Against Pollution

Against Pollution
Album	We Shall All Be Healed
Released	2004
Artist	the Mountain Goats
Length	3:43
Previous track	"Cotton"
Next Track	"Pigs That Ran Straightaway into the Water, Triumph Of"

Against Pollution is the 12th song on the album We Shall All Be Healed. It also appears as the 10th song on the 2021 live album The Jordan Lake Sessions: Volumes 3 and 4.

Lyrics

When I worked down at the liquor store
Guy with a shotgun came raging through the place
Muscled his way behind the counter
I shot him in the face

This morning I went down to the Catholic church
'Cause something just came over me
Forty-five minutes in the pews
Praying the rosary 
When the last days come
We shall see visions
More vivid than sunsets
Brighter than stars
We will recognize each other
And see ourselves for the first time
The way we really are

Decorative grating on my window
Gets a little rustier every year
I don't know how the metal gets rusty
When it never rains here 

A year or so ago I worked at a liquor store
And a guy came in
Tried to kill me, so I shot him in the face
I would do it again
I would do it again
When the last days come
We shall see visions
More vivid than sunsets
Brighter than stars
We will recognize each other
And see ourselves for the first time
The way, the way we really are

Comments by John Darnielle About this Song

• "This also is a love song in its own way." -- 2005-10-29 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY

Live Shows this Song Was Played at

• 2005-05-03 - The Black Cat - Washington, D.C.
• 2005-10-14 - The Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL
• 2005-10-15 - Kraftbrau Brewery - Kalamazoo, MI
• 2005-10-17 - Lee's Palace - Toronto, Ontario
• 2005-10-18 - The Buffalo Icon - Buffalo, NY
• 2005-10-20 - Uptown Theatre - Washington, PA
• 2005-10-23 - Lunt Hall Basement Haverford College - Haverford, PA
• 2005-10-27 - Remis Auditorium - Museum of Fine Arts - Boston, MA
• 2005-10-28 - Fuel Rocket Club - Dartmouth College - Hanover, NH
• 2005-10-29 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY
• 2005-10-31 - Knitting Factory - New York, NY
• 2006-08-10 - 40 Watt Club - Athens, GA
• 2009-11-05 - The Metro - Chicago, IL
• 2009-11-07 - Cedar Cultural Centre - Minneapolis, MN
• 2009-11-10 - The Showbox - Seattle, WA
• 2009-11-11 - Wonder Ballroom - Portland, OR
• 2009-11-14 - The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA
• 2009-11-18 - Antones - Austin, TX
• 2009-11-19 - Granada Theater - Dallas, TX
• 2009-12-01 - Webster Hall - New York, NY
• 2009-12-02 - Bell House - Brooklyn, NY
• 2010-05-16 - BreastFest - American Theater Company - Chicago, IL
• 2015-05-31 - Amoeba Records - San Francisco, CA
• 2017-06-01 - The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA
• 2017-11-06 - 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C.
• 2017-11-07 - 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C.
• 2017-11-08 - Calvin Theatre - Northampton, MA
• 2017-11-10 - White Eagle Hall - Jersey City, NJ
• 2017-11-11 - Union Transfer - Philadelphia, PA
• 2017-11-12 - Brooklyn Steel - Brooklyn, NY
• 2017-11-13 - House of Blues - Boston, MA
• 2017-11-15 - Newport Music Hall - Columbus, OH
• 2021-04-18 - The Jordan Lake Sessions - Pittsboro, NC
• 2021-08-08 - Saturn - Birmingham, AL
• 2021-08-12 - White Oak Music Hall - Houston, TX
• 2021-08-16 - Meow Wolf - Santa Fe, NM
• 2021-08-19 - Gothic Theatre - Englewood, CO
• 2021-08-23 - Pabst Theater - Milwaukee, WI
• 2021-08-26 - Royal Oak Music Theatre - Royal Oak, MI
• 2021-08-27 - The Athenaeum Theatre - Columbus, OH
• 2021-09-08 - City Winery - New York, NY
• 2021-09-09 - City Winery - New York, NY
• 2021-09-16 - Kessler Theater - Dallas, TX
• 2022-12-06 - Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, OR
• 2024-07-29 - District Music Hall - Norwalk, CT
• 2024-07-31 - The Rooftop at Pier 17 - New York, NY
• 2024-08-01 - Citizens House of Blues - Boston, MA
• 2024-08-02 - Phantom Power - Millersville, PA
• 2024-08-03 - Union Transfer - Philadelphia, PA

Videos of this Song

• 2005-10-31 - Knitting Factory - New York, NY