Orange Ball of Hate

The Mountain Goats

when I hear the screeching weather vane
in the wild wind and the pissing rain
I know that one of us, I'm not saying who,
has got rocks in her head
the rain comes through the open window
but you don't think so
I sure do love you (2x)

when I notice that the radio is broken
I see you standing there in the doorway soaking
the water drizzles off of you down to the floor
and I say that I don't want to live in new England anymore
some flower petals stick to your skin
I grab hold of your hip, and I pull you in

when the building establishes control
when the thunder from the north begins to roll down our way
I know I've been right all along
and you start singing that stupid children's song
you think I don't know it
but I just don't feel like singing it
sure do love you
I sure do love you


Lyrics submitted by cheerupemokid, edited by ShalomM

Orange Ball of Hate song meanings
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5 Comments

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  • +6
    General Comment
    "This is a song, takes place in California, it was on the first CD. It's about that moment in which you know it's not gonna get any better, but you're going to prove to somebody exactly how strong you are." - John, Feb. 6, 1998 I've been listening to his live shows all day.
    tragicweekon July 12, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    that one line, "and i say that i don't want to live in new england anymore" outstanding. Got me into the mountain goats.
    mongeeseon August 18, 2006   Link
  • +1
    Memory
    I think this song is about when I was in a relationship with one of the most amazing people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. Things weren't going well because we weren't communicating, and rather than try to fix it I just ignored it in the hopes that it would go away. I still regret not realizing that that's what I was doing at the time....the rain came in the open window, but I didn't think so. There was a lot of love there, but given our personal failings it ended up being a destructive instead of a constructive relationship. But, despite knowing now that I was the one with the rocks in her head, I think we learned a lot about ourselves from the time we spent together, brief as it was. I'd apologize for all of it if I could, but I don't regret any of it.
    ethanishon July 11, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    I think this is about how he over thinks everything while this girl doesn't, and it bothers him that nothing bad happens to her for it. But he appreciates it for what it is.
    loveledbythehandon September 19, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Typically I think of the image of an impending storm as signifying an oncoming trouble or conflict, one which the narrator sees (the weather vane, wild win, etc.) but she refuses to acknowledge, even to the point of leaving the window open and getting caught out in the rain. I think this frustrates the narrator, saying she has rocks in her head. It seems whatever the impending conflict is (not wanting to live in New England?), and however pessimistic about their chances to work it out the narrator is, he still loves her, which makes the song sadly sweet, and completely doomed, which seems to be sort of a theme of TMG. Great song. I second how great that line "I don't want to live in New England..." is.
    generalguyzon May 13, 2009   Link

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