Series

Many Mountain Goats songs belong in series linked together by naming conventions and common themes. Cataloguing all of these is a massive task, and it's hard to know how complete this is. However, since a large amount of commentary exists regarding these, rather than attempting to cover all of it in the footnotes for each song in a series, I will document series-specific information here and link to this page in the annotations.

For the sake of this document, I have created two types of series. "Formal series" are those acknowledged by John Darnielle and by the fan community. "Informal series" are recognized recurring themes and naming conventions which lack the intentional cohesiveness found in the formal series.

Along with these series are listed outtakes and extras. This category documents songs which were originally intended for a particular release but which ultimately were not included, either being released as bonus tracks (extras) or in another fashion (outtakes).

Please let me know if you see any errors or omissions, or if I've included something you think doesn't belong; I'd love to hear from you and make this as complete as possible.

Table of contents

• Formal series
  1. Alpha couple
  2. Going to ...
  3. Jenny
  4. Orange Ball of ...
  5. Pure ...
  6. Song for ...
  7. Standard Bitter Love Songs
  8. Ambivalent or Malevolent -scapes
• Informal series
  1. Aztec songs
  2. Biblical songs
  3. Black Sabbath songs
  4. Covers
  5. Demos and alternate versions
  6. Outtakes and extras
• Table of abbreviations
• Footnotes

Formal series

Alpha couple

This is arguably the canonical Mountain Goats series, with numerous songs written about them and the source of endless arguments about the exact chronology of the songs depicting the almost-divorcing couple. The series predates John as a musician, beginning as a collection of poems, one of which eventually became the Extra Glenns song Twelve Hands High. ¹ John chose the Alpha suffix as a way of keeping track of the songs, as in Latin the a- prefix designates negation (known as a privative alpha). The first tracks were accordingly grouped in a set called Songs from Point Alpha Privative. ² The songs are, unless otherwise specified, intended to be sung by either member of the couple. ³

The Alpha Couple are a Catholic ⁴ man and woman from Southern California whose relationship survives solely on the love they want to have for each other, the hatred they actually share, and the alcohol they imbibe to quash their feelings. John has indicated that the couple was originally intended to get a divorce, but as he wrote the songs, this didn't wind up happening. ⁵ Thinking everything will improve if they move, they leave California (after potentially staying in Portland), drink for a year in a motel in Nevada, and stay at least for a time at the Stardust casino on the strip. ⁶ They move and finally settle in Tallahassee, Florida, after the Alpha wife gets pregnant, although it's unclear if they ever have children. ⁷ The specific trajectory of Southern California, then Nevada, and finally Florida was chosen as it depicts them "crawl[ing] along the bottom of the country" until there's nowhere farther to reach, symbolically living off the lowest scraps of the country. ⁸ The impoverished part of Tallahassee that they ultimately settle in was chosen for the availability of cheap alcohol, cheap land, sense of decay and rot, and because their alcoholism and unemployment would prevent them living anywhere else. ⁸

The entirety of the album Tallahassee is about this couple; much more information is contained there and in its annotations. Also related to the couple is the See America Right single, released in anticipation of Tallahassee.

The following songs are generally considered to be Alpha couple songs.

Song	Release	Year
Alpha Aquae	Unreleased	1995?
Alpha Chum Gatherer	Unreleased	2013?
Alpha Desperation March	Transmissions to Horace; Bitter Melon Farm	1993; 1999
Alpha Double Negative: Going to Catalina	Songs for Petronius; Nothing for Juice; Bitter Melon Farm	1992; 1996; 1999
Alpha Gelida	Taking the Dative; Ghana	1994; 1999
Alpha in Tauris	Zopilote Machine	1994
Alpha Incipiens	Zopilote Machine	1994
Alpha Negative	The Hound Chronicles	1992
Alpha Omega	Protein Source of the Future... NOW!	1999
Alpha Rats Nest	Tallahassee	2002
Alpha Sun Hat	Zopilote Machine	1994
Alphabetizing	Chile de Árbol; Protein Source of the Future... NOW!	1993; 1999
Alphonse Mambo	The Coroner's Gambit	2000
Design Your Own Container Garden	See America Right	2002
Ending the Alphabet	Hail and Farewell, Gothenburg	1995
Ethiopians	Unreleased	2007?
First Few Desperate Hours	Tallahassee	2002
Game Shows Touch Our Lives	Tallahassee	2002
Going to Dade County	Unreleased	1994?
Have to Explode	Tallahassee	2002
The House That Dripped Blood	Tallahassee	2002
Idylls of the King	Tallahassee	2002
International Small Arms Traffic Blues	Tallahassee	2002
Letter from a Motel	Unreleased	1999?
New Chevrolet in Flames	See America Right	2002
No Children	Tallahassee	2002
Oceanographer's Choice	Tallahassee	2002
Old College Try	Tallahassee	2002
One Winter at Point Alpha Privative	Taboo VI: The Homecoming	1992
Orange Ball of Hate	Zopilote Machine	1994
Peacocks	Tallahassee	2002
See America Right	Tallahassee; See America Right	2002
Southwood Plantation Road	Tallahassee	2002
Spilling Toward Alpha	The Hound Chronicles	1992
Star Dusting	Transmissions to Horace; Bitter Melon Farm	1993; 1999
Tallahassee	Tallahassee	2002
Twelve Hands High (was Fit Alpha Vi)	Martial Arts Weekend	2002
Wishing the House Would Crash	Unreleased	1995?

