We Were Patriots

We Were Patriots
Album	The Coroner's Gambit
Released	2000
Artist	the Mountain Goats
Length	2:40
Previous Track	"The Alphonse Mambo"

Original lyrics sheet for an unfinished/unreleased/untitled song draft that John Darnielle counts as a study for “We Were Patriots,” courtesy of John Darnielle via Twitter.

We Were Patriots is the 16th song on the album The Coroner's Gambit.

Lyrics

Clear sky over Calcutta
A warm wind
Dvorak on the short wave
Clear signal coming in
La la la
La la la la la 
La la la
La la la la la la la

Long vowels spill like liquid from your mouth
I hang on every word you say
An army of transistor radios on the bookshelf
Left on all day
Let them play 
Yeah let 'em all play on and on and on
Let 'em all play longer and louder and 
Long after you're gone
La la
La la la la la la 
La la
La la la la la

Clear sky sheltering our fragile little house
Listening to the radio all the time
Your hand on my forehead as though to check for a fever
Yeah big plans in mind
La la la la
La la la la la 
La la la la
La la la la la la la
La la 
La la la la la la
Yeah yeah

Comments by John Darnielle About this Song

• "This is a love song." -- 2001-04-21 - The Olde Club - Swarthmore, PA
• "This is another song about two people in love and it's all going to hell in a handbasket. That's what I do to these people." -- 2002-10-08 - McGarrigle's - Sligo, Ireland

Things Referenced in this Song

• Calcutta is an alternate spelling of Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, India.

Live Shows this Song Was Played at

• 1998-02-06 - Cow Haus - Tallahassee, FL
• 2000-09-17 - The Make-Out Room - San Francisco, CA
• 2001-02-10 - The Maintenance Shop - Ames, IA
• 2001-04-21 - The Olde Club - Swarthmore, PA
• 2002-10-08 - McGarrigle's - Sligo, Ireland
• 2002-11-01 - The Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL
• 2003-02-06 - Spitz - London, England
• 2007-11-06 - Hi-Dive - Denver, CO
• 2007-11-10 - Biliken Club - St. Louis University - St. Louis, MO
• 2007-11-13 - Madhatter - Covington, KY
• 2022-12-05 - Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, OR
• 2024-03-01 - Noise Pop 2024 - Grace Cathedral - San Francisco, CA
• 2024-10-08 - The Birchmere - Alexandria, VA
• 2024-10-11 - The Egg - Albany, NY