Luna

Lyrics

All gone, all gone
Watching it go up out front on the lawn
Stay on my feet somehow
I’m strong now
Stuck there, no air

Head high, head high
Tongues of fire that reach up for the sky
Rise through the smoke
The dust of the grave
I will be saved[1]

Pause in mid-stride
Pause in mid-stride
And ride, and ride, and ride, and ride

Burn hard, burn hard
Smoldering pieces landing in the yard
Trace names in ash
Big names, old friends
And dead ends

Those last few frames
Go down so fast
Rise through the flames and end again in flames at last

Stay free, stay free
Invisible armies march by night for me
Stay on my guard
Burn hard
Rage on
All gone

Pause in mid-stride
Pause in mid-stride
And ride and ride and ride and ride

Banter

This is a song about a wrestler named Luna Vachon, who was the daughter of Mad Dog Butcher Vachon, and who lost track of herself. (2015-04-07 - Cat's Cradle, Carrboro)
This is a song about Luna Vachon, daughter of Butcher Vachon, one of the finest wrestlers to ever lace up her boots. (2015-04-09 - Webster Hall, New York City)
Audience: We missed you!
JD: I missed you too! [woo] You know, last time I was in here, Roseanne Cash was in the building. I was so starstruck I had no idea what to do, and she came up here and did Seven Year Ache in this room and I was like, against the back wall, feeling like I was going to be blasted into the street. It was the greatest thing ever. She is the best [unintelligible, off mic positioning talk, cheering for position 2]. But all the beer's over at position 1. I have a feeling some of that beer will find itself to position 2. I love this - this is the best job, because they clap for you when you drink. So many poor drunks out there wishing they had someone to clap for them when they drink.
Peter: So many jobs where htey just, they frown when you drink.
JD: Yeah, I've worked some of those jobs, they say, hey, you can't drive the flour delivery, man, John, you're too high. You can't prove it and they haven't legalized that kinda stuff yet. And what do they say? Yeah, I'll go home. You know, I have to drive home too, so...put me in the van. That's a true story. [piano chord] This is about Luna Vachon, one of the finest wrestlers to ever lace up the boots. (2015-04-11 - City Winery, New York City)
I appreciate that. [more woos] It is lovely as always. I'm feeling really chatty tonight. It's like, I wanna say, well, let me know somehow if it's over-chatty, but then I think no, that would hurt my feelings. Just keep it to yourself. This is a song about Luna Vachon who was a wrestler of uncommon power and vision, and who died too young. (
2015-04-12 - City Winery, New York City)
So this song has four verses, and I have a habit of jumbling them. Because they're independent entities, and they could have gone in a number of orders. But then if I put the wrong one in the wrong place, I get lost, and the band becomes confused and angry, and they hire Michale Graves to replace me as a singer. And I wish Michale Graves well, but I don't think he makes a good frontman for the Mountain Goats. And then I become angry at Michale Graves, and we have to go to therapy together. And I don't want to be in therapy with Michale Graves, again, wishing him well. This is a song about therapy for Michale Graves, no it's not, it's about Luna Vachon, who was the daughter of Butcher Vachon, one of the greatest workers to ever face the camera. Like a lotta people who work in businesses where your body gets punished, lost her way and never found her way back. (2015-04-13 - Union Transfer, Philadelphia)
This is a song about Luna Vachon, the daughter of Butcher Vachon, whose ashes are spread on Andre the Giant's ranch in the south of North Carolina. (2015-04-22 - The Wexner Center, Columbus)
Luna Vachon was a wrestler with power and grace, and could, could make you believe that she had been possessed by evil. Which is a great thing to be able to do in front of a camera to make somebody think, 'I just love evil.' That was her deal. (2015-05-29 - The Showbox, Seattle)
This is a song about Luna Vachon, who lost her way after a bad trip. (2015-06-03 - The Mayan, Los Angeles)

Live Performances

Footnotes

1. "I will be saved" repeated 2x (2015-04-22)