It is unclear to me whether Alphabetizing and Ending the Alphabet are for certain Alpha couple songs. I have included them given their titles in the absence of other information.

An unnamed song that was renamed Alpha Compunction by Nall exists somewhere, but as I've never found a copy it is not listed above.

Going to ...

As Nall describes, the Going to ... series describe the feeling of trying to improve your life by traveling to somewhere else, often only finding the same thing there that you had fled. John described in 1997 that there are no main characters, and that the songs are only very loosely thematically connected. ⁹

Song	Release	Year
Alpha Double Negative: Going to Catalina	Songs for Petronius; Nothing for Juice; Bitter Melon Farm	1992; 1996; 1999
Flight 717: Going to Denmark	Ghana	1999
Going Back to California	Online release	2016
Going through Pomona	Unreleased	2004?
Going to Alaska	Taboo VI: The Homecoming	1992
Going to Bangor	Bitter Melon Farm	1999
Going to Bogatá	Nothing for Juice	1996
Going to Bolivia	Sweden	1995
Going to Brazil	Unreleased	199x?
Going to Bridlington	Unreleased	1995?
Going to Bristol	Zopilote Machine	1994
Going to Buffalo	Unreleased	1996
Going to California	Unreleased	1992?
Going to Chino	The Hound Chronicles	1992
Going to Cleveland	Transmissions to Horace; Bitter Melon Farm	1993; 1999
Going to Dade County	Unreleased	1994?
Going to France	Unreleased	1992?
Going to Georgia	Zopilote Machine	1994
Going to Hungary	Tropical Depression; Ghana	1997; 1999
Going to Jamaica	Taking the Dative; Ghana	1994; 1999
Going to Japan	Hot Garden Stomp	1993
Going to Kansas	The Hound Chronicles; Nothing for Juice	1992; 1996
Going to Kirby Sigston	Ghana	1999
Going to Lebanon	Zopilote Machine	1994
Going to Lubbock	Infidelity	1994
Going to Maine	Ghana	1999
Going to Malibu	Chile de Árbol; Protein Source of the Future... NOW!	1993; 1999
Going to Marrakesh	Martial Arts Weekend	2002
Going to Maryland	Beautiful Rat Sunset	1994
Going to Mexico	The Hound Chronicles	1992
Going to Michigan (was Going to Detroit)	Unreleased; Martial Arts Weekend	1996; 2002
Going to Monaco	Transmissions to Horace; Bitter Melon Farm	1993; 1999
Going to Morocco	Martial Arts Weekend	2002
Going to Norwalk	Hot Garden Stomp	1993
Going to Palestine	Unreleased	1994?
Going to Port Washington	Ghana	1999
Going to Queens	Sweden	1995
Going to Reykjavik	Nothing for Juice	1996
Going to San Diego	Unreleased	1992?
Going to Santiago	Transmissions to Horace; Bitter Melon Farm	1993; 1999
Going to Scotland	Nothing for Juice	1996
Going to Some Damned English City	Unreleased	1996?
Going to Spain	The Hound Chronicles	1992
Going to Spirit Lake	Unreleased	1996?
Going to Tennessee	Why You All So Thief?; Protein Source of the Future... NOW!	1994; 1999
Going to Utrecht	Nine Black Poppies	1995
Going to Wisconsin	The Hound Chronicles	1992

Jenny

A series easily taken literally that perhaps oughtn't, debates about which songs feature Jenny have been ongoing for years. In 2017, John began discussing the series in more detail. She may or may not be the same person in each song; either way, she represents "a function of memory" — someone who is "defined by [her] absence", but whose recollection causes an overwhelming flood of deep feelings long held under. Accordingly she is not generally present, either physically or emotionally, during good times; she is "an emblem of more difficult times... of wilder times, but also times that they're pretty clearly romanticizing". ¹⁰

Song	Release	Year
Jenny	All Hail West Texas	2002
Night Light	Transcendental Youth	2012
Source Decay	All Hail West Texas	2002
Straight Six	Jam Eater Blues	2001

Orange Ball of ...

This series arose to make fun of Don DeLillo's repeated use of the phrase "orange ball" in White Noise. ¹¹ After it became a series rather than a one-off joke, John has mentioned that it has neither specific repeated characters nor any solid connections beween them. ¹²

Song	Release	Year
Orange Ball of Hate	Zopilote Machine	1994
Orange Ball of Love	Zopilote Machine	1994
Orange Ball of Pain	Nothing for Juice	1996
Orange Ball of Peace	Taking the Dative; Ghana	1994; 1999

Pure ...

