Spilling Toward Alpha

Spilling Toward Alpha
Album	The Hound Chronicles
Released	1992
Artist	the Mountain Goats
Length	2:24
Previous track	"Going to Wisconsin"
Next track	"Alpha Negative"

Spilling Toward Alpha is the third song on The Mountain Goats' second cassette, The Hound Chronicles.

Lyrics

I hear you moving in the hallway
I hear you sharpening your claws
I hear you polishing your teeth sometimes
But I don't mind

And I hear you out in the garage 
I hear you messing with the motor
I hear you tinker with the engine sometimes
But I don't mind

And I hear you moving in the kitchen
I hear you in there late at night
I notice when you leave the gas jets on sometimes
But I don't mind

Comments by John Darnielle About this Song

• "This is another one of those little songs, uh, about two people who I love so much that I continue to cause them to harm one another, uh, and I imagine them in my mind cursing me, but they can't do it without my permission, 'cause they're my people, so. It's a very old song. I hope someday they'll forgive me, but I suspect that they won't." -- 2001-06-23 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA
• "This song also has a message, but it's a sort of simpler message. And that is: if the person that you live with and love is trying to kill you, it's best to leave." -- 2002-03-07 - Independent Media Center - Urbana, IL

Live Shows this Song Was Played at

• 1992-07-22 - Munchie's - Pomona, CA
• 2000-10-16 - Gate City Noise - Greensboro, NC
• 2001-06-23 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA
• 2002-03-07 - Independent Media Center - Urbana, IL
• 2005-10-12 - The Canopy Club - Urbana, IL
• 2005-10-13 - Open End Gallery - Chicago, IL
• 2009-03-30 - Oberlin College - Oberlin, OH
• 2009-04-01 - Portage Theater - Chicago, IL
• 2016-10-29 - Hi-Dive - Denver, CO
• 2018-04-23 - Ardmore Music Hall - Ardmore, PA
• 2019-04-30 - Brooklyn Steel - Brooklyn, NY

Videos of this Song

• 2019-04-30 - Brooklyn Steel - Brooklyn, NY

The Hound Chronicles
Side One: "The Garden Song" • "Going to Wisconsin" • "Spilling Toward Alpha" • "Alpha Negative" • "Torch Song" • "שקט (Be Quiet)" • "The Cow Song" • "(Untitled)" • "Going to Chino" Side Two: "Standard Bitter Love Song #4" • "Going to Mexico" • "Lab Rat Blues" • "Going to Kansas" • "The Water Song" • "Going to Spain" • "Keep It on Your Mind"