The Mountain Goats – Tollund Man

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Send "Tollund Man" Ringtone to Cell

I was sitting at the edge of the marsh
when the council came to bring me the news.
they handed me a bowl of cooked wild grasses and they
gave me the ceremonial shoes.

goodbye young danish women.
goodbye danish sky.
goodbye cold air I am going away.
goodbye goodbye goodbye.

Send "Tollund Man" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by shewouldnt


Tollund Man song meanings
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3 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:He played this live once adding a bit extra at the end. A recording exists (youtu.be/…)
    It sounds like

    "No mercy, which makes your love more strong
    to love that well, which you will have to leave before too long"

    Thought it was interesting.
    Flag KingQwertyon February 13, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:john darnielle played this at the show i saw last night. he claimed, "i took an archaeology course a long time ago. i stopped going to the class, but during my newfound idle time, i looked at the archaeology book for the class. i saw the picture of the tollund man and i knew i just had to write a song about it."
    Flag analogueon September 22, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is about an article Darnielle read about scientists having found a 4,000 year old corpse and piecing togethers its final meal. Apparently the corpse was a candidate for sacrifice, chosen randomly. Prior to that, a healthy male. He empathizes with the selected and sings of what he must have gone through before submitting to fate.
    Flag mindsaleon June 16, 2006   Link

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