Cobscook Bay

Cobscook Bay
Album	Isopanisad Radio Hour
Released	2000
Artist	the Mountain Goats
Length	2:46
Previous Track	"Born Ready"
Next Track	"Dutch Orchestra Blues"

Cobscook Bay is the third song on the EP Isopanisad Radio Hour.

Lyrics

We're alone most of the time these days
Jill used to come by but she went away
And Gail used to come around and trash the joint
But she moved off to Dana Point
And you went along just for the ride
And you both committed suicide
And day is breaking over Cobscook Bay
And I've never seen anything like it in my life

Cow gave birth and her calves are snow white
They huddle up close together at night
And the mamma cow leans down and cleans her young
Licking their faces with her tongue
And unmarked airplanes buzz the air
And you're falling off that cliff somewhere in California
Which I've never seen
I put the pieces all together, but I don't know what they mean
And day is breaking over Cobscook Bay
And I've never seen anything like it in my life

Comments by John Darnielle About this Song

• "This song is not unique, but is, is, uh, one of a group of songs where I, look at it and have no idea what I was talking about. Where that story came from, what it was driving at, who these people are, and why they had to die." -- 2007-06-17 - Zoop - Farm Sanctuary - Watkins Glen, NY
• In a 2011 AMA on Reddit, John Darnielle explained that the title of the song came "From a book of maps my then-girlfriend, now my wife, gave me for our first Christmas together."

Things Referenced in this Song

• Dana Point is a coastal city in Orange County, California.
• Cobscook Bay is a large bay in eastern Maine.

Live Shows this Song Was Played at

• 2007-06-17 - Zoop - Farm Sanctuary - Watkins Glen, NY
• 2007-09-25 - Lee's Palace - Toronto, Ontario
• 2007-09-27 - Rex Theatre - Pittsburgh, PA
• 2007-09-30 - Middle East Downstairs - Cambridge, MA
• 2007-10-01 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY
• 2007-10-02 - Studio B - Brooklyn, NY
• 2007-12-08 - Union Chapel - London, England
• 2009-02-25 - Swedish American Hall - San Francisco, CA
• 2009-03-18 - The Grey Eagle - Asheville, NC
• 2009-03-19 - Duke Coffeehouse - Durham, NC
• 2009-03-20 - Attucks Theatre - Norfolk, VA
• 2009-03-21 - Sixth & I Historic Synagogue - Washington, D.C.
• 2009-03-24 - Pearl Street - Northampton, MA
• 2009-03-25 - Somerville Theater - Somerville, MA
• 2009-03-26 - Donovan's Pub at Colgate University - Hamilton, NY
• 2009-03-27 - The Society for Ethical Culture - New York, NY
• 2009-03-29 - Kenyon College - Gambier, OH
• 2009-03-30 - Oberlin College - Oberlin, OH
• 2009-04-01 - Portage Theater - Chicago, IL
• 2009-04-02 - Courtyard Café at University of Illinois - Champaign, IL
• 2009-04-03 - Mission Creek Music Festival - The Mill - Iowa City, IA
• 2009-04-04 - Earlham College - Richmond, IN
• 2009-04-06 - Buskirk-Chumley Theater - Bloomington, IN
• 2009-10-10 - Queen Elizabeth Hall - London, England
• 2009-11-04 - Ladies Literary Club - Calvin College - Grand Rapids, MI
• 2009-11-05 - The Metro - Chicago, IL
• 2009-11-07 - Cedar Cultural Centre - Minneapolis, MN
• 2009-11-15 - Henry Fonda Theater - Los Angeles, CA
• 2009-11-27 - 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C.
• 2010-09-09 - Koko - London, England
• 2011-02-15 - University of Washington - Meany Hall - Seattle, WA
• 2013-06-03 - 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C.
• 2013-06-04 - Strand-Capitol Performing Arts - York, PA
• 2013-06-05 - Maxwell's - Hoboken, NJ
• 2013-06-07 - Center Church on the Green - New Haven, CT
• 2013-06-11 - Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead - Munhall, PA
• 2013-06-14 - Taft Ballroom - Cincinnati, OH
• 2013-06-15 - Buskirk-Chumley Theater - Bloomington, IN
• 2013-06-16 - Space - Evanston, IL
• 2013-06-22 - The Bottletree - Birmingham, AL
• 2013-06-26 - The Charleston Pourhouse - Charleston, SC
• 2013-06-28 - The Soapbox - Wilmington, NC
• 2013-10-09 - Royal Northern College of Music - Manchester, England
• 2013-10-10 - Arches - Glasgow, Scotland
• 2013-10-14 - Luxor - Cologne, Germany
• 2013-10-16 - La Gaite Lyrique - Paris, France
• 2013-10-18 - Teatre Conde Duque - Madrid, Spain
• 2015-09-08 - Off Broadway - St. Louis, MO
• 2016-04-19 - City Winery - New York, NY
• 2016-12-16 - House Show for Scott - Cherry Hill, NJ
• 2020-02-22 - Swedish American Hall - San Francisco, CA
• 2021-08-24 - Space - Evanston, IL
• 2021-09-07 - City Winery - New York, NY
• 2021-10-18 - The Fillmore Silver Spring - Silver Spring, MD
• 2022-05-10 - Aladdin Theater - Portland, OR
• 2022-08-29 - Anchor Rock Club - Atlantic City, NJ
• 2023-11-24 - The Rialto Theatre - Raleigh, NC

Videos of this Song

• 2007-10-02 - Studio B - Brooklyn, NY
• 2009-02-25 - Swedish American Hall - San Francisco, CA
• 2009-03-30 - Oberlin College - Oberlin, OH
• 2009-11-15 - Henry Fonda Theater - Los Angeles, CA
• 2016-04-19 - City Winery - New York, NY
• 2021-08-24 - Space - Evanston, IL