Going to Cleveland

Going to Cleveland
Album	Transmissions to Horace
Released	1993
Artist	the Mountain Goats
Length	3:07
Next Track	"Early Spring"

Going to Cleveland is the first song on the tape Transmissions to Horace. It was re-released on the compilation Bitter Melon Farm.

Lyrics

We both know you're leaving
You just don't want to say it yet
'Cause you don't want to hurt my feelings
So you gnaw your little holes in the net

And you torture me with those big eyes
And you punish me with pity
But I'm going to Cleveland

You say you wanted to strike first
Because one of us was leaving
That's what you say
But I've always been real fond of you
So I never would've treated you this way

And you torture me with those big eyes
And you punish me with pity
But I'm going to Cleveland

I hear the Cuyahoga calling, now I know
What I was born for
And you say "Hey John, where are you going?"
But that's not my name anymore

And you torture me with those big eyes
And you punish me with pity
But I'm going to Cleveland

Comments by John Darnielle About this Song

• "I called myself John in 'Going to Cleveland' specifically to get a rise out of local audiences. I thought, 'Well, everybody will jump when I say that,' and it worked." -- Salon.com interview

Live Shows this Song Was Played at

• 1992-12-27 - Xmasfest - Munchie's - Pomona, CA
• 1994-08-23 - Baystate - Northampton, MA
• 1998-04-04 - Duke Coffeehouse - Durham, NC
• 2004-03-27 - VPRO Session - Amsterdam, Netherlands
• 2004-03-31 - ICA - London, England
• 2004-05-26 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA
• 2005-03-23 - Emo's - Austin, TX
• 2005-05-07 - Northsix - Brooklyn, NY
• 2005-10-13 - Open End Gallery - Chicago, IL
• 2005-10-14 - The Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL
• 2006-09-19 - Lee's Palace - Toronto, Ontario
• 2008-06-06 - Natural History Museum - Los Angeles, CA
• 2011-06-24 - Soho Restaurant and Music Club - Santa Barbara, CA
• 2014-06-14 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA
• 2020-02-20 - Swedish American Hall - San Francisco, CA