Mountain Goats, Song For An Old Friend

[SixHourDifference]

@allhailkingarthur john darnielle doesn't give a shit about writing a melody memorable and iconic to you. He is considered to be one of the greatest lyricists of our time. He sings "whatever the hell he wants with whatever the hell notes he chooses", and it's damn good.

[livefastdierrhea]

Marijuana rules. Don't care what people with white hair and suits say

[streetboy649]

mountain goats rule

[blissthefrog]

sounds just like bo burnham... that voice sucks. good music though.



[HillaryHeroine]

dear John Darnielle, i love you.

[allhailkingarthur]

melody writing is a discipline. Making a melody memorable and iconic takes a little more than "sing whatever the hell you want. Whatever old notes will do." Yuck.

[DiffCliff]

@allhailkingarthur the mountain goats focus more on lyrical virtuosity rather than on melody - consequently, it'd probably be better to consider this sung poetry rather than music. My point is that the beauty of the mountain goats doesn't lie in memorable melodies, but rather in intricate and touching lyrics, and should be approached and evaluated as such.

[EntropicMisanthropic]

@DiffCliff Nonsense. The lyrics are indeed pure poetry, but if recited by anybody else in any other format would seem shallow, disconnected and self-important. It is John's 110% emotional authenticity in performing that makes Mountain Goats special. He does not sing the lyrics or play the song, he sells it with a deliberate cadence. He would never hack it on American Idol, and he knows it, and I know it, and it does not matter in the slightest because people are not TV.

[paulvolio]

I sang this song to my baby girl the first time we met..

[liveFOLK]

Love that hypernasal voice.

[YourFaceWillDie468]

@liveFOLK Nah, I think it's actually nasal...hyponasal would be more like, say, Ray Davies.

[liveFOLK]

@YourFaceWillDie468  Yea dude, I said hypernasal not hyponasal, we're on the same page.

[YourFaceWillDie468]

@liveFOLK Oh, yeah; I just looked up "hypernasal"...I had heard of "hyponasal" but not the other thing. I get it now.

[allisonsreality]

this is garbage

[erikthefool]

This is so much better than the album version. I'm not sure how I feel about that.

[talusrockr13]

when he sung with aesop, i thought he was a black woman for the longest time...

[TheFlite29]

Man I keep trying to like this guy more and can't. Almost all of my favorite lyricists say he is one of the best and one of their influences.  Maybe I need to read his lyrics out to get it...I think I associate the sound of his voice with like being a wienie? I am gonna keep trying...The same Frank Turner for a while but after a while I kind of got it...

[ladyxxxlazarus]

@TheFlite29 He sounds and looks kind of like a weenie, but I think he's cool anyways. :)

[RegieSatanas666]

@TheFlite29 why does being a weenie matter? like how can you not like someone for being somewhat timid or weaker than someone else?

[AdamLikesVids]

I'm pretty certain mountain goats videos have the highest ratio of total views/total people who've watched them. I know I must have watched this at least a hundred times. Last 30 seconds are insane.

[AwesumLittleRedTruck]

What album is this on?

[shinigamiguy1]

i can see where modestdiety asks if its a joke somply because the mans voice is similar to weird al's :P but that aside hes fucking brilliant :D

[bobgarbage]

Haters gonna hate.

[deepknotch]

oh no there home ,goodbye peace

[hwarangkid]

feel so, so bad that i downloaded this song for now, so i just put here my promise that someday i buy the complete album on cd, on itunes on lp, just on everthing thats possible, please forgive me, such a great song...

[Painfoot]

this video makes me so happy

[jakekvas]

facial expression 1:25

[RAZORPREADATOR]

Roomate;How many times are you going to play that Fucking song!

