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Night Light Lyrics
Pull my mask so tight,
Til it pinches my skin.
Nerves strung so high.
I am a mandolin.
Jenny calls from Montana.
She's only passing through.
Probably never see her again in this life, I guess.
Not sure what I'm gonna do.
Plug a night light in.
Leave the porch light on.
Because the small dark corners have designs on me.
Live like an outlaw.
Clutching gold coins in his claw.
Room full of ambitious young policemen.
Everybody trying to make his mark.
I was a red dot blinking on a screen up overhead,
And then the room went dark.
Dream of maybe waking up someday,
And wanting you less than I do.
This is a dream though,
It's never gonna come true.
Plug a night light in.
Leave the porch light on.
Because the small dark corners are establishing a colony.
Live like an outlaw.
Clutching gold coins in his claw.
Can't ever set aside the sweetness,
Of the days before the crews put up the border.
Fields full of wet rain.
Cling tight to their memory forever.
Think about Montana when I close my eyes,
Possibly Jenny's headed east.
Count a couple of stray hopes outloud,
May their numbers one day be increased.
Plug a night light in.
Leave the porch light on.
Because the small dark corners breathe like heavy animals.
Live like an outlaw.
Clutching gold coins in his claw.
Til it pinches my skin.
Nerves strung so high.
I am a mandolin.
Jenny calls from Montana.
She's only passing through.
Probably never see her again in this life, I guess.
Not sure what I'm gonna do.
Leave the porch light on.
Because the small dark corners have designs on me.
Live like an outlaw.
Clutching gold coins in his claw.
Everybody trying to make his mark.
I was a red dot blinking on a screen up overhead,
And then the room went dark.
Dream of maybe waking up someday,
And wanting you less than I do.
This is a dream though,
It's never gonna come true.
Leave the porch light on.
Because the small dark corners are establishing a colony.
Live like an outlaw.
Clutching gold coins in his claw.
Of the days before the crews put up the border.
Fields full of wet rain.
Cling tight to their memory forever.
Think about Montana when I close my eyes,
Possibly Jenny's headed east.
Count a couple of stray hopes outloud,
May their numbers one day be increased.
Leave the porch light on.
Because the small dark corners breathe like heavy animals.
Live like an outlaw.
Clutching gold coins in his claw.
Song Info
Submitted by
lionelhutz On Aug 30, 2012
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I'm pretty sure this is the same eponymous Jenny from the All Hail West Texas, especially because the album is called Transcendental Youth, so it probably talks about John Darnielle's youth- just like All Hail West Texas. Also, there's the outlaw/pirate thing.
Sorry, that's not true. The first autobiographical Mountain Goats albums were We Shall All Be Healed and The Sunset Tree, which came after All Hail West Texas. It's possible that it's the same Jenny from All Hail West Texas, but neither AHWT or Transcendental Youth talk about JD's life. At the Claremont show on 7/3/12, John explained that Transcendental Youth is about dealing with mental illness and I think it may have been influenced by his time working in psych, but this album is just stories.
Sorry, that's not true. The first autobiographical Mountain Goats albums were We Shall All Be Healed and The Sunset Tree, which came after All Hail West Texas. It's possible that it's the same Jenny from All Hail West Texas, but neither AHWT or Transcendental Youth talk about JD's life. At the Claremont show on 7/3/12, John explained that Transcendental Youth is about dealing with mental illness and I think it may have been influenced by his time working in psych, but this album is just stories.
I'm curious as to what people think "I was a red dot blinking on a...
I'm curious as to what people think "I was a red dot blinking on a screen up overhead, And then the room went dark." means. Does the red dot going out indicate the narrator's arrest/death/misfortune caused by police or intervention/some other circumstance? Also, what border is the narrator referring to in the lines "can't ever set aside the sweetness, Of the days before the crews put up the border."?
It's the same Jenny. JD mentioned it was the same character back in March (I think) when I saw him in London on the tour he did with Anonymous 4. He mentioned it was the same Jenny, and called her the kind of chaotic character who drifts through people's lives just long enough to wreck them without meaning to, or something along those lines. Also, he was awesome.
It's the same Jenny. JD mentioned it was the same character back in March (I think) when I saw him in London on the tour he did with Anonymous 4. He mentioned it was the same Jenny, and called her the kind of chaotic character who drifts through people's lives just long enough to wreck them without meaning to, or something along those lines. Also, he was awesome.
JD on Jenny's reappearance in this song:
"She's one of those disruptive characters, really through no fault of her own. I hadn't planned on her reappearing but once I had an idea for the song's sound, I just tried barking out some random lyrics, which is how I usually start until I get to a chorus and just go from there. So I'm barking this stuff and there she was again and I was just, ‘Well, I'll be goddamned.'"
Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/mountain-goats-john-darnielle-discusses-the-satan-record-20120120#ixzz2IAUYV0t6