Narakaloka

Narakaloka
Album	New Asian Cinema
Released	1998
Artist	the Mountain Goats
Length	2:18
Previous Track	"Korean Bird Paintings"
Next Track	"Golden Jackal Song"

Narakaloka is the third song on the EP New Asian Cinema.

Lyrics

The cabbages that I will grow
One by one and row on row
Will fatten in the spring sun
And breathe in the evening air

And you will hear them breathing
If you walk by at night
You may not hear them after all
But that's all right

I've set the table for two
I've cleaned the windows for you
I've got cinnamon from Jakarta
For making French toast
The doctor says that I've got 
Thirty days left at most

The cabbages that I will grow
The love songs on the radio
Will deepen in the springtime
They'll be brighter than the stars 

Comments by John Darnielle About this Song

• "According to Sukadeva Gosvami there are 28 different hells, each one worse than the one before. At the very bottom of these, is the hell reserved for those who, having a little food, neglect to share it with a guest and instead eat it for themselves. This place is called Narakaloka, and in it is a lake some 800,000 miles wide filled with worms feeding on one another. And your destiny — there are as many worms in the lake as there are miles across it — and your destiny is to eat and be eaten until all the worms have had their way with you." -- 1997-12-06 - The Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL

Live Shows this Song Was Played at

• 1997-12-06 - The Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL
• 1999-01-24 - Echo Lounge - Atlanta, GA
• 1999-01-27 - Cat's Cradle - Carrboro, NC
• 1999-01-29 - Mercury Paw - Louisville, KY
• 1999-01-30 - CD Exchange - Bloomington, IN
• 2004-08-20 - Durham Music Festival - Durham Armory - Durham, NC
• 2008-10-14 - Pabst Theater - Milwaukee, WI
• 2011-02-15 - University of Washington - Meany Hall - Seattle, WA
• 2011-04-07 - Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, GA
• 2013-06-17 - Lincoln Hall - Chicago, IL
• 2019-04-26 - 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C.
• 2019-05-03 - L'Astral - Montreal, QC
• 2019-09-28 - City Winery - Philadelphia, PA
• 2020-02-22 - Swedish American Hall - San Francisco, CA
• 2021-09-09 - City Winery - New York, NY
• 2021-09-19 - George's Majestic Lounge - Fayetteville, AR
• 2023-02-12 - Skully's - Columbus, OH
• 2023-04-14 - Badger State - Green Bay, WI
• 2023-11-25 - The Rialto Theatre - Raleigh, NC
• 2023-12-07 - Town Ballroom - Buffalo, NY

Videos of this Song

• 1999-01-30 - CD Exchange - Bloomington, IN
• 2011-04-07 - Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, GA
• 2019-04-26 - 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C.