Goliath
“Goliath” is a song by The Mars Volta, first appearing on The Bedlam in Goliath (2008) and featured on 2 releases in the archive. It has been performed live 200 times, between 2007 and 2012. Its live debut was at Echoplex, Los Angeles, California, United States. Full lyrics are documented below.
Appears on
Lyrics
That night I remember what you slipped in my glass
We came rewinding when
I foamed at the mouth while the lights winked at me
And now my shape is kept
The rain, it can’t hide, wash the paint from this hex
Is it so permanent?
Did she catch a left eye when it blinks three times
Or once just to seal you in?
In your drunken breath, did it stain like us?
In place of poison heat
I gotta rid this world of your intention
Swap the corpse in the casket
Give me that corpse please
The one that tore nightly
I really want it now
Fold the arms slowly
Don’t want you to hold me
It fits just like a glove
Does he make you feel alright?
When I seep inside your truth through suspicious little coughs
You sank your nails inside a key while the door you shut closed up
The black stockings you kept, smell of wet cigarette
Torn of lust that you could not keep
I have slept inside your fault to have you keep me here on this leash
For the rest of your pets, I will feed to this theft
As we consummate the vows of defeat
And when you pray for an end to this
I do believe this is eternity
Give me that corpse please
The one that tore nightly
I really want it now
Fold the arms slowly
Don’t want you to hold me
It fits just like a glove
Your closet is bulging
White marrow withholding
Does it make you feel alright?
Give me that corpse please
The one that tore nightly
I really want it now
Fold the arms slowly
Don’t want you to hold me
It fits just like a glove
Your closet is bulging
White marrow withholding
Does it make you feel alright?
Never heard a man speak like this man before
Never heard a man speak like this man before
All the days of my life, ever since I’ve been born
Never heard a man speak like this man before
Watch me now
Say it, say it, say it loud
Say it, say it, say it loud
Hold your heavy burden
In a pocket full of drink that I have drunk
Spit the remnants in your direction
This is the closest to any kingdom that you will come
I’m starting to feel a miscarriage coming on
It’s numbing a stump clearing in my throat
And I just can’t lose grip of it
She fumigated my mental hygiene
I’m all out of pulse
But I know you can resuscitate me
Never heard a man speak like this man before
Never heard a man speak like this man before
All the days of my life, ever since I’ve been born
Never heard a man speak like this man before
Never heard a man speak like this man before
Never heard a man speak like this man before
All the days of my life, ever since I’ve been born
Never heard a man speak like this man before
Watch me now
Notes
Goliath is a reworked version of the song Rapid Fire Tollbooth from the Omar Rodriguez-Lopez album Se Dice Bisonte, No Bùfalo, with different lyrics and a coda added to the end of the song which is a variation of a jam played during Roulette Dares at the 2006 and 2007 live shows. The song initially debuted during their Chicago performance in 2006, quickly becoming a staple of their live sets. During the Spring 2007 concerts, still under the name Rapid Fire Tollbooth, the coda began to appear during live performances although it was less structured compared to what it would become. In the Summer of 2007 during an Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group show Cedric first sang the line “Never heard a man speak like this man before” during the coda jam. When the song was played in late 2007 the name was formally change to Goliath and Cedric began singing the lyrics to Goliath instead of Rapid Fire Tollbooth.
During the 2008 shows the song was played with an extended jam in the middle that was based off the main melody of the song. These jams at their height would go on for nearly 20 minutes. Additionally, the song was often played incredibly fast, giving it the name “Super Goliath” by some fans. By the 2009 shows the song was returned to its original speed and the jam was removed. During the 2011 and 2012 shows the song was slowed down further, similar to how Rapid Fire Tollbooth sounded. Cedric would also mix lyrics between both songs, blurring the line between each song. In addition instead of singing “I’m starting to feel a miscarriage coming on,” he would sing “I’m in the middle of a rebirth coming on.”
Executives at Universal initially wanted an edited version of Goliath to be the first single for The Bedlam in Goliath, but due to its length, and editing down not sounding well Wax Simulacra was used instead. In 2008 El-P released a remix of Goliath.
