Double Negative

[Image: 'Goliath' Front Cover]

Sections:

Lyrics

Been a nice trip
Is this our stop?
I'd leave the stage
But the curtain won't drop
The chemicals took my nerve
I've given up what the saints preserve

The push pull
The sturm and the drang
I can't play a lick
But I'm strumming along
Sing it with me
You look uptight
Now is that a yawn
Or are you ready to bite?

Don't you come near me now
Don't you come through the wall
I can't let go of the scene
I can't stop hollering unclean

Been a nice trip
As hinterlands go
I took the hint
And I swallowed it whole
The chemicals color the facts
On your mark, get set, relax

The negatives double
Double that again
I did the math, I need a bath
Sing it with me
The widows might
Now is that a yawn
Or are you ready to bite?

Don't you come near me now
Don't you come through the wall
I can't let go of the scene
I can't stop hollering unclean

Don't you come near me now
I've never not needed you more
Cursed with a sense of place
I wanna see the look on the old man's face

Bells are ringing
In the town of the terminal heartache
Bells are ringing
Is it Easter
Or the start of an earthquake?

Bells are ringing
In the town of the terminal heartache
Bells are ringing
Is it Easter
Or the start of an earthquake?

Been a long trip
The hinterlands know
You took the hit
Then I quit
Now I'm sick as a dog
But I'll still fetch
You won't make it stop
But you pity the retch

And how do you love?
We both know
What your kids are made of
60 parts water, 40 parts guile
I've been found
I wanna drown

Cursed with a sense of place
I left this town in disgrace

Don't you come near me now
I've never not needed you more
But I can't let go of the scene
I can't stop hollering unclean

Bells are ringing
In the town of the terminal heartache
Bells are ringing
Is it Easter
Or the start of an earthquake?

Recorded Appearances

Albums

About The Song

From Goliath: A Song By Song Description, NewReleaseTuesday.com, November 17th, 2014:

I remember when Jimmy started playing this riff, we were all hypnotized by the sound, although the 7/4 time signature keeps it from being too hypnotic. The lyric, like most of them, isn't necessarily autobiographical, but I think I understand a character who doubles down on negative emotions like misery, which tend to be more controllable and, therefore, repeatable than happiness or joy. My favorite line is "Bells are ringing/Is it Easter or the start of an earthquake?" This guy can't even accept the sound of church bells at face value--is something being reborn, or is their peal earthquake-induced, and things are about to go very badly?