Like the Orange Ball of ... and Going to ... series, John has stated that these are mostly unrelated. The Pure ... songs are described as being "kind of intently focused in [a] way that I think I don't force myself to be on the other ones... more immediate". ¹³

Song	Release	Year
Pure Crystal	Unreleased	1996
Pure Dynamite	Full Term	1995
Pure Gold	Songs About Fire; Ghana	1995; 1999
Pure Heat	Why You All So Thief?; Protein Source of the Future... NOW!	1994; 1999
Pure Honey	Philyra; Protein Source of the Future... NOW!	1994; 1999
Pure Intentions	Songs for Petronius; Bitter Melon Farm	1992; 1999
Pure Love	Songs for Petronius; Bitter Melon Farm	1992; 1999
Pure Milk	Hot Garden Stomp	1993
Pure Money	Nine Black Poppies	1995
Pure Sound	Ghana	1999
Pure Sun	Unreleased	1994?

Song for ...

I have been unable to find anything where John describes this series (if you know of something, please contact me). However, based on the titles, it seems that these are songs dedicated to specific individuals or things.

As the Songs About ... titles seem to be in the same vein, these are included as well. Brave, which is a Chris Knox cover, is included by virtue of being released on an album titled Stroke: Songs for Chris Knox; Golden Boy is included due to originally being released on an Inland Empire compilation album called Object Lessons: Songs About Products. Both to me seem to fall under the general feel of the Song for ... series.

Releases	Release	Year
Songs About Fire	(self)	1995
Songs for Peter Hughes	(self)	1995
Songs for Petronius	(self)	1995
Songs for Vamsidasa Babaji	(self)	2008
Songs
Baltimore (was Song for Prince Edward III)	Martial Arts Weekend	2002 (was 1996)
Brave (Chrix Knox cover)	Compilation	2009
Chanson du Bon Chose	Nine Black Poppies	1995
Counting Song for Bitter Children	Online release	200x?
For Charles Bronson	All Eternals Deck; All Survivors Pack	2011; 2011
For the Krishnacore Bands	Online release	2017
Golden Boy	Ghana	1999
Short Song About the 10 Freeway	Songs for Peter Hughes; Bitter Melon Farm	1995; 1999
Short Song for Justin Bieber and His Paparazzi	Online release	2013
Song for an Old Friend	Bitter Melon Farm	1999
Song for Black Sabbath's Second North American Tour	Unreleased	2014?
Song for Cleomenes	Beautiful Rat Sunset	1994
Song for Dana Plato	Songs for Peter Hughes; Bitter Melon Farm	1995; 1999
Song for Dennis Brown	The Sunset Tree; Come, Come to the Sunset Tree	2005; 2005
Song for God	Unreleased	2002
Song for Greg Valentine	Unreleased	2012
Song for John Davis	Songs About Fire; Ghana	1995; 1999
Song for Lonely Giants	Get Lonely	2006
Song for Mark and Joel	Beautiful Rat Sunset	1994
Song for My Stepfather	Unreleased	2004?
Song for Roger Maris	Unreleased	1999?
Song for the Julian Calendar	Full Force Galesburg	1997
Song for Sasha Banks	Online release	2018
Song for Tura Satana	Zopilote Machine	1994

A song called Song for Mitch Williams has been reported, but as it's unlikely to ever surface it isn't included in the above list. Also, Nall reports that Saigon Shrunken Panorama was once called Saigon: Song for Anonymity, but I've never been able to confirm that. A song titled Song for Denise Matthews was recorded for All Eternals Deck, but did not make the album and has never been released. ¹⁴

Standard Bitter Love Songs

Again, I unfortunately have not heard John discussing these songs, however, one possible unifying theme could come from simply taking their names at face value.

Song	Release	Year
Standard Bitter Love Song #1	Unreleased	199x?
Standard Bitter Love Song #4	The Hound Chronicles	1992
Standard Bitter Love Song #5	Unreleased	1992?
Standard Bitter Love Song #6	Unreleased	1992?
Standard Bitter Love Song #7	Zopilote Machine	1994
Standard Bitter Love Song #8	Taking the Dative; Ghana	1994; 1999

Informal series

As decribed above, these series are less explicit and, while tied together through naming conventions and themes, are not as obviously part of a series as those listed above.

Aztec songs

Nall's catalog includes a series for Quetzalcoatl ... songs, which follow an obvious naming convention. However, it seems to me that these fall under a more general pattern of songs which are named using Nahuatl, the Aztec language. I have not found anything where John discusses this series; if you know of something, please contact me.

Song	Release	Year
Azo Tle Nelli in Tlalticpac?	Zopilote Machine	1994
Itzcuintli-Totzli Days	Beautiful Rat Sunset	1994
Quetzalcoatl Comes Through	Yam, the King of Crops; Protein Source of the Future... NOW!	1994; 1999
Quetzalcoatl Eats Plums	Zopilote Machine	1994
Quetzalcoatl Is Born	Zopilote Machine	1994

Ambivalent or Malevolent -scapes

Entirely released by the Extra Glenns or Extra Lens. I'm unfortunately unaware of anything describing this series — please let me know if you discover something.

Song	Release	Year
Ambivalent Landscape Z	Undercard	2010
Malevolent Cityscape X	Infidelity	1994
Malevolent Seascape Y	Martial Arts Weekend	2002

Biblical songs

John has made many songs based off of mythological or religious figures, including Aztecs, Satanists, Rastafarians, and others. However, more so than others, many songs by John have Biblical references. Many of these references are in the song titles, some are quoting scripture, and some are referencing particular Biblical figures or narratives, even attracting the attention of religious scholars. ¹⁵ While cataloguing all songs that make any mention of religion would be prohibitive and unnecessarily speculative, this category includes all songs which explicitly reference the Bible. Several releases themselves fall into this latter category; these are listed at the beginning.

