Mountain Goats, Song For An Old Friend

John Darnielle on AOL

Category:

Music

Tags:

• mountaingoats
• darnielle

[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!!

[violaplayerforever]

He didn't forget to be awesome.

[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.

[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.

[livefastdierrhea]

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

[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.

[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.