Studio & Official
Live Videos (32)
Performance History
| Date | Venue | Came after | Went into |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 15, 2012 | HMV Forum · London, United Kingdom | The Widow | Set closer |
| Jul 13, 2012 | Hyde Park · London, United Kingdom | Interceptions | Set closer |
| Jul 8, 2012 | Ruissalo · Turku, Finland | Interceptions | Set closer |
| Jul 7, 2012 | Gdynia-Kosakowo Airport · Pogorze, Poland | The Widow | Set closer |
| Jul 5, 2012 | Huxleys Neue Welt · Berlin, Germany | The Widow | Set closer |
| Jul 4, 2012 | Rockhal · Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg | The Widow | Set closer |
| Jul 1, 2012 | La Citadelle Arras · Arras, France | The Widow | Set closer |
| Jun 30, 2012 | Sittertobel · St. Gallen, Switzerland | The Widow | Set closer |
| Jun 29, 2012 | Presqu'ile de Malsaucy · Sermamagny, France | The Widow | Set closer |
| Jun 27, 2012 | Paradiso · Amsterdam, Netherlands | The Widow | Set closer |
| Jun 26, 2012 | Ancienne Belgique · Brussels, Belgium | Molochwalker | Set closer |
| Jun 24, 2012 | E-Werk · Cologne, Germany | The Widow | Set closer |
| Jun 23, 2012 | Flugplatz Neuhausen ob Eck · Neuhausen ob Eck, Germany | Interceptions | Set closer |
| Jun 22, 2012 | Eichenring · Scheebel, Germany | Interceptions | Set closer |
| Jun 20, 2012 | Magazzini Generali · Milan, Italy | The Widow | Set closer |
| Jun 17, 2012 | Le Bikini · Ramonville-Saint-Agne, France | The Widow | Set closer |
| Jun 15, 2012 | Recinto Mendizabala · Araba, Spain | The Widow | Set closer |
| Jun 14, 2012 | Coliseu dos Recreiros · Lisbon, Portugal | The Widow | Set closer |
| Jun 11, 2012 | Hangar 11 · Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel | The Widow | Set closer |
| Aug 14, 2011 | Maishima Sports Island · Osaka, Japan | The Widow | Set closer |
| Aug 13, 2011 | Makuhari Messe · Chiba, Japan | The Widow | Set closer |
| Aug 7, 2011 | The Palace · Melbourne, Australia | The Widow | Set closer |
| Aug 5, 2011 | Thebarton Theatre · Adelaide, Australia | The Widow | Set closer |
| Aug 3, 2011 | The Enmore Theatre · Newtown, Australia | The Widow | Set closer |
| Jul 23, 2011 | The Joint · Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Interceptions | Set closer |
| Jul 22, 2011 | The Forum · Inglewood, California, United States | Interceptions | Set closer |
| Jul 21, 2011 | Bill Graham Civic Auditorium · San Francisco, California, United States | Interceptions | Set closer |
| Jul 20, 2011 | Harvey‘s Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena · Stateline, Nevada, United States | Interceptions | Set closer |
| Jul 18, 2011 | Red Rocks Amphitheatre · Morrison, Colorado, United States | Interceptions | Set closer |
| Jul 16, 2011 | UIC Pavilion · Chicago, Illinois, United States | Interceptions | Set closer |
| Jul 14, 2011 | Borgata Event Center · Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | Interceptions | Set closer |
| Jul 13, 2011 | Festival Pier at Penn's Landing · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | Interceptions | Set closer |
| Jul 12, 2011 | Patriot Center · Fairfax, Virginia, United States | Interceptions | Set closer |
| Jul 9, 2011 | Knebworth House · Stevenage, United Kingdom | The Widow | Set closer |
| Jul 8, 2011 | Kobetamendi · Bilbo, Spain | The Widow | Set closer |
| Jul 6, 2011 | A2 · Moscow, Russian Federation | The Widow | Set closer |
| Jul 3, 2011 | The Circus · Helsinki, Finland | The Widow | Set closer |
| Oct 11, 2010 | Estadio Bicentenario de La Florida · Santiago, Chile | Interceptions | Eriatarka |
| Oct 9, 2010 | Fazenda Maeda · Sao Paulo, Brazil | Interceptions | Eriatarka |
| Jan 31, 2010 | Claremont Showground · Claremont, Australia | L'Via L'Viaquez | Cicatriz ESP |