It is unknown which version of the Bible John prefers, although I would expect it would be a Catholic text given his personal faith. In one interview, John mentions using the Bible Gateway website and the Holman Christian Standard Bible translations,¹⁶ accordingly, this is where Biblical references are drawn from on this website unless other translations make more sense. He's also expressed his fondness for the New Jerusalem Bible,¹⁷ Young's Literal Translation,¹⁶ and the King James Version (at least, for the Psalms¹⁷). If you have more information on preferred translations, I would love to hear from you.

It is debatable whether songs referencing demons or devils are Biblical in nature. Devils and demons appear in both Christian and non-Christian mythology. My criteria is as follows: all references to "the Devil" or "Satan" are considered to be potentially Biblical and are thus accounted for here, whereas all others are not listed unless John has specified otherwise — in this case, John's description determines the classification. However, this is imperfect for a number of reasons, so please bear with the complexity and recognize that these songs are not necessarily definitively Biblical while songs not included are not necessarily non-Biblical. Accordingly, Beat the Devil is listed below, but Devil in the Shortwave is not, since the definite article is not used and so a singular conception of Satan cannot be confirmed. Similarly, references to historical cities which play major Biblical roles are sometimes difficult to categorize. In these cases, if the reference is commonly in reference to Christianity, such as with Babylon, they are listed here. Lastly, references to God are included if Christian influences seem reasonable, which is frequent given John's Catholicism. References to Jesus or God as expletives are not included.

Release and year are abbreviated and merged together due to space constraints. References contained in liner notes are listed under the release name.

