Aughts Songs: #9 The Decemberists - "The Engine Driver" from Picaresque ('05)

I always assumed I was going to include "Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect," which is generally considered The Decemberists' best song, in this list. But this summer I realized I felt much closer to this song. The occupational metaphors that lie outside of context give the lyrics a feeling of timelessness, that Colin Meloy is singing about a relationship that could have existed centuries ago or in the future. Though it's not especially profound, it's one of the most convincing expressions of love and yearning that I can think of within a song. The haunting chords and acoustic guitar sound are an excellent compliment to the song's sentiment, and the prechorus harmony part ("And if you don't love me let me go") is one of my favorites of all time. Every time that line is repeated, it seems to have a greater impact. When it is repeated in the coda, it defines the kind of perfection that I'm always trying to find in a song.