#190 (of 365) "Up the Wolves" The Mountain Goats

The Mountain Goats' Sunset Tree from 2005 is basically telling the story of a damaged, traumatic childhood, dominated by an evil stepfather, that is based on real life memories--unlike most of John Darnielle's earlier fiction in songs. I don't want to get into too much of it since I'm sure I won't get the facts straight but I'm pretty sure a lot of the stuff in these songs happened to John as a child growing up in suburban California. This song provides a cathartic relief when the children fight back, and was for me, not one of my favorites from the album until I started hearing it live (I've seen TMG at least 20 times live, including last week). The climactic verses song-screamed by Danielle on stage elevates the track--and the entire album--in a way I wouldn't have guessed just from listening to it on my iPhone. It really demands to be heard loud. With screaming.

I'm gonna get myself in fighting trim
Scope out every angle of unfair advantage
I'm gonna bribe the officials
I'm gonna kill all the judges!
It's gonna take you people years
To recover from all of the damage!

Our mother has been absent
Ever since we founded Rome
But there's gonna be a party 
When the wolf comes home

"Up the Wolves" - The Mountain Goats // The Sunset Tree (2005)