Release	References	Rls.; year
All Hail West Texas	Isaiah 45:23	(self); 2002
Babylon Springs	Babylon	(self); 2006
Come, Come to the Sunset Tree	Tyrolese Evening Hymn	(self); 2005
The Coroner's Gambit	1 Peter 1:18	(self); 2000
Ghana	God; Satan; televangelism; Gehennom; Luke 13:11; Exorcism of the Gerasene demoniac	(self); 1999, 2002
Heretic Pride	Heresy	(self); 2008
The Life of the World to Come	Nicene Creed	(self); 2009
The Life of the World in Flux	Nicene Creed	(self); 2009
Satanic Messiah	Satan; the Messiah; Parable of the Mustard Seed	(self); 2008
The Sunset Tree	Tyrolese Evening Hymn	(self); 2005
Song
Abide with Me (Henry Francis Lyte cover)	Hymn; Luke 24:29	IRH; 1998
Against Pollution	Acts 2:17; Christian eschatology; 1 Corinthians 13:12	WSABH; 2004
Age of Kings	God	AED; 2011
Alpha Gelida	Psalms 58:6	TTD, G; 1994, 1999
Alpha Sun Hat	Satan	ZM; 1994
Baboon	Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38	TCG; 2000
Babylon Burning	Babylon	Unreleased; 2007
Beat the Devil	Satan; Goliath	Compilation; 2004
Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton, The	Satan	AHWT; 2002
Blues in Dallas	Seventh trumpet of Revelation	AHWT; 2002
Brisbane Hotel Sutra	Psalm 113:3, Job 1:21	AED; 2011
Chino Love Song 1979	Genesis 2:24	TTD, G; 1994, 1999
Cobra Tattoo	Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 14:13; Luke 3:8; Matthew 3:9	GL; 2006
Collapsing Stars	Psalms 126:6; Bringing in the Sheaves	D, CCST; 2005, 2005
1 Corinthians 13:8 – 10	1 Corinthians 13:8 – 10	NFJ; 1996
Cry for Judas	Judas	TY; 2012
Cut Off Their Thumbs #1	Judges 1:7 – 8	HDH; 2005
Daniel 12:8 (third)	Daniel 12:8	TLOTWIF; 2009
Deserters	God	HDH; 2005
Deuteronomy 2:10	Deuteronomy 2:10	TLOTWTC/IF; 2009
Dilaudid	Psalms 90:10	TST; 2005
The Doll Song	1 Corinthians 13	Unreleased; 1992?
Down Here	Psalms	FFG; 1997
Down to the Ark	Ark of the Covenant; Romans 8:39; Revelation; Satan; All Things Bright and Beautiful	Unreleased; 2008
Dutch Orchestra Blues	God	IRH; 1998
Elijah	Galatians 4:4; Luke 1:44; resurrection of Jesus	TCG; 2000
Elizabeth Barrett Browning	Saint Christopher	Unreleased; ?
Enoch 18:14	Enoch 18:14	TLOTWTC extra, TLOTWIF; 2009
Eugene Sue	God	Unreleased; 2005?
Ezekiel 7 and the Permanent Efficacy of Grace	Ezekiel 7; efficacious grace	TLOTWTC; 2009
From the Lake Trials	God's creatures	Compilation; 2017
Genesis 19:1 – 2	Genesis 19:1 – 2	DITS; 2002
Genesis 3:23	Genesis 3:23	TLOTWTC/IF; 2009
Genesis 30:3	Genesis 30:3	TLOTWTC; 2009
Going to Hungary	Hell	TD, G; 1997, 1999
Going to Marrakesh	Resurrection of Jesus	MAW; 2002
Going to Maine	Hell	G; 1999
Going to Monaco	Satan	TTH; 1993
Going to Santiago	Jesus	TTH; 1993
Golden Boy	Golden Rule; Numbers 10:9; Jeremiah 15:11	G; 1999
Hail St. Sebastian	Saint Sebastian, demons	Unreleased; 2009?
Hast Thou Considered the Tetrapod?	Job 1:8	TST; 2005
Hebrews 11:40	Hebrews 11:40	TLOTWTC/IF; 2009
High Doses #2	God	CCST; 2005
High Hawk Season	Psalms 7:10	AED; 2011
History of the Church (Part 1)	Christian history, Gnosticism	Unreleased; 1992?
How I Left the Ministry	Christian ministry	U; 2010
How to Embrace a Swamp Creature	Genesis 3:14, 3:24, 9:7	HP; 2008
In Memory of Satan	Satan	TY; 2012
Isaiah 45:23	Isaiah 40:4, 45:23	TLOTWTC/IF; 2009
Jaipur	2 Kings 2; Exodus 2:1 – 8; Genesis 37:28; Matthew 7:15	TCG; 2000
Jenny	God	AHWT; 2002
1 John 4:16	1 John 4:16	TLOTWTC/IF; 2009
Last Man on Earth	Denial of Peter	HP extra; 2008
Love Love Love	1 Corinthians 13:12; King Saul; Joseph	TST; 2005
Lucifer Rising	Lucifer	MCB; 2009
Magpie	Crucifixes; Exodus 12	TST; 2005
Matthew 11:14 – 19	Matthew 11:14 – 19	TLOTWIF; 2009
Matthew 25:21	Matthew 25:21	TLOTWTC/IF; 2009
Naming Day	Mormonism	GL extra; 2006
New Britain	Amazing Grace melody	FFG; 1997
New Chevrolet in Flames	Song of Solomon 1:2	SAR; 2002
New World Emerging Blues	1 Corinthians 13:12	7FA; 2004?
New Zion	New Jerusalem; Genesis 14:18; 2 Corinthians 5:17	HP; 2008
Night of the Mules	Genesis 18; Nativity of Jesus	CDA; 1993
One Winter at Point Alpha Privative	God	T6:TH; 1992
Papagallo	God	SAF, G; 1995, 1999
The Plague	Plagues of Egypt	Unreleased; 2001?
Philippians 3:20 – 21	Philippians 3:20 – 21	TLOTWTC/IF; 2009
Pink and Blue	Hell	AHWT; 2002
Pigs That Ran Straightaway Into the Water, Triumph of	Exorcism of the Gerasene demoniac	WSABH; 2004
Power in a Union	Satan	Online release; 2011
Process of Elimination	Jesus	tEG compilation; 1992
Proverbs 6:27	Proverbs 6:27	TLOTWIF, TLOTWTC extra; 2011
Prowl Great Cain	Cain (Genesis 4)	AED; 2011
Psalms 40:2	Jeremiah 10:2; Luke 21:11; Matthew 11:28; Psalms 40:2, 119:171	TLOTWTC/IF; 2009
Romans 10:9	Romans 10:9	TLOTWTC/IF; 2009
Sail Babylon Springs	Psalms 137:1; Babylon	BS; 2006
1 Samuel 15:23	1 Samuel 15:23; Isaiah 56:7	TLOTWTC; 2009
San Bernardino	Genesis 3:24	HP; 2008
Satanic Messiah	Satan; the Messiah	SM; 2008
Sept 15th 1983	Psalms 137:5	HP; 2008
[Shield My Eyes Against the Glare]	Satan	Unreleased; 2010?
Short Song About the 10 Freeway	God; Satan	SFPH, BMF; 1995, 1999
Sign of the Crow 2	Matthew 12:39 – 41; Mark 8:12	Online release; 2008
Snow Owl	Heaven	FFG; 1997
Solomon Revisited	Solomon	T6:TH; 1992
Song for John Davis	1 Corinthians 13:11	SAF, G; 1995, 1999
Song for God	Revelations; God	Unreleased; 2002
Store	Heavenly choir; Lucifer	JEB; 2001
Supergenesis	Genesis 3	BPT; 2008
Tallahassee	Destroying angel	T; 2002
That Hippolytine Feeling	God	Unreleased; 1992?
This Year	Passover Seder	TST; 2005
Tollund Man	This Is My Father's World hymn	S; 1995
Toolshed	Satan	HP extra; 2008
Transjordanian Blues	Transjordan; church; hosanna; Lamb of God; I Know It Was the Blood	OJB; 2001
Waco	Resurrection of the dead	AHWTR; 2001?
With Their Flesh, He'll Create	God	Online release; 2018
Wizard Buys a Hat	Churches	SM; 2008

Black Sabbath songs

Although metal themes permeate John's work (and of course, Last Plane to Jakarta), Black Sabbath has received particular attention. John has explained that there are many of these songs but that they are unlikely to have a release dedicated to them, although the online-only Marsh Witch Visions release eventually compiled 4 new songs and 1 demo in 2017 (not covered here given its release date).¹⁸ Although some of these songs simply mention Black Sabbath, many others are explorations of psyches of members of the band or descriptions of pivotal events related to the band.

