The Mountain Goats is one of those bands that has been around seemingly forever, creating a steady stream of great music year after year. I discovered them about fifteen years ago when a friend recommended their album, “We Shall All Be Healed”.

That same year they released “The Sunset Tree” which includes one of my favorite songs of all time (from any performer), “This Year”. It’s a surprisingly upbeat tune in which the singer declares his intention to escape an abusive home environment.

In the lyrics, is the refrain “I’m gonna make it through this year if it kills me.” And that is exactly the attitude we need now.

Enjoy this version of the song from last summer, long before the crap we are currently enduring, with Stephen Colbert as a very exuberant guest soloist.

Tell me that anthem won’t be running around in your head for months.