Transjordanian Blues

Transjordanian Blues
Album	On Juhu Beach
Released	2001
Artist	the Mountain Goats
Length	3:18
Previous Track	"Bad Waves"
Next Track	"Burned My Tongue"

Transjordanian Blues is the third song on the EP On Juhu Beach.

Lyrics

This church is rotten from the top down
This church is rotten from the top down
But I, I am going to clean house tonight
And it's going to go back into the earth it rose from

These walls can't keep the world at bay
No, these walls can't keep the world at bay
Our time, our time is limited and precious
But this place, this place is limitless and pernicious

Would you all just follow me out into the open
Leave your coats and handbags, damn it all
Can't you see the floors are smoking

And this church is not long for this world
This church is not long for this world
If you're wondering who to blame
I want to praise his name with songs and feasting
Follow me to the open field
Where the truth will be revealed if you're really listening

Hosanna, hosanna, I am saved by the blood of the lamb
One day when I was lost, he died upon that cross
And I am saved by the blood of the lamb

Comments by John Darnielle About this Song

• "Transjordanian Blues is a sermon; half of which is complete despair and the other half is unconditional praise." -- On Juhu Beach liner notes

Things Referenced in this Song

• The last lines of the song are taken from the gospel song "I Know It Was the Blood".

Live Shows this Song Was Played at

• 2001-07-19 - Capitol Theater - Olympia, WA
• 2001-10-19 - Mission Space - Baltimore, MD
• 2002-03-08 - The Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL
• 2002-03-11 - The Maintenance Shop - Ames, IA
• 2008-05-16 - Masonic Temple - Brooklyn, New York, NY
• 2008-06-06 - Natural History Museum - Los Angeles, CA
• 2008-08-02 - Bull City Headquarters - Durham, NC
• 2008-11-06 - 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C. (partial)
• 2009-06-13 - Zoop II - Farm Sanctuary - Watkins Glen, NY
• 2009-11-04 - Ladies Literary Club - Calvin College - Grand Rapids, MI (partial)
• 2012-04-19 - Benefit to Defeat Amendment One - Motorco - Durham, NC
• 2013-01-19 - FSG Originals - Studio X - New York, NY
• 2016-04-09 - The Vogue - Indianapolis, IN
• 2016-09-20 - Jefferson Theater - Charlottesville, VA
• 2017-04-06 - Badlands - Perth, Australia
• 2017-06-04 - Crystal Ballroom - Portland, OR
• 2017-07-13 - ACM@UCO Performance Lab - Oklahoma City, OK
• 2017-09-09 - Headliners - Louisville, KY
• 2017-10-09 - Glasgow Art School - Glasgow, Scotland
• 2017-10-15 - Pumpehuset - Copenhagen, Denmark
• 2019-09-16 - House of Blues - Anaheim, CA
• 2020-02-21 - Swedish American Hall - San Francisco, CA
• 2021-08-20 - Larimer Lounge - Denver, CO
• 2022-05-14 - The Depot - Salt Lake City, UT
• 2022-08-30 - Webster Hall - New York, NY
• 2022-09-18 - Tipitina's - New Orleans, LA
• 2022-11-18 - Vicar Street - Dublin, Ireland
• 2023-04-12 - The District - Sioux Falls, SD
• 2023-10-02 - Belly Up Tavern - Solana Beach, CA
• 2023-12-01 - Hangar 1819 - Greensboro, NC

Videos of this Song

• 2013-01-19 - FSG Originals - Studio X - New York, NY