Title	Release	Year
Black Sabbath: Master of Reality	(book)	2008
Song
Answering the Phone	All Hail West Texas reissue	2013
California Jam	Marsh Witch Visions	2016?
Going Back to California	Online release	2016
Marsh Witch Visions	Marsh Witch Visions	2017
No More Tears	Marsh Witch Visions	2017
Shirtless in Hamburg	Marsh Witch Visions	2017
Song for Black Sabbath's Second North American Tour	Unreleased	2014?

Covers

This series includes all released covers. John has covered many, many songs live; these are added to the songlist as I discover them. If you know of a live recording of a cover not listed there, please email me!

Song	Original artist or author	Rls.; year
Abide with Me	Henry Francis Lyte (hymn)	IRH; 1998
A Case of You	Joni Mitchell	Compilation; 1997
In Germany Before the War	Randy Newman	U; 2010
Brave	Chris Knox	Compilation; 2009
Daniel	Elton John	Compilation; 1992
Dirty Old Town	Ewan MacColl	DITS; 2002
Drug Life	East River Pipe	Compilation; 2009
Drug Life [Casio demo version]	East River Pipe	Unreleased; 2009
Eleven Bands	The Congress	T6:TH; 1992
FM	Steely Dan	S; 1995
Hellhound on My Trail	Robert Johnson	NFJ; 1996
I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry	Hank Williams	T6:TH; 1992
I Wonder Where Our Love Has Gone	Buddy Johnson	S; 1995
Keep It on Your Mind	Hank Williams	THC; 1992
Little Boxes	Malvina Reynolds	Compilation; 2012
Lonesome Surprise	Refrigerator	NBP; 1995
Memories	Leonard Cohen	MAW; 2002
Moon and Sand	Chet Baker	NFJ; 1996
Pet Politics	Silver Jews	Compilation; 2005
Plead Me to a Lesser Charge	GG Allin	Compilation; 2011
Power in a Union	Billy Bragg, Joe Hill	Online release; 2011
Rebel Girl	Bikini Kill	Unreleased; 1995?
Sail On	Commodores	TTH, BMF; 1993; 1999
Shot in the Dark	Ozzy Osbourne	Compilation; 2014
Tell Me on a Sunday	Andrew Lloyd Webber	HGS; 1993
The Sign	Ace of Base	SFPH, BMF; 1995, 1999
Sometimes I Still Feel the Bruise	Trembling Blue Stars	BS; 2006
Stars Fell on Alabama	Frank Perkins and Mitchell Parish	NBP; 1995
This Magic Moment	The Drifers	T6:TH; 1992
Tomorrow	Charles Strouse	TY Japanese extra; 2012
Who You Are	American Music Club	Online release; 2014
Wild World	The Birthday Party	Compilation; 2006
With Their Flesh, He'll Create	Gorguts	Online release; 2018
You're So Vain	Carly Simon	HAFG; 1995

Demos and alternate versions

Demos are preparatory versions of released songs; alternate takes are exactly what they sound like, differing from demos in not being rough cuts of more polished studio or boombox tracks. These are related to but distinct from the outtakes and extras listed below in that they are versions of released songs. In other words, every song in this series is a variation on some primary version of the song; outtakes and extras are not.

Many songs not considered to be demos (and thus not listed here) are in demo form, meaning that they are are informally recorded without a studio and may have been intended for a studio version they never achieved. However, as there is no actual studio release I consider these songs to be the main release and therefore not a demo in the sense meant here. Otherwise, half the catalog could be called a demo! At least one song has two demo versions released without a studio release; I consider the main release to be not a demo and the other to be an alternate demo.

