Possum By Night

Possum By Night
Album	In League With Dragons
Released	April 26, 2019
Length	2:59
Previous Track	"Clemency for the Wizard King"
Next Track	"In League with Dragons"

Possum By Night is the fifth song on the album In League with Dragons.

Lyrics

When the house lights all go dark
Shuffle on down to the park
Spent stars in the winter sky
Days of refuge in short supply

All you parasites climb aboard
All you vagabonds praise the Lord

When the compost pile grows high
Climb to the top if I try
Long haul truckers still wide awake
Guard their pathways for Jesus' sake

All you garbage trucks to the curb
True sons of the living word

Try not to get stuck in the intake vent
Grow fat, and grow old, and go blind, and be content

All your pack dogs have your say
Let me just find my own way
Moon in the trees my guide
Walk with my jaw hinged wide

Once more unto the breach
Safe in the spots that the light can't reach

Comments by John Darnielle About this Song

• "I was extraordinarily gratified to find people excited about this ballad I wrote about a possum. Which was originally called 'Cult of the Cornered Possum', because it's a good title, but there is no cult, it's just a possum. At night. This is called 'Possum by Night'." -- 2019-04-26 - 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C.
• "This is a song about a friend of mine who comes to release you of the burden of being bit by a tick. The noble possum." -- 2019-09-10 - Aladdin Theater - Portland, OR
• "This is a song about our noble friend who sometimes rummages through the garbage." -- 2019-11-15 - O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire - London, England

Things Referenced in this Song

• The line "once more unto the breach" is the initial line of a speech given by King Henry in Shakespeare's "Henry V."

Live Shows this Song Was Played at

• 2019-04-26 - 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C.
• 2019-04-28 - Wilbur Theatre - Boston, MA
• 2019-04-30 - Brooklyn Steel - Brooklyn, NY
• 2019-05-01 - White Eagle Hall - Jersey City, NJ
• 2019-05-05 - Phoenix - Toronto, ON
• 2019-05-07 - Mr. Smalls - Millvale, PA
• 2019-05-08 - Mr. Smalls - Millvale, PA
• 2019-05-09 - Woodward Theater - Cincinnati, OH
• 2019-05-10 - Cannery Ballroom - Nashville, TN
• 2019-05-13 - Buskirk-Chumley Theater - Bloomington, IN
• 2019-05-14 - Majestic Theatre - Madison, WI
• 2019-05-15 - Thalia Hall - Chicago, IL
• 2019-05-16 - Sound Opinions - Thalia Hall - Chicago, IL
• 2019-05-17 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
• 2019-07-18 - Ottobar - Baltimore, MD
• 2019-07-19 - Union Transfer - Philadelphia, PA
• 2019-07-20 - Union Transfer - Philadelphia, PA
• 2019-07-24 - Merge 30 - Carolina Theatre - Durham, NC
• 2019-08-09 - College Street Music Hall - New Haven, CT
• 2019-08-10 - SummerStage - New York, NY
• 2019-08-16 - Music in the Mill - Hickory, NC
• 2019-08-29 - Pink Garter Theatre - Jackson, WY
• 2019-08-30 - The Pub Station - Billings, MT
• 2019-08-31 - Top Hat Lounge - Missoula, MT
• 2019-09-01 - Bing Crosby Theater - Spokane, WA
• 2019-09-04 - The Showbox - Seattle, WA
• 2019-09-06 - Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, BC
• 2019-09-07 - McDonald Theatre - Eugene, OR
• 2019-09-09 - Crystal Ballroom - Portland, OR
• 2019-09-10 - Aladdin Theater - Portland, OR
• 2019-09-12 - The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA
• 2019-09-14 - Belasco Theater - Los Angeles, CA
• 2019-09-16 - House of Blues - Anaheim, CA
• 2019-11-10 - Rockefeller - Oslo, Norway
• 2019-11-15 - O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire - London, England
• 2019-11-16 - Brudenell Social Club - Leeds, England
• 2019-12-06 - The Haw River Ballroom - Graham, NC

Videos of this Song

• 2019-07-20 - Union Transfer - Philadelphia, PA
• 2019-11-15 - O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire - London, England