Moss Covered Boondoggle

Song Meaning

This track opens with a declaration of intent: the narrator possesses a "moss covered boondoggle" and plans to "hornswoggle you." The imagery is peculiar, suggesting something old, perhaps neglected, and definitely deceptive. The immediate tone is playful yet menacing, like a con artist with a quirky prop. The core tension revolves around a departure and the listener's expected reaction. The repeated "Don't cry when you see me go" feels like a preemptive dismissal of the other person's feelings, or perhaps a plea for stoicism. This is juxtaposed with the lingering memory of the listener, described as "a house on a hill," which implies a fixed, perhaps idealized, but distant presence. The most striking craft element is the instruction to "tie it on, tie it on, tie it on... like a ribbon." This transforms the act of being deceived or leaving into something decorative and perhaps binding. It’s a strange, almost domestic image applied to a potentially harmful action, creating an unsettling dissonance. The repetition emphasizes the deliberate nature of the act. Ultimately, the lyrics hit hard through their sheer oddity and the narrator's confident, almost whimsical approach to causing distress. The contrast between the folksy, slightly archaic language ("boondoggle," "hornswoggle") and the emotional weight of departure creates a unique, unsettling atmosphere that lingers long after the song ends.