Song	Released on	Orig. for; year
Age of Kings [demo]	All Survivors Pack	AED; 2011
Alibi [demo]	Seven for Australia	BS; 2006?
Alpha Double Negative: Going to Catalina [alternate version]	Nothing for Juice	SFP; 1992
The Autopsy Garland [demo]	All Survivors Pack	AED; 2011
Beautiful Gas Mask [demo]	All Survivors Pack	AED; 2011
Birth of Serpents [demo]	All Survivors Pack	AED; 2011
The Black Ice Cream Song [Yamaraja Racers cover]	Compilation	ZM; 2009
Chanson du Bon Chose [Yamaraja Racers cover]	Compilation	NBP; 2009
Collapsing Stars [demo]	Come, Come to the Sunset Tree	TST; 2005
Daniel 12:8 (first) [alternate demo]	Online release	TLOTWTC; 2009
Deuteronomy 2:10 [demo]	The Life of the World in Flux	TLOTWTC; 2009
Dilaudid [demo]	Come, Come to the Sunset Tree	TST; 2009
Dilaudid (Marrtronix version)	Dilaudid	TST; 2005
Dinu Lipatti's Bones [demo]	Come, Come to the Sunset Tree	TST; 2005
Emerging [demo]	Unknown 19	MCB; 2009?
Enoch 18:14 [demo]	The Life of the World in Flux	TLOTWTC; 2009
Estate Sale Sign [demo]	All Survivors Pack	AED; 2011
For Charles Bronson [demo]	All Survivors Pack	AED; 2011
Genesis 3:23 [demo]	The Life of the World in Flux	TLOTWTC; 2009
Going to Kansas [alternate version]	Nothing for Juice	THC; 1996
Hebrews 11:40 [demo]	The Life of the World in Flux	TLOTWTC; 2009
High Hawk Season [demo]	All Survivors Pack	AED; 2011
If You See Light [demo]	Seven for Australia	GL; 2006?
Isaiah 45:23 [demo]	The Life of the World in Flux	TLOTWTC; 2009
Jenny [alternate take]	All Hail West Texas reissue	AHWT; 2013
1 John 4:16 [demo]	The Life of the World in Flux	TLOTWTC; 2009
Lion's Teeth [demo]	Come, Come to the Sunset Tree	TST; 2005
Liza Forever Minnelli [demo]	All Survivors Pack	AED; 2011
Love Love Love [demo]	Come, Come to the Sunset Tree	TST; 2005
Matthew 25:21 [demo]	The Life of the World in Flux	TLOTWTC; 2009
Michael Myers Resplendent [demo]	Songs for Vamsidasa Babaji	HP; 2008?
Last Man on Earth [demo]	Songs for Vamsidasa Babaji	HP; 2008?
Never Quite Free [demo]	All Survivors Pack	AED; 2011
Night Light [demo]	Merge Records promo	TY; 2012
No Children [demo]	Online release	T; 2002
No, I Can't [alternate version]	Songs for Peter Hughes	TTH; 1993
Ox Baker Triumphant [demo]	Seven for Australia	BS; 2006?
Philippians 3:20 – 21 [demo]	The Life of the World in Flux	TLOTWTC; 2009
Proverbs 6:27 [demo]	The Life of the World in Flux	TLOTWTC; 2009
Psalms 40:2 [demo]	The Life of the World in Flux	TLOTWTC; 2009
Raid on Entebbe [live]	Compilation	J&F; 1997
Romans 10:9 [demo]	The Life of the World in Flux	TLOTWTC; 2009
Rotten Stinking Mouthpiece [demo]	All Survivors Pack	AED; 2011
Song for Dennis Brown [demo]	Come, Come to the Sunset Tree	TST; 2005
Sourdoire Valley Song [demo]	All Survivors Pack	AED; 2011
Steal Smoked Fish [alternate take]	Japanese extra	TY; 2012
Surrounded [demo]	Online release	MCB; 2009?
This Year [demo]	Come, Come to the Sunset Tree	TST; 2005
Toolshed [demo]	Songs for Vamsidasa Babaji	HP; 2008?
Up the Wolves [demo]	Come, Come to the Sunset Tree	TST; 2009
Wait for You [demo]	Seven for Australia	BS; 2006?
West Country Dream [live]	Compilation	FFG; 1999
You or Your Memory [demo]	Come, Come to the Sunset Tree	TST; 2009

Outtakes and extras

Outtakes are defined here as being songs originally intended for a release but then ultimately being distributed elsewhere, whether or not they found their way on to a formal release (thus, in my schema, you can have an unreleased outtake or a released outtake). Extras are songs not intended for the main release but which were released in association with the release (for example, on a foreign release, demo, or reissue).

