In an interview, the original singer and writer said this is the best cover of his song

The Mountain Goats tried to cover this cover of his own at the show in Portland ME on 4/17. John loves it that much. And he absolutely should- this is amazing!

One of my favorite musicians covering one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite albums from another of my favorite musicians? Consider my day made.

The blending of her rendition of no children into one of her most beautiful songs in blacktop. Someone help, I’m a puddle

This was the last thing I would have expected as a cover.... she totally made this her own... phenomenal

Anyway I have literally never been the same since I heard this.

I used to listen to No Children a lot back when I realized I didn't feel safe or happy living with my family. Right at the end of high school and into college, during the thick of Covid. It sounds like it's full of unapologetic rage and contempt. But, to me... it always felt apologetic and despaired while also being full of rage. Sorrowful rage. All these feelings happening at the same time, and the "I hope you die, I hope we both die" felt like a sort of... apology in of itself? I hope you die because I hate you, but then I'm sorry we're trapped like this, if only we could be put out of this misery. A wish for anything better than the endless cycle of pain, or perhaps sickly hoping or knowing it will continue, that those hopes are empty threats. All that to say, what I felt hiding underneath the lyrics of the original, I got to hear with this cover. The way I often listened to this song, hearing this underlying truth. It's just beautiful. It drags out the true sorrow that was hiding all along. Thank you.

the "I am drowning." oh. my. GOODNESS.

When Julien sings "Hand in unloveable hand. And I hope you die... I hope we both die" it changes my own interpretation of the song. Almost like instead of being so angry and resentful of the other person in the relationship, she feels so much sympathy for them that she hopes they die as a result of being put out of their own misery. In order to end their suffering. Same goes for hoping she dies as the narrator too. Resigning both of them to their fate instead of wanting to punch them.

Julien Baker likes The Mountain Goats. Damn I knew I loved her for a reason. I was secretly hoping she'd be in "I only listen to the mountain goats", this is the next best thing

Nothing I regret more than discovering Julien Baker a few weeks after she came to my town. Waiting for her to come around again is so painful, I crave to see her perform live over any other artist. Patiently waiting for those west coast tour dates to come around!

THIS IS A LIFE CHANGING DISCOVERY

Your voice is ethereal. An echo of a memory you look back on with gladness and sorrow. You brought a fresh take on some amazing pieces of music - well done.

Dang, I forgot how good this cover is, and this is the best performance I've ever seen her do of Blacktop.

how did I not see this sooner it’s the best thing

Was there last night. A dream come true. She is absolutely amazing and such a beautiful soul!

She makes this a lot starker than the original.

I love this thank you

wow. i can't wait to see her tomorrow for the first time.

This is beautiful. Omg.

Fantastic acoustics for a fantastic cover :)

I have (had? hopefully have still counts, even though it's been some time since we talked) a friend who once wryly told me that No Children was "their song" about an abusive relationship they were still in at the time. At the time it was obviously the original version, and I think it needed to be, both because of the absurdity and anger of it, but when I listen to this cover now I think of them and that relationship in a much sadder, further away way and how awful everything was; how stupid and useless I felt just watching it happen. (Julien's songs remind me of that friendship a lot of the time, and some of the songs by other boygenius members about her.) It's a beautiful cover and a totally different take.

Just saw her a couple months ago in STL, and now I find myself looking and hoping she comes anywhere nearby, already.

Holy fucking hell, this is incredible

my heart broke in the good way

i'm not crying, you are

next level greatness

Yo! You totally changed up the lyrics. That was a fucking boss move. It made me listen. Made me hear it again like the first time I heard it and it blasted my brain again. Thank you!

YOUR FEELS ARE NOT SAFE!!!

Amazing!

god she knows her audience

I wish this was on spotify

Song 4 u Allison forever I hope one day you feel like this

i feel a lump in my throat, sobbing on the floor

Anyone know what the song she segues into is? Never heard her before, came here on John Darnielle's recommendation after seeing the video of him covering this. Got a feeling I'm going to be checking out more of her work though, could listen to that voice for days.

Fuck man. Mountain Goats can make me cry, for sure, but this had me bawling.

Please tell me that there is a studio version of this song. I'll buy it, just tell me where it is. I am a huge fan of the Mountain Goats. Just never heard anything with the raw, real power of the original until today.

hoo boy that's some good shit i tell ya what

Damn...

yaaaaassss

Fuck and now I'm crying

Chills

🙏🏻

my soul just left my body

OMG

Brb gonna go cry

its okay i didnt want to be happy today i guess :)

Anyone know the chords and tuning?

