Heartwarming / the Mountain Goats

• "San Bernadino."
  We were safe inside
  And our new son cried,
  "San Bernadino welcomes you"
• "Going to Georgia."
  The most remarkable thing about you standing in the doorway
  Is that it's you, and that you're standing in the doorway
• "Sax Rohmer #1."
  I am coming home to you
  If it's the last thing that I do
• Depending on your interpretation, "1 Samuel 15:23" can be this, especially the final verse:
  My house will be for all people who have nowhere to go
  My supply of shining crystals a shield against the snow
  There's more like me where I come from, so mark our shapes
  Go down to the netherworld, plant grapes
• "Color In Your Cheeks," which is about a drug house that serves as a haven for outcasts.
  They came in by the dozens, walking or crawling
  Some were bright-eyed, some were dead on their feet
  And they came from Zimbabwe or from Soviet Georgia
  East St. Louis or from Paris or they lived across the street
  But they came, and when they finally made it here
  It was the least we could do to make our welcome clear
• The entirety of "Never Quite Free". Everything about it is so soft and calming.
  It's so good to learn
  That right outside your window
  There's only friendly fields and open roads
  And you'll sleep better when you think
  You've stepped back from the brink
  And found some peace inside yourself
  Lay down your heavy load
  • John has said in concert that he doesn't understand why fans find this one heartwarming, because the theme is that past trauma will always be there ("But when you see him, you'll know"), but that's exactly what makes it so touching— even if things will never be perfect, that doesn't mean they can't be honestly good.
• "You Were Cool" is about someone telling a friend who was bullied in high school that they deserved better, and celebrating that their lives got better.
• "Amy, a.k.a. Spent Gladiator 1," which is essentially about finding whatever small joys and coping mechanisms are necessary to make life worth living, no matter what. It comes across as extremely genuine and extremely caring.
• "Absolute Lithops Effect", with some Moment of Awesome thrown in as well.
  And I feel sure that my wounds will heal
  And I will bloom here in my room
  With a little water and a little bit of sunlight
  And a little bit of tender mercy, tender mercy
• "Animal Mask," a song about the spontaneous formation of a wrestling tag team - and a father seeing his child for the first time, in the delivery room.
  That was when we were young and green
  In the dawning hours of our team
  Some things you will remember
  Some things stay sweet forever
• "There Will Be No Divorce", about a rekindled romance late at night.
  And I felt young and alive
  And the hair stood up on the back of my neck
  We were rising from the grave
  Yeah, yeah
• If "This Year"'s triumphant refrain doesn't count, John's annual New Year's Eve Twitter commentary reflecting on the song and the impact it's had on people certainly does.
  @mountain_goats: two hours from now, me & everybody reading this, even and especially everybody whose 2018 made mine look like a free unicorn ride, are gonna put another one on the books
  every day above ground a good day
  this was the 365th good day. you did it. I did it. we will do it again
  WE WILL DO IT AGAIN EVEN IF IT'S HARD AND EVEN IF THE MOMENTS OF GRACE SEEM FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. MAY THOSE MOMENTS OF GRACE BREED IN US ALL LIKE BACTERIA, GOOD FRIENDLY BACTERIA THAT KEEPS THE MACHINE RUNNING SMOOTHLY
  this concludes the benediction which leaned a little goth this year. sometimes the goth benediction is what's up
  may next year's benediction come on the wings of a great dragon appointed to protect our tiny village
  in which village I will see you all! /fin