Song	Released on	Orig. for; year
Abandoning My Father Talking Blues	Unreleased	TST; 2005?
Alpha Chum Gatherer	Unreleased	T; 2002?
Answering the Phone	All Hail West Texas reissue	AHWT; 2013
Attention All Pickpockets	Letter from Belgium	WSABH; 2004
Beat the Devil	Compilation	WSABH; 2004?
Blood Capsules	Blood Capsules b/w Dub Capsules	BTC; 2015
Bride	Online releases	TLOTWTC; 2009
Brisbane Hotel Sutra	Australian extra	AED; 2011
Butter Teeth	Palmcorder Yajna	WSABH; 2004
Catherine Antrim's Kid	All Survivors Pack	AED; 2011
Collapsing Stars	Dilaudid	TST; 2005
Cut Off Their Thumbs #1	Hospicio de Huerfanos	BRV1.2; 2003?
Daniel 12:8 (third)	The Life of the World in Flux	TLOTWTC; 2009
The Day the Aliens Came	Come, Come to the Sunset Tree	TST; 2005
Deserters	Hospicio de Huerfanos	WSABH; 2004
Design Your Own Container Garden	See America Right	T; 2002
Dub Capsules	Blood Capsules b/w Dub Capsules	BTC; 2015
Duke Ellington	Protein Source of the Future... NOW!	S; 1995
Elsa from Rialto	Compilation	Go; 2017
Enoch 18:14	iTunes extra	TLOTWTC; 2009
Ethiopians	Unreleased	T; 2002?
Etiquette Song	Unreleased	NFJ; 1996?
Flower Song	Unreleased	NFJ; 1996?
Going Invisible	Seven for Australia	GL; 2006
Going to Buffalo	Unreleased	NFJ; 1996?
Going to Detroit (edit)	Unreleased	NFJ, MAW; 1996?
Hardpan Song	All Hail West Texas reissue	AHWT; 2013
High Doses #2	Come, Come to the Sunset Tree	TST; 2005
[Horse and Master]	Unreleased	S; 1995?
I Meant Every Word I Said in New Delhi	Unreleased	NFJ; 1996?
[I Might Compare]	Unreleased	S; 1995?
Indonesia	All Hail West Texas reissue	AHWT; 2013
In the Shadow of the Western Hills	Steal Smoked Fish b/w In the Shadow of the Western Hills	TY; 2012
I've Got the Sex	Unreleased	S; 1995?
Keeping House	Japanese extra	GL; 2006
Last Man on Earth	Amazon extra	HP; 2008
[Let Me Go]	Unreleased	S; 1995?
Matthew 11:14 – 19	The Life of the World in Flux	TLOTWTC; 2009
Midland	All Hail West Texas reissue	AHWT; 2013
Naming Day	Japanese extra	GL; 2006
New Chevrolet in Flames	See America Right	T; 2002
New World Emerging Blues	Seven for Australia	WSABH; 2004?
Nova Scotia	Letter from Belgium	WSABH; 2004
[One Frozen River Stuck in Time]	Unreleased	S; 1995?
Poltergeist	Unreleased	DITS; 1998?
Prominent Metaphysicians of South Pomona	Unreleased	WSABH; 2004?
Proverbs 6:27	Amazon extra	TLOTWTC; 2009
Pure Crystal	Unreleased	NFJ; 1996?
Radical Evil Song	Unreleased	NFJ; 1996?
Rotten Stinking Mouthpiece	Unreleased	AED; 2011
[Shield My Eyes Against the Glare]	Unreleased	S; 1995?
Shower	Unreleased	TCG; 1997?
[Slip Away from Me]	Unreleased	S; 1995?
Snakeheads	Palmcorder Yajna	WSABH; 2004
Something Blue	Unreleased	NFJ; 1996?
Song for God	Unreleased	AHWT; 2001?
Song for My Stepfather	Unreleased	TST; 2004?
Steal Smoked Fish	Steal Smoked Fish b/w In the Shadow of the Western Hills	TY; 2012
Tape Travel Is Lonely	All Hail West Texas reissue	AHWT; 2013
They Are Stone Swallowers	Japanese extra	GL; 2006
Tomorrow	Japanese extra	TY; 2012
Toolshed	iTunes extra	HP; 2008
Used to Haunt	Japanese extra	AED; 2011
Waco	All Hail West Texas reissue	AHWT; 2013
Warm Lonely Planet	Unreleased	AHWT; 2001?
We Shall All Be Healed	Unreleased	WSABH; 2004?
You & Me & a High Balcony	Online release	WSABH; 2004?

Table of abbreviations

Not all abbreviations listed below have been used on this page. The table is complete so that it may also serve as an alphabetical list of releases.

The Mountain Goats	Abbreviation
All Eternals Deck	AED
All Hail West Texas	AHWT
All Hail West Texas reissue	AHWTR
All Survivors Pack	ASP
Babylon Springs	BS
Beat the Champ	BTC
Beautiful Rat Sunset	BRS
Bedside Recordings Vol. 1.2	BRV1.2
Bitter Melon Farm	BMF
Black Pear Tree	BP
Blood Capsules b/w Dub Capsules	BC/DC
Chile de Árbol	CDA
Come, Come to the Sunset Tree	CCST
The Coroner's Gambit	TCG
Devil in the Shortwave	DITS
Dilaudid	D
Full Force Galesburg	FFG
Get Lonely	GL
Ghana	G
Hail and Farewell, Gothenburg	HAFG
Heretic Pride	HP
Hospicio de Huerfanos	HDH
Hot Garden Stomp	HGS
The Hound Chronicles	THC
Isopanisad Radio Hour	IRH
Jam Eater Blues	JEB
Jack & Faye	J&F
Letter from Belgium	LFB
The Life of the World in Flux	TLOTWIF
The Life of the World to Come	TLOTWTC
Moon Colony Bloodbath	MCB
New Asian Cinema	NAC
Nine Black Poppies	NBP
Nothing for Juice	NFJ
On Juhu Beach	OJB
Orange Raja, Blood Royal	ORBR
Palmcorder Yajna	PY
Philyra	P
Protein Source of the Future... NOW!	PSFN
Satanic Messiah	SM
See America Right	SAR
Seven for Australia	7FA
Songs About Fire	SAF
Songs for Peter Hughes	SFPH
Songs for Petronius	SFP
Steal Smoked Fish b/w In the Shadow of the Western Hills	SSF/ISWH
The Sunset Tree	TST
Sweden	S
Taboo VI: The Homecoming	T6:TH
Taking the Dative	TTD
Tallahassee	T
Three for Mike G	3FMG
Transcendental Youth	TY
Transmissions to Horace	TTH
Tropical Depression	TD
We Shall All Be Healed	WSABH
Why You All So Thief?	WYAST
Yam, the King of Crops	YKC
Zopilote Machine	ZM
other collaboration	Collaboration
other compilation	Compilation
other online release	Online release
unreleased: # – F	Unreleased, # – F
unreleased: G – L	Unreleased, G – L
unreleased: M – R	Unreleased, M – R
unreleased: S – Z	Unreleased, S – Z
The Extra Glenns / Extra Lens	Abbreviation
Infidelity + 2	I+2
Martial Arts Weekend	MAW
Undercard	U
other compilation	tEG/L compilation

Footnotes