The Mountain Goats - This Year (Official Video)

'This Year' taken from The Mountain Goat's 2005 album, 'The Sunset Tree'.

Video directed & upgraded by Andy Bruntel

Lyrics:
I broke free on a Saturday morning
I put the pedal to the floor
Headed north on Mills Avenue
And listened to the engine roar

My broken house behind me and good things ahead
A girl named Cathy wants a little of my time
Six cylinders underneath the hood crashing and kicking
Aha! Listen to the engine wine

I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me
I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me
I played video games in a drunken haze
I was 17 years young
Hurt my knuckles punching the machines
The taste of Scotch rich on my tongue

And then Cathy showed up and we hung out
Trading swigs from a bottle all bitter and clean
Locking eyes, holding hands
Twin high maintenance machines

I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me
I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me

I drove home in the California dusk
I could feel the alcohol inside of me hum
Pictured the look on my stepfather's face
Ready for the bad things to come

I downshifted as I pulled into the driveway
The motor screaming out stuck in second gear
The scene ends badly as you might imagine
In a cavalcade of anger and fear
There will be feasting and dancing in Jerusalem next year

I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me
I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me

[jasminread]

Twenty years of making it through this year if it kills us

[non_brewed_condiment]

1.) perfect day to post
2.) thank god we have a high quality version of this video

[heybuddy]

yeah it’s starting to look like a blood-on-my-face kinda year. may we all make it through if it kills us

[AxCrowned]

I love the confidence of posting this 20 years after the song originally came out

[unsn]

From october 2010 to oct 2011 this song got me through alot. On oct 31 2011 i got sober. Just after makijg it through that year. Ive got thirteen years clean now.

[KAR]

ok i'm sick of this being my most relatable song of the year every year can we plz have a few good years

[redroC]

glad we finally have a higher quality version of this video than that one 144p bootleg looking version that was the only version on youtube for so so long

[nicolebee]

I listen to this song every new years to remind myself I made it

[Yoshimitsuprez]

Uploading this on inauguration day to the official channel is so fucking awesome. This is why the Mountain Goats are my Mountain GOATs

[GreaseFired]

Im celebrating 6 months sober February 4th. I cant overstate how much your music has helped me. Thank you John for helping me make it through these years, they havent killed me yet.

[NL-fmpw]

Bruh, what are the odds of them posting this video this morning, after I spent all of last night with this song on repeat?

[stMillenniumSchizoidMan]

I literally went to a tattoo studio today to arrange getting "I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me" on my arm! I think this is the universe telling me that it was the correct choice. Thank

[JoelEmberson]

This song is on heavy rotation for me. Also, seeing this performed live with Stephen Colbert - that video gives me inexplicable joy and hope.

[dhrmslb]

I swore 2025 was gonna be the first of the last 20yrs that this wasn't going to be my emotional support anthem (respectfully) but here we are. Thank you.

[fighttheevilrobots]

Solidarity, Mutual Aid, Direct Action.

[peakmoment.]

God I miss Peter Hughes!!! My favorite bassist of all time!! I'm glad he's doing what he needs to be happy but man do I miss that sharply dressed stage presence with the warm, round low tone in all things Mountain Goats. Those bass lines make soul resonate. Peter if you're reading this thanks for everything, you're an inspiration!!

[sam_uelson]

I was 17, hanging out with a couple of goth girls, drinking cougar bourbon when this came on triple J. Now I visit them every time this plays, even though they’ve both left their physical forms.

[sierraveree]

I like the guy in the ski mask who offers John a drink and he looks at him utterly baffled like why the fuck would I drink that

[screaming]

Try to look out for one another. We'll make it.

[tired-theater-dog]

We are all going to make it through this year, bleeding from our heads with our sickly smiles. Our arms will be wrapped around ourselves and our communities as we make it through stronger than ever, rinse, and repeat next year -- hopefully with more feasting and dancing.

EDIT: 120 likes???