Even the most casual Mountain Goats fan knows that John Darnielle is a master of describing intense, complicated relationships fraught with tension and passion. What not everyone realizes, though, is the meaningful role food plays in the lives of these characters—in both a literal and figurative sense. Food is just a much an ingredient in these songs as Darnielle’s yelping vocals, earnest strumming and militant lo-fi tape hiss (of his pre-4AD/Merge recordings at least). With references to fresh strawberries, Belgian chocolates, yams, sausage and cheese and a bounty of other culinary delights, few discographies tell stories of romantic complexity such great delectably.
The Devoted:
Whether it’s cased meats, fresh dairy or yams (the king of crops!), Darnielle knows the proverbial way to the heart is indeed the stomach. While his staunch vegetarianism may be at odds with the protagonist’s claims in “Earth Air Water Trees,” Darnielle still sums up with great conviction the overwhelming joys of the simplest meals—“I love you, I love you because you gave me sausage and cheese when I was hungry.” If you’re not sold on this lyric on paper, you will be on the stereo. The hunger in Darnielle’s trembling voice will have you running to the nearest deli.
Also note that sweet potatoes breed similar results:
“I felt sick in a good way, felt the fever climb when you came down all the way across town, and you brought me a plate of sweet potatoes” (“Yam, The King of Crops”)
As does black ice cream (whatever cryptic flavor that may be):
“I knew I was living in a long, long dream when you fed me the black ice cream” (“Black Ice Cream Song”)
The Broken-hearted:
The presence of food also connotes the absence of a lover. And man is this a bummer. Take these choice lines from “Woke Up New” off 2006’s aptly titled Get Lonely: “The first time I made coffee for just myself, I made too much of it / But I drank it all just cause you hate it when I let things go to waste.” It’s the ultimate everything-reminds-me-of-you scenario. A potent beverage yields even more potent feelings.
But that’s hardly the first time this sentiment is apparent. In “Alpha Omega” Darnielle sings “I turned the air conditioner on found the note on scented stationary—you were long gone / I had boiled peanuts for breakfast from Cairo, Georgia.” With such gripping intensity in his vocals, you can practically taste the salt burning through your tongue.