Alphabetizing

Alphabetizing
Album	Chile de Árbol
Released	1993
Artist	the Mountain Goats
Length	2:01
Previous Track	"Fresh Berries for You"

Alphabetizing is the fifth song on the single Chile de Árbol. It was re-released on the compilation Protein Source of the Future...Now!.

Lyrics

The summer crawled by indetectably
And then I saw you looking down to me
And your earrings sparkled in the noonday sun
And though it's very true that I love everyone
With every ounce of energy left in me
I love you especially because

I saw you, coming through
The screen door on the second floor
Up on the balcony

It was hard to even see you at all
Because the air was thick with alcohol
So I kept on rubbing my eyes
For all the good it did me
For all the measurable good it did me
Let the years come and take away my memory
I will not forget the shock that ran through me when

I saw you, coming through
The screen door on the second floor
Up on the balcony

Comments by John Darnielle About this Song

• "I ripped off the chord progression for that from something that was on 'The Electric Company' when I was a kid." -- 2004-02-11 - Dennis Kucinich Headquarters - San Francisco, CA
• "I will defend this song, from the earlier ones. I think it's all right." -- 2006-12-02 - Pitzer College - Claremont, CA

Live Shows this Song Was Played at

• 1997-06-26 - The Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL
• 2000-10-15 - Go! Rehearsal Studios, Room 4 - Carrboro, NC
• 2004-02-11 - Dennis Kucinich Headquarters - San Francisco, CA
• 2006-12-02 - Pitzer College - Claremont, CA
• 2009-02-25 - Swedish American Hall - San Francisco, CA
• 2009-09-18 - Ithaca College - Ithaca, NY
• 2009-12-02 - Bell House - Brooklyn, NY
• 2010-04-13 - Manning Bar - Sydney, Australia
• 2012-06-30 - McCabe's Guitar Shop - Santa Monica, CA
• 2012-09-07 - Hopscotch Festival - Fletcher Opera Theater - Raleigh, NC
• 2014-04-19 - Old Town School of Folk Music - Chicago, IL
• 2016-09-22 - Buskirk-Chumley Theatre - Bloomington, IN
• 2019-05-10 - Cannery Ballroom - Nashville, TN
• 2019-11-09 - Slaktkyrkan - Stockholm, Sweden
• 2021-08-07 - Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, GA
• 2021-10-19 - The Fillmore Philadelphia - Philadelphia, PA
• 2022-12-05 - Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, OR
• 2023-02-16 - Water Street Music Hall - Rochester, NY
• 2024-02-29 - Teragram Ballroom - Los Angeles, CA

Videos of this Song

• 2004-02-11 - Dennis Kucinich Headquarters - San Francisco, CA
• 2006-12-02 - Pitzer College - Claremont, CA
• 2009-02-25 - Swedish American Hall - San Francisco, CA
• 2009-12-02 - Bell House - Brooklyn, NY
• 2014-04-19 - Old Town School of Folk Music - Chicago, IL

Chile de Árbol
Side One: "Night of the Mules" • "Going to Malibu" • "Billy the Kid's Dream of the Magic Shoes" Side Two: "Fresh Berries for You" • "Alphabetizing"