we'd sat together on a thousand years ago when i felt such love for you i thought my heart was gonna pop. i wanted you to love me like you used to do."
This verse is amazingly perfect and really captures the whole feel of the song in so many ways. John Darnielle is the best songwriter alive!!!
incredible song. &i think the meaning is pretty obvious.
oh i love this song.
i wanted you to love me like you used to do.
sigh
now who cant relate to this feeling of lost emotions for one person. or having someone loose them for you..
This is song is amazing. I love the analogy.
"looked hard for what we'd lost. it was painful to admit it, but we couldn't find a thing."
This kills me. I feel like those two lines sum it up. This song also feels like an early version of what became the "Tallahassee" album, with the metaphor of a broken house and a broken relationship. Mm.
@heroinhotwater Very similar to the Alpha Couple but I think it is a different couple. It seems to be the Alpha Couple never had a phase where they were truly in love because they were so self-absorbed in their alcoholism. This relationship is almost more painful because they genuinely loved each other at one time, and both want desperately to get back to their earlier love, and yet they can't, they have lost it and once it's lost you can't get it back.
@heroinhotwater Very similar to the Alpha Couple but I think it is a different couple. It seems to be the Alpha Couple never had a phase where they were truly in love because they were so self-absorbed in their alcoholism. This relationship is almost more painful because they genuinely loved each other at one time, and both want desperately to get back to their earlier love, and yet they can't, they have lost it and once it's lost you can't get it back.
standout on AHWT. amazing melody to go along with the lyrics.
I believe this is couple in "Jenny," which refers to a southwestern ranch-style house that they had just purchased, along with the motorcycle. At some point their love wanes and they try through a variety of trips and consumer goods to recapture their earlier love. Now the southwestern ranch-style house just hides the mess inside from the outside world. This is also likely the same couple in "Riches and Wonders".