Orange Ball of Hate

Orange Ball of Hate
Album	Zopilote Machine
Released	1994
Artist	the Mountain Goats
Length	2:09
Previous Track	"Orange Ball of Love"
Next Track	"Bad Priestess"

Orange Ball of Hate is the 10th song on the album Zopilote Machine.

Lyrics

When I hear the screeching weather vane
In the wild wind and the pissing rain
I know that one of us, I'm not saying who,
Has got rocks in her head
The rain comes through the open window
But you don't think so
I sure do love you
I sure do love you

When I notice that the radio is broken
I see you standing there in the doorway soaking
The water drizzles off of you down to the floor
And I say that I don't want to live in New England anymore
Some flower petals stick to your skin
I grab hold of your hip, and I pull you in

When the building establishes control
When the thunder from the north begins to roll down our way
I know I’ve been right all along
And you start singing that stupid children's song
You think I don't know it
But I just don't feel like singing it
Sure do love you
I sure do love you

Comments by John Darnielle About this Song

• "This is a song - takes place in California - it was on the first CD - it's about that moment in which you know it's not going to get any better, but you want to prove to somebody exactly how strong you are." -- 1998-02-06 - Cow Haus - Tallahassee, FL
• "I strive for gender neutrality in that series so barring the songs where there’s a specific indicator (“one of us/I’m not saying who/has got rocks in her head” is the obvious standout here) most of those songs could be sung by either party. " -- William Caxton Fan Club, on gender neutral language in the Alpha Couple series (confirming Orange Ball of Hate is an Alpha Couple Song).

Live Shows this Song Was Played at

• 1996-02-25 - Tower Musikclub - Bremen, Germany
• 1996-08-30 - Knitting Factory - New York, NY
• 1996-09-02 - Tokyo Rose - Charlottesville, VA
• 1996-09-11 - Argo - Denton, TX
• 1997-02-XX - Bob's Underground - Grinnell, IA
• 1997-06-16 - Club Laga - Pittsburgh, PA
• 1997-06-17 - Brownie's - New York City, NY
• 1997-06-22 - Cat's Cradle - Carrboro, NC
• 1997-06-26 - The Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL
• 1997-07-16 - Capitol Theater - Olympia, WA
• 1997-12-06 - The Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL
• 1998-02-06 - Cow Haus - Tallahassee, FL
• 1998-04-12 - Brownie's - New York City, NY
• 1998-05-15 - The Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL
• 1999-01-23 - High Hat Blues Club - Athens, GA
• 1999-01-24 - Echo Lounge - Atlanta, GA
• 1999-01-27 - Cat's Cradle - Carrboro, NC
• 1999-07-23 - CBGB - New York City, NY
• 2000-09-17 - The Make-Out Room - San Francisco, CA
• 2001-04-21 - The Olde Club - Swarthmore, PA
• 2004-02-01 - WXDU Session - Durham, NC
• 2004-02-20 - Vinyl Fever - Tallahassee, FL
• 2007-11-02 - Gardner Lounge - Grinnell, IA
• 2007-11-03 - The Slowdown - Omaha, NE
• 2007-11-10 - Biliken Club - St. Louis University - St. Louis, MO
• 2007-11-11 - Randy Bacon Studio & Gallery - Springfield, MO
• 2007-11-13 - Madhatter - Covington, KY
• 2007-11-29 - NYU Kimmel Center - New York, NY
• 2008-06-06 - Natural History Museum - Los Angeles, CA
• 2009-06-14 - Zoop II - Farm Sanctuary - Watkins Glen, NY
• 2009-11-07 - Cedar Cultural Centre - Minneapolis, MN
• 2011-03-25 - 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C.
• 2011-05-25 - Koko - London, England
• 2011-05-28 - Brudenell Social Club - Leeds, England
• 2011-12-06 - Second City - Chicago, IL
• 2015-11-05 - Big Arts Schein Performance Hall - Sanibel Island Writer's Conference - Sanibel, FL
• 2018-09-01 - The Orpheum - Tampa, FL
• 2019-07-17 - Ottobar - Baltimore, MD

Videos of this Song

• 1999-01-23 - High Hat Blues Club - Athens, GA
• 2007-11-13 - Madhatter - Covington, KY
• 2018-09-01 - The Orpheum - Tampa, FL
• 2019-07-17 - Ottobar - Baltimore, MD