Me;I think you should move

[MontezumaIII]

@ModestDeity MODEST deity? You're like the most arrogant art critic on YouTube. You have no comprehension of how to understand music. John is quite skilled actually, in many people's opinions. Just because you can't read between the lines of what this song represents in the society of today doesn't mean you have the right to insult it due to your astonishing lack of any social, creative, and artistic prowess. There are implications behind art that you don't understand, so you shouldn't even be

[MontezumaIII]

@ModestDeity Firstly-Music is a matter of opinion. How you choose to interpret a piece of sound changes how you like the song completely. What is music anyway? They're sounds that cause you to feel something. Hopefully, what the musician is feeling. Obviously, Darnielle is very talented at doing that. Plus, you can never tell exactly what the musician was thinking. All you have is his lyrics. That doesn't mean it's always genuine. John always writes from the POV of characters he invents.

[ModestDeity]

This guy is supposed to be a joke, right? Like TheLonelyIsland?

[Telecasterpunk]

@ModestDeity No, he's actually like one of the best songwriters.

[ModestDeity]

@Telecasterpunk Two chords and nasally singing the most trite shit ever? This sounds so generic I thought he was actually satirizing the whole "I just picked up the guitar and this is how awesome I am" thing.

[Telecasterpunk]

@ModestDeity His guitar playing is actually much more complex and his lyrics are much more literary,symbolic,and personal then say some other songwriter like Bruno Mars or Taylor Swift.

[Utentagen]

@ModestDeity

/watch?v=0la5DBtOVNI

[coheedguitarist]

@ModestDeity fuck off cunt

[Cobertuskb]

@ModestDeity I guess you think Bob Dylan didn't have talent either.

[ModestDeity]

@Cobertuskb Bob Dylan's lyrics weren't juvenile poetry and he had a decent voice.

[1ivingHe11]

@ModestDeity Wow, some jerk manage to leech the civility and good feeling out of a Mountain Goats comment page. Congratulations, you earned the "I kicked a puppy" award. Also, I love Dylan, and I love him because his voice is terrible. You know it, I know it, your parents know it. Creaky, off-kilter drunken keening. Brilliant.

[GeologySucks]

@ModestDeity He used eight chords in this video FYI.

[TheTdoor]

@ModestDeity Are you dumb? This guy is one of the best songwriters just like the people below already said. We all know your just an uneducated dumbass who listens to Justin Beiber.

[MegaTestMonkey]

CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP

[VelociraptorZone]

I wish John Darnielle was my father. He's old enough to be.

[violaplayerforever]

He didn't forget to be awesome.

[hopeaug1]

im seeing him tonight and im so exited i may cry <3

[Thunderwolf666]

I cannot rate this highly enough. Breathtaking.

[raggamuffins13]

I can't wait to see them live ^__^

[MrJanebot]

is anyone able to confirm that this song is also "going to east rutherford"?

[janinePWNSftw]

@MrJanebot yup

[xAceFalconx]

He... has the most amazing voice, I'm speechless.

[hopeaug1]

i wish one of these days that i could walk up to somebody who knew who john darnielle so that we can jam out to him ALL DAY!!

[mostenan]

@hopeaug1 I jam out to him all day... over 500 plus songs for months and i am not bored yet... live, studio, covers of him , i dont care, usually very loud....a true word smith....

[hopeaug1]

@mostenan he's just too amazing. and hes so adorable in concert :P

[mostenan]

@hopeaug1 My son and i seen him twice ...once a small concert in Chicago for breast cancer ( he had everybody come sit down on the floor in front of him , and talked awhile after the concert with anybody who wanted to) and the second a larger venue in chicago, alas i am not a word smith like JD but i still love his music, it comes straight from his soul with facial expressions and everything!!!!!

[hopeaug1]

@mostenan its just amazing how he has the ability to connect with his audience. no matter what age.

[geckoisred]

i fucking love this man

[sarahirene91]

raped the replay button.

[FallDownDontGetUp]

It looks like a folk styled steel string acoustic.

Folk styled guitars have more drastic curves but the bouts aren't as dramatically different in overall width.

[jakekvas]

Awesome song! Great lyrics, and lots of emotion

[floortileproductions]

ok does anyone know the name of the body style of the guitar he's playing??

