The A-side of the “Steal Smoked Fish” EP, along with “In the Shadow of the Western Hills”, were released as a 7" record for the first 1,000 pre-orders of “Transcendental Youth”, 2012, from which these singles were omitted.
There is an alternate piano version that was released on the Japanese versio...
[Verse 1]
Across the Burnside Bridge
Before anyone shot their movies there
We hid from the whipping rain
When we had run out of cocaine
Dispatch down to Plaid Pantry
Two on point and two on sentry
Ah, the joys that the lesser days bring
Make you throw back your heads and sing
[Chorus 1]
God bless all petty thieves
With tins of oysters up their sleeves
Feast when you can
And dream when there's nothing to feast on
[Verse 2]
Across a different bridge today
Over the river and down Broadway
Feels so good to have you here
Some of you will be dead next year
I see your destinies above you
Like angels who don't love you
Let them kiss you and hold you tight
As long as the money's right
[Chorus 2]
God bless all my old friends
And god bless me too, why pretend?
Feast when you can
And dream when there's nothing to feast on
[Post-Chorus]
God bless the guys from my old neighborhood
Gone past the point where any blessings can do them any good
[Verse 3]
Attach the C-4 where you must
Disappear in a cloud of dust
But spare a thought for what it covers up
Pour a triple and raise your cup
We were here once, me and my friends
But we destroyed all of the evidence
And vanished into the night
At least we got that one right
[Outro]
God bless us, all of us
We who learn to shun the light
God bless all vampires every night
Feast when you can
Feast when you can
Feast when you can
Feast when you can
Steal Smoked Fish was written by John Darnielle.
Steal Smoked Fish was produced by Brandon Eggleston.
The Mountain Goats released Steal Smoked Fish on Tue Oct 02 2012.