Every Mountain Goats performance should consist of 1 part music and 2 parts Darnielle banter/storytelling. That's the proper dosage for maximum emotional and entertainment effect.

We dearly need this touching song to be performed with the screeching vocal tones of Toad's real voice.

How does a line as great as "when you came in I could breath again" exist in a song about Mario rescuing Toad

What a great crowd, gave him good reactions but maintained a fantastic silence.

I find it astonishing how john darnielle can make such and amazing, dramatic song out of fucking Mario. I love this man so much.

I have to thank the guys at Night Vale Presents for the “I only listen to the Mountain Goats” podcast for introducing me to this amazing singer/songwriter.

I swear, half of the views on this video are from me. I even bumped into him after the show with my girlfriend at the time, and he gave us a chocolate bar he didn't want. Incredibly nice guy. We took the chocolate down to a nearby bar and shared it and a pitcher of beer. It tasted like emo tears and victory. In fact, you can hear my laughs on this video. They're the especially loud ones.

The greatest songwriter I have found in my 54 years

His story of the song prior to playing really helps explain what the song is about, i first just thought it was about Toad waiting for Mario which it is, but its deeper. Mario was expecting Peach to be there but she wasn't, it's just Toad, Mario is surely disappointed it's not peach, but Toad is relieved someone saved him. So deep.

This song fills me with hope. Maybe if we all can't find our peaches, we can still rescue and be rescued.

I can't believe a song about Toad from Mario made me cry. But it did.

Proof, if anyone needed it, that JD can write a song about absolutely anything and make it beautiful, emotional and epic.

Semi-quaver run at 7:15 sounds like a little nod to the 8-bit power-up sound.

This song gets me every time. I know it's about a cartoon plumber but the "yeah when you came in, I could breathe again" hits like a semi truck, every time. 😥

the piano melody at some points sounds like Deuteronomy 2:10 and that really adds to this song

the introduction alone was a masterpiece

it will never not upset me that this isnt on spsotify for me to have in my rainy days playlisst.

I've watched this so many times but it never fails to make me laugh/cry.

If anyone wants to introduce the mountain goats to someone this is the first video you need to show them

Never before have I found a performance that makes me laugh and subsequently give me chills, and then make something so mundane and silly into something so profound. P.S. I was actually present for this performance (you can hear me; I'm the especially loud laugher), and bumped into John Dardielle afterwords as my date and I were headed to the water fountain, and he was trying to sneak out the back (he's very much an introvert, and doesn't do well with interacting with large groups of fans). He gave me and my date a very large Hershey's bar that his manager had given him and he didn't want, though I suspect he was just using it as a means to get rid of us. We took that Hershey's bar to the nearest watering hole and shared it, along with a pitcher of cheep beer, and it all tasted like teenage emo tears and victory.

it's amazing to watch him play

I was there for this live. I still laugh my ass off at the story, and I still get chills at the song itself. What a work of art in all aspects.

This is delightful.

It’s the complete mean from someone who understand the theme😂😂😂😂 this guy is a genus!!

"When you came in I could breath again" ohmy heart!

I swear I think I had a dream like this once

I will always need a little more and this video should always fill that gap. I love TMG. Keep it up

World's Best Plumber

"There is a guy... he's a plumber..."

I've known about The Mountain Goats for 5 years I've been in a happy commuted relationship for 9 and let me tell you does it fucking hit different when after 9 years he just up and leaves you for another girl.

This amazing I want the whole album!

Yes. That friend summarizes my life. Heheh.

Shades of Mitch Hedberg

would this be considered a ballad?

This should be the credits to the new Mario movie 🙏

super fucking mario!

I had to watch because I was sure this was Kresge from the thumbnail. I had to make sure.

Someone needs to type this into a monologue we can read aloud and repeat. Oh hell, I'll do it.

If you play this at 0.75 speed it sounds like the original.

Makes you wonder what it is like as a Toad in a castle that was warped over...

this is a a proper song about MUMS!

Did he nibble part of the song scribe?!

Which album is this song on? I don't know this one. He has so many great songs.

Is this "found filk"?

Bo Burnham really aged terribly

I don’t think there is anything funny about this Thank u john