[Shaamulizzle]

@floortileproductions classical

[floortileproductions]

@Shaamulizzle

I thought classical guitars had the weird tuners?

[SLUguyMadrid]

@floortileproductions Having a tuner doesn't make it a classical guitar. Lots of acoustics and 12-strings have tuners, too. A classical guitar's body is just a tad smaller than your average acoustic guitar. The frets on a classical are spaced wider apart than an acoustic and the fretboard is also wider. The classical guitar traditionally uses Nylon wound strings while the acoustic uses steel strings. There are many other differences and the tuner has nothing to do with it :)

[maccies99]

@floortileproductions It's a dreadnaught acoustic guitar, not a classical.

[SLUguyMadrid]

@floortileproductions I think its an auditorium guitar body

[smeaglerG]

its makes my hair stand up like i want to fight...but i don't want to

[geckoisred]

he's so good

[alicetheDroog]

i think he's slowly turning into a cyclops.

[nothintosee]

I think that's the same guitar I have... Larrivee OM03

[kmyhatisgone]

@Warman115 There is a Mountain Goats website and part of the website is dedicated to guitar tabs - just google it and it'll come up. It's comprehensive and fantastic.

[dorito818]

@CynicalCatharsis

They sick !!!!

First time i heard of the Mountain Goats was on Morel Orel.

[LittleBlackSparrow]

@CynicalCatharsis there's nothing more worthy of praise than our lord Jesus Christ

[spiderbabybill]

@LittleBlackSparrow Girls named Cathy, scotch, videogames,  fast cars, borderline self-destruction. All of these things.

[WEtranceLA]

@LittleBlackSparrow Pretty much everything John sings about is more praiseworthy than Jesus. In fact, Jesus really isn't praiseworthy at all. Get facts, go read a science book.

[LittleBlackSparrow]

@WEtranceLA if you really knew anything about scientific facts than you would be able to see how Completely Amazing and praise worthy God's handwork is.

i have read science books and have OBSERVED nature, and i can't see how Jesus isn't praise worthy

[niceoldcheese]

@LittleBlackSparrow Agreed :) God is just breath taking. I dont understand how sometimes we can be so selfish and think that anything other than him would deserve our praise, time, and love. I

[1ivingHe11]

@niceoldcheese Jesus was a coward and didn't free his people from the Romans. You should learn to love real people instead and forget an iron age madman.

[ioNNNic]

I generally like this style of music and love his lyrics and attitude, but the nasal tone is something i'll have to learn to enjoy.

[TopHatPangolin]

@ioNNNic Well, if you don't get used to it, his post-All Hail West Texas stuff is better about keeping out the nasally tones.

[WEtranceLA]

@TopHatPangolin I prefer the lo-fi stuff to his new stuff personally.

[dorito818]

Is this music like Christian rock ??

[blankwavemessiah]

@dorito818  no.

[xterrancehightowerx]

@dorito818 are you like retarded?

[LoveSpaceCraft]

@xterrancehightowerx so much for mountain goats vids being the most civil places on youtube

[HenryClayWIN]

Everything about John's songs are so simple, yet perfect. No fancy stuff, no cheap gimmicks, just pure simplicity and goodness.

[GoobleGobble3]

Why isn't there a "repeat" button on YouTube? I LOVE THIS SONG!!!

[blankwavemessiah]

six people listen to the radio too much.

[Izekial56]

One of the most talented songwriters of our era. I don't think I'll ever get tired of the Darnielle. Mega-boosh!

[monkeybusiness110]

Brooks was here. So was Red.

[solsticemage]

i have had this type of experience my self good song

[Izekial56]

Boosh.

[JackKrausGuitar]

what type of guitar is that?

[ouch11]

@JackKrausGuitar I have heard it was an ovation.

If it is, its not a model still in production.

[DallasLemonade]

@JackKrausGuitar Some kind of Larrivee

[Israe5l]

very cool. good that I found you.

[WEtranceLA]

A lot of people worship Jesus, Buddha, or Mohammed. I worship John Darnielle.

