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The Autopsy Garland Lyrics
One clear shot or else he gets away
Red sun high in the sky tonight
Look west from London down to old Hollywood
Remember the first days in california
You don't wanna see these guys without their masks on
You don't wanna see these guys without their masks on
Fat rich men love their 12-year-olds
Deco cufflinks and cognac by the glass
Look West from London toward the emerald city
Remember Minnesota
You don't wanna see these guys without their masks on
You don't wanna see these guys without their masks on
Or their gloves...
Sweet spearmint and bitter tangerine
Bedside decked with roses
Look West look West look West and look away
From old familiar faces
You don't wanna see these guys without their masks on
You don't wanna see these guys without their masks on
Red sun high in the sky tonight
Look west from London down to old Hollywood
Remember the first days in california
You don't wanna see these guys without their masks on
Deco cufflinks and cognac by the glass
Look West from London toward the emerald city
Remember Minnesota
You don't wanna see these guys without their masks on
Bedside decked with roses
Look West look West look West and look away
From old familiar faces
You don't wanna see these guys without their masks on
Song Info
Submitted by
mdon06 On Mar 01, 2011
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If the title wasn't enough, this song is definitely about Judy Garland. It mentions California/Hollywood (where she worked for most of her career), London (a favorite concert spot), the emerald city (Wizard of Oz), and my favorite, "remember minnesota," where she was born and spent some of her childhood. Later in life she would say that life in minnesota was the happiest time of her life. The fat rich men probably a reference to studio execs at MGM taking advantage of child stars.
I love the Mountain Goats AND Judy Garland, so this one lets me have my cake and eat it too :)
What do you think they are talking about in the chorus, "You don't wanna see these guys without their masks on"?
What do you think they are talking about in the chorus, "You don't wanna see these guys without their masks on"?
On the words of the chorus, I assume they are the same "fat rich men" -- presumably studio executives like MGM's Louis B. Mayer. The wikipedia article on Judy Garland has this: "Insecure about her appearance, her feelings were compounded by film executives who told her she was unattractive and manipulated her on-screen physical appearance."
On the words of the chorus, I assume they are the same "fat rich men" -- presumably studio executives like MGM's Louis B. Mayer. The wikipedia article on Judy Garland has this: "Insecure about her appearance, her feelings were compounded by film executives who told her she was unattractive and manipulated her on-screen physical appearance."
I wonder if the chorus is about seeing some publicly admired men behave in really cruel and manipulative ways in private.
I wonder if the chorus is about seeing some publicly admired men behave in really cruel and manipulative ways in private.
tjwells, I'd never thought of it that way, but I like it. When I first heard the chorus I was thinking of people who outwardly project success and happiness but are actually falling apart on the inside, ie. what Judy Garland was doing for most of her life.
tjwells, I'd never thought of it that way, but I like it. When I first heard the chorus I was thinking of people who outwardly project success and happiness but are actually falling apart on the inside, ie. what Judy Garland was doing for most of her life.
"You don't wanna see these guys without their masks on" always made me think of those scenes in movies in operating rooms when all the surgeons know there is nothing else they can do, and take their surgical masks off and stand there looking distraught.
I saw John Darnielle talking about the song on youtube and he said its about "survives". Judy Garland was forced by producers (fat rich men) to take amphetamines as well as barbiturates as a teenage actress which lead to a life long addiction that eventually killed. John as a victim of child abuse related to her over coming her ruff beginning and the tone of the song captures the sorrow for what the businesses did do her. "you don't want to see these guys without there mask on" is him saying that normal people (producers in Garlands case or his father in Johns) can do life long damage to people without anyone knowing.
@liamde no link for the youtube video? :(
@liamde no link for the youtube video? :(
Darnielle has said that when he first saw the Wizard of Oz, he was certain that he wanted to marry Judy Garland.
He also said that both Garland was a survivor, just as he is, survivors of two completely different things but he feels a companionship between the two of them none the less.
There is also the HP Lovecraft element to it; a common disguise for the monsters in his stories, when they passed themselves off as human, were wax masks and mitten-like gloves that disguised their inhuman hands and faces.
And while the Judy Garland connection is obvious, I do think it does make me think of the general abuse (physical and sexual abuse) of young girls in Hollywood by casting directors and producers.