😭😭😭😭😭😭 no children usually makes me laugh.... this makes me wanna blow my head off at my wife's grave.... excellent change in the feel. I would have started crying had I been there. Excellent preformance.

Is this allowed??? It's great

This is only my opinion, but I wish she had done this with a faster tempo. She made it her own, and I like it, but for me something got lost. Maybe her version simply sounds more melancholy than bitter and angry. Either way, I dig it. Just my two cents.

Takes ages to sing it in that tempo :)

When Julien sings "Hand in unloveable hand. And I hope you die... I hope we both die" it changes my own interpretation of the song. Almost like instead of being so angry and resentful of the other person in the relationship she feels so much sympathy for them that she hopes they die as a result of being put out of their own misery. In order to end their suffering. Same goes for hoping she dies as the narrator too. Resigning both of them to their fate instead of wanting to punch them...

I have to unlike this so I can like it again

It should be represented by both parties. As with a relationship it's not always a one way street, have to accept our own flaws and fuck ups as well.

Its good but its missing the manic energy that made the original great

Why doesnt she have a band yet? These songs are huge.

I think the performance is beautiful. That being said I think the whole song is lost in this arrangment. The only thing half recognizeable is the lyrics. I think if it stayed closer to the original Melody and varied it a little for more of a ballad effect it could have been alot more powerful personally speaking. Other than that she's a great singer and I like the vibes. Just not sold on the arrangement.

anyways this made my mental illness even worse

This is one of those rare moments where an artists covers another artist and they somehow capture the heart of the song better than the original writer.

I can see why this is getting the praise that it is, from the comments and from the original songwriter, but for me that praise is directed at an evoked feeling VERY different from what I got out of the original song. No Children has this unapologetic energy to it that really drives home the absurd nature of the central couple. It's relatively fast pace and staccato tone drive this jarring narrative of two people that really are miserable with one another, pushing it at you faster than your mind is able to adjust to it. "I hope I lie, and tell everyone you were a good wife" is a mental slap in the face, but only just hard enough to daze instead of sting, frequently leading to uncomfortable laughter on a first listen. The oddness of things is furthered by the construction of this couple's relationship in the song. These people have friends trying to help them, have an extended history with one another that context (and the songwriters previous works) promises was just as rocky, and despite what is assured to be a mutual loathing, are depicted as fully committed to one another in that misery, finding comfort in that shared misery in a way that only this kind of toxic relationship can. They are in this together, "hand in unlovable hand", until the ship sinks to the murky depths to be crushed by unbearable pressures. Part of why I love this inversion of a love story is for how up front and unapologetic it is. For how stark a depiction it is of this toxic relationship that should by all right end but clearly will not. I love this because it pushes that kind of relationship, one we have all either heard of or experienced, out of the shadows and into the light. It's not hidden away, festering like a cancer, as so many similar relationships and marriages were from decades past, but instead on full display. And that's why I can't get behind this cover. It takes away the very elements of the original song that resonated with me so much. It's slow and reserved, seemingly trying to allow time to adjust to the absurd reality of this couple's dysfunction. It even insinuates some redemptive capacity for the couple, which I understand is the core of the draw to those that enjoy it, but which, again, takes away entirely the power and purpose behind the original in my eyes. This song was selected as a representation of an American Anthem by NPR, and in the related interview the songwriter described fans in relationships calling it "their song", as well as how concerned this made him for their future together. But for me that makes perfect sense because it would take an already fundamentally strong relationship to hear of this union of hate and, rather than exposing discomfort in the couple, instead strengthening their bond over confidence that this situation is separate from their experience. A couple that can laugh at this song together, and desire repeated sessions to relive that joined moment, is one that knows they harbor no resentment toward one another, and never will, because any dissatisfaction that may arise will be addressed in the open. Like fucking adults. I love No Children for what it says about those that love it, and I wouldn't change a single thing about it.

Nah.

Looking for a cover. Got a generic emo type doing emo type for the entire video. I do not approve. No Sir. I do not like it.

**sigh** i think she missed the point

Christoncrutches.....she butchered "no children" so bad I couldn't listen to the rest.

really really gross cover hahaha