[TheRealestEver]

@WEtranceLA i worship marijuana

[WEtranceLA]

@TheRealestEver I worship John Darnielle while smoking marijauna. :)

[honeybeeman]

he is so big and strong

[honeybeeman]

@honeybeeman all good points

[honeybeeman]

I want him

[superthanx4askin]

Great job John

[snaredrums123]

Does he have a Youtube channel? Please tell me he has a youtube channel...

[sirgecko]

@snaredrums123 Just search for anything by The Mountain Goats.

[meshzzizk]

Great song, baggy shirt.

[xs1xtyn1nex]

Damn, I honestly just can't stop listening to this song... Such a good song... If you really listen to the words.. this is true music.

[boiledhooker]

Becky...this song is for you

[powerrangersr]

he never runs out of strumming patterns

[Warman115]

anyone know the chord progression or know where i can find a tab?

[Gunther360]

@Warman115

its easy d a e g repeat...ha ha ha

[hammetguitarist]

@Warman115 l;olollololol. look at his hands! i dont know the technical terms - but its Dmajor, A with a D in it then A, E minor with a D in it then E with a C# in it, then G. look at his hands!

D, A, Emin, G.

[Gunther360]

man you kick ass for posting this for us... I cover your stuff at open mic in Midland Michigan.

[icedphat]

damn!

[ChadTheCunt]

hmm. (:

[MrBerenstain]

@eastmonday I'm a music major......and I think he's amazing!!! :D

[firewoman1975]

brilliant!

[mouseykit]

I love john hes so real I'm not particularly fond of any of his music but watching him play and go through the emotions and actually feel his music and connect with it in a way so many musicians don't its just awe inspiring this is art brutal and real true art.

[sorspezzino]

I can't get the logo on the guitar's headstock. Does anybody know which guitar is John playing here?

[boiledhooker]

@sorspezzino It's an Ovation

[sorspezzino]

@boiledhooker thank you!!

[boiledhooker]

@sorspezzino Ya, they are good guitars...very underrated. Warren Zevon used to play a twelve string acoustic-electric Ovation very well, if you like the mountain goats, you should check him out.

[thetrupka]

Simply Beautiful

[bananas1and2]

Okay. I am officially in love with The Mountain Goats. I haven't heard a song of theirs yet that I didn't like,

[Grimalt12]

@bananas1and2 I haven't heard a song by them I didn't like either. They're awesome.  :)

[tomithy1235]

it's amazing. there's nothing groundbreaking or even all that special about his band. he's not some stupid pretty boy making music, he's not blending different styles, he doesn't even have a spectacular voice (but it is good, still) but still you can tell he feels every chord he plays, and his lyrics are unpredictable and true. his music is more an experience of captured feeling than just a song.

[brbwatchingwillow]

I love seeing what his face is going to do next.

[danjonesdj]

the man is a true artist. he feels and shows every single emotion that inspired him to write his songs and holds them just as freshly in his mind everytime he sings them.

[andyjunction]

Now that is passion.

[aura723]

He's so into it, it makes the emotion so great! You see like, that GIANT MANIAC SMILE. Makes the listener feel LOVE come SCREEEEEEEEAAAAAMING through them! :D

[fucktheesshiz]

touching song, its gotten me through alot

[thecourseoflife]

awesome

[jreed88]

dido- a true artist and poet.

[dingozipper]

This is my absolute favorite Mountain Goats song, which, ironically, is one of the worst when listening to the album version.

This live version of the song is pristine, and it's also a blast to play, if you can play guitar.

[Joshsvids]

I agree 110%. I saw john on the gone primitive tour, just amazing. This is actually one of the first TMG songs I learned on guitar. very fun using the high vocals as in this live version.

[pleasemallorie]

ahh he looks so skinny.

if you haven't listened to every song this man has to offer - do it.

every one of them is incredible.

great performance here.

[wolverinepark]

this guy isn't just a musician, he's a poet. Its awesome.

