Alpha Sun Hat

Alpha Sun Hat
Album	Zopilote Machine
Released	1994
Artist	the Mountain Goats
Length	1:24
Previous Track	"Azo Tle Nelli in Tlalticpac?"
Next Track	"The Black Ice Cream Song"

Alpha Sun Hat is the third song on the album Zopilote Machine.

Lyrics

You say again that nothing's wrong
I'd really like to play along
Your ruby red mouth is full and moist
I'd like to give in to your oboe reed voice
But as sure as those are buzzards in the guava tree
You're looking real funny at me

1 2 3 4,
That's not music you hear, that's the devil
That's not the sun up in the sky, it's a human heart
If you're planning your escape, you know I'm all for you
As I watch the sun come up again over Tallahassee, Florida

Comments by John Darnielle About this Song

• "This used to be my favorite song to play. It's one of those songs about this couple that I dreamt of that, that was divorcing. Always they'd be divorcing. If you go over to their house, they were open about it, in my mind, you'd go and say, 'hey, you guys, what's up with you?' 'Ah, you know, I'm-a divorce his ass, fuck this guy,' and then he'd be like, watching TV, and go, 'She says that all the time and she's not going anywhere, she knows where the booze is at,' and then you say, 'Wow, what time is it getting to be? I suppose I'll be on my way. It was --' and you lie... 'It was good to see you both, I miss you, so come on down some, sometime,' and meanwhile, when you leave, you pray to the God in whom you don't believe that they will never, ever drop by your house, because they'll fuck that shit right up. I have an affection for this couple. I wish they would get the divorce that they need, but it never seems to happen for them. I'm in control of the situation, so there must be something wrong with me, that I won't give them what they want." -- 2006-12-02 - Pitzer College - Claremont, CA

Things Referenced in this Song

• "That's not the sun up in the sky, that's a human heart" refers to the Aztec belief that the sun is a humans heart (or alternately, hearts are suns)

Live Shows this Song Was Played at

• 1994-xx-xx - Stache's - Columbus, OH
• 1994-08-18 - Under ACME - New York, NY
• 1997-03-01 - Replay Lounge - Lawrence, KS
• 1998-02-06 - Cow Haus - Tallahassee, FL
• 2005-03-04 - Gate City Noise - Greensboro, NC
• 2006-12-02 - Pitzer College - Claremont, CA
• 2009-03-24 - Pearl Street - Northampton, MA
• 2012-01-23 - Club Downunder - Tallahassee, FL
• 2018-05-28 - Old Town School of Folk Music - Chicago, IL
• 2022-07-09 - Music Farm - Charleston, SC
• 2023-02-10 - The Birchmere - Alexandria, VA

Videos of this Song

• 2012-01-23 - Club Downunder - Tallahassee, FL