Ontario

Ontario
Album	Full Force Galesburg
Released	1997
Artist	the Mountain Goats
Length	2:30
Previous Track	"Chinese House Flowers"
Next Track	"Down Here"

Ontario is the sixth song on the album Full Force Galesburg.

Lyrics

I know what my weaknesses are
Probably better than you do
Revolutionary Chinese propaganda
The color of blue
I thought I knew what my weaknesses were anyway
Then the orange tree blossomed last Saturday
There was nothing in it but pain for me

I know what can hurt me real bad
And what can't hurt me anymore
I know how to rise up with the sun
And I am learning what sleep's good for
I thought I'd figured out the world and its circular way
And then I saw the sun fall down out of the sky the other day
There was nothing in it but pain for me

Squirrels climbing trees in bloom
Soft yellow light spilling into the room
My favorite records
My favorite books
The people I love
The people I almost love
Light beckoning, wind whistling
Hey hey
Hey hey
Day breaking, river rolling
Hey hey 
La la la la

Comments by John Darnielle About this Song

• "It's called 'Ontario', but it doesn't refer to the Canadian province. It refers to a town about 15, now 7, miles from where I grew up." -- 1996-11-22 - Slattery's - Dublin, Ireland
• "This is one of the songs that makes people think I’m morose and spend all my time indoors." -- 1997-07-16 - Capitol Theater - Olympia, WA

Live Shows this Song Was Played at

• 1996-08-30 - Knitting Factory - New York, NY
• 1996-11-22 - Slattery's - Dublin, Ireland
• 1997-06-21 - Tokyo Rose - Charlottesville, VA
• 1997-07-16 - Capitol Theater - Olympia, WA
• 1998-02-07 - Vinyl Fever - Tallahassee, FL
• 1998-05-15 - The Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL
• 1999-12-02 - Columbus, OH
• 2002-03-07 - Independent Media Center - Urbana, IL
• 2002-10-23 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA
• 2003-04-06 - Go! Rehearsal Studios, Room 4 - Carrboro, NC
• 2003-04-08 - Beta Bar - Tallahassee, FL
• 2009-03-27 - The Society for Ethical Culture - New York, NY
• 2009-03-29 - Kenyon College - Gambier, OH
• 2011-03-28 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY
• 2011-03-30 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY
• 2011-05-30 - The Cluny - Newcastle, England
• 2012-09-11 - WFUV Session - New York, NY
• 2014-05-02 - Kresge Recital Hall - Knox College - Galesburg, IL
• 2017-10-13 - De Helling - Utrecht, The Netherlands
• 2021-09-16 - Kessler Theater - Dallas, TX
• 2023-12-08 - Homer Center for the Arts - Homer, NY

Videos of this Song

• 2014-05-02 - Kresge Recital Hall - Knox College - Galesburg, IL