[dingozipper]

@wolverinepark The irony is you're completely right in the literal sense: John Danielle wanted to be a poet, but decided to pick up an instrument instead as poets are rarely seen seriously these days.

The proof of this is just how simple almost all the Mountain Goats songs are to play. They're absolutely amazing - don't get me wrong, but I can play an entire set of Mountain Goats songs without ever moving past the 5th fret.

[Fritz451]

Indeed. He was a poet first, actually, since The Mountain Goats started after he bought a cheap guitar and sang poems he had already written (when he had planned to be a "professional" poet) over the few chords he knew.  Good stuff.

[jamesonfred6]

This man and this band is very talented.

[AngryScissor]

@jamesonfred6 Subject verb agreement

[soul1to1keep]

john darnielle is my hero

[Annarulz227]

I love this song <3

[TheDude217]

intro/chorus: D A Em A G

verse: D A Asus4 D G D A Asus4 D D

Mking has no idea what he is talking about unless he is using some wierd alt tunning.

[Tduff92]

Thank you very much.

[Tduff92]

can anyone tab this for me?

[mking9807]

ok ready get out your pen and paper cause this is gonna be a big one

aa b

a

b

thats it

rinse

repeat

you got your self a motha fuckin song

[lulu10101991]

Im not just judging it just off this one song, i do listen to their music reguarly!

Your obviously not getting my point, his singing is musical and i like listening to it. I mean his singing is about the music too, if that makes sense, he wouldnt be a good singer if he was singing alone, but his singing fits in with his music perfectly.

[AliElizabethsays]

You're an idiot.

your is not equal to you+are.

You are = you're.

Learn the english language.

[BigBearfromthe206]

For some reason whenever I look at John, and whenever hes playing guitar like this, he reminds me of one of those ultra-positive , christian youth leaders. Anyone else get that vibe too?

[bazookajustin]

It's the sweater.

[PAK1986]

Yep, its definently the sweater

[VolkColopatrion]

super sweeter to the rescue

[blithium]

Nah, ultra-positive Christian youth leaders make me feel apprehensive and basically horrible. John always makes me feel happy inside :)

[cosbine]

John Darnielle is a lapsed Catholic.

if you're a Catholic then you know that is virtually all of us

[BigBearfromthe206]

Whoa there. No offense but how could you even begin to say that Bob Dylan cant sing? Same with Darnielle.

[HorrorPixieMassacre]

Look at that baddass veggie ;D

xx

[chickenpiggies]

He kind of looks like Trent Reznor

[valerie2776]

I love John Darnielle.

[baddspella]

me too :)

[CallMeLibertine]

I worship this musician.

[hotsnotandbogeypie]

man, he's just like a big adorable toddler who knows how to twist you round his little finger. Squishy!

[cakemanishmael]

John Darnielle is the man. And I say that with emphasis on 'the man'.

[TheDeathSage]

The very first time I listened to the mountain goats I listened to the same song (The Best Ever Death Metal Band) all night....It was so amazing.

[blithium]

In the words of John Green, "The Best Ever Death Metal Band out of Denton is the kind of song that literally saves lives."

[coolestpyro]

epic genious

[WelfareChrist]

. . . is awesome!  He knows what he's doing, and sometimes I do too. It sounds like what you're telling me is you don't.

[shaneytiger]

He has some pretty funny facial contortions, but it's just because he's so good at quickly articulating the lyrics.

Darnielle is awesome.

[WelfareChrist]

His facial expression reveals the irony in a lot of his music, coupled with his anger. The performance of No Children he smiles a great big smile when he says 'I hope you die, I hope we both die.' for example. Watching him perform actually has redefined how I listen to not just his music, but a lot of music.

[WelfareChrist]

Watching him perform is so emotional for me

[monkis50]

your not alone

[domesticdodo]

This is an awesome song.

[blithium]

How?

[adamtheace]

It's almost unbelievable how good this is.

[danthekingofcrops]

SO GOOD

[kettlebugs]

He and Bob Dylan have unique-sounding voices, but they can certainly sing. Everything strange about their singing is just style.