4 Meanings
Add Yours
Follow
Share
Q&A
Cao Dai Blowout Lyrics
he came knocking down the street lights
tearing up the new grass on the lawn
he was frightening off the livestock
I could feel him coming down
I let the Citranella dissolve in my hand
I began to feel real bad
when the ghost of your father comes to town
what the hell else can you do
I flung open all the windows
put the water on for tea
and let him pass right through
he took to knocking over furniture
getting into the reception on the wireless
he tore up all the dry goods in the pantry
he was strong and he was tireless
when the priest came to call, I sent him on his way
I got a tremor in my hands and my feet are made of clay
when the ghost of your father starts pushing you around
how are you gonna make him stop
I took down all the crosses, I let him set up shop
tearing up the new grass on the lawn
he was frightening off the livestock
I could feel him coming down
I let the Citranella dissolve in my hand
I began to feel real bad
when the ghost of your father comes to town
what the hell else can you do
I flung open all the windows
put the water on for tea
and let him pass right through
getting into the reception on the wireless
he tore up all the dry goods in the pantry
he was strong and he was tireless
when the priest came to call, I sent him on his way
I got a tremor in my hands and my feet are made of clay
when the ghost of your father starts pushing you around
how are you gonna make him stop
I took down all the crosses, I let him set up shop
Song Info
Submitted by
shewouldnt On May 18, 2006
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.
Damn. Ouch. It seems like he's let that ghost just "pass right through," that's so tragic that his father's ghost has managed to set up shop in this poor kid's house, still tears up his life, and he still won't do anything about it, not an exorcism, not a locked door or crucifix.
But I guess he knows better than anyone that those things won't make him stop. The only way for the ghost to leave you alone is to let him know he doesn't frighten you anymore. Brilliant.
Maybe it's obvious, but this song is also metaphorical; it talks about how the memory of the narrator's father haunts him and daunts him, but he's trying to face it on his own. I wonder whether it's about John Darnielle's own father or not.
Also, Cao Dai is a syncrenistic religion (link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cao_Dai ), but I have no idea how it relates to the song.
I forgot to mention, "feet of clay" is a phrase that refers to the Book of Daniel. Since I'm too lazy to write about it, have a link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feet_of_clay
As a matter of fact, "feet of clay" in psychoanalysis refers to the moment when someone realizes that their parents are not mortal. And the closest connection to Cao Dai I can find is that Caodaists practice ancestor veneration, hence the "ghost of your father" theme. This plus the blowout (sudden rupture) makes me think the facade he's trying to build up of forgetting and forgiving his father (stepfather in John's case) has suddenly collapsed on itself.