Goats have been by our side for literally untold millennia.
The oldest evidence we have puts goat domestication at some time considerably earlier than 10,000 years ago—this means that our only longer animal relationship is with dogs.
Goats are one of our oldest friends, and for good reason.
We all love goats, as well as the things they can provide for us.
It won’t be much of a surprise that goats are often mentioned in songs from across the world, then.
Today, we’re going to look at some of the best songs that mention goats or feature goats in the title.
There are a lot, so buckle in and let’s read about some of these!
Let’s get started.
Goats on a Boat – The Devil Wears Prada
The first song on TDWP’s album Plagues, which was finalized and released in 2007.
It features many diverse tracks and has been a favorite of this band’s discography, well known for its strange imagery and elaborate allusions to mythology, history, and culture.
The title of this track in particular is thought to be a reference to the flood narrative of Genesis in the Old Testament, and how isolated 2 goats may feel on such a boat.
The song is thought to be possibly about love and separation.
It’s a great and catchy track with interesting lyrics.
Goat Annie – Carol King
Carol King’s track makes the next on our list and is a bit simpler to interpret.
The titular Goat Annie is a goat herder that a young Carol King used to watch moving her goats around and trying to make a living from her herd.
“She’s an old-timer, trying to hold on to what she’s got,” says King.
This is a classic tale and one that will resonate with many people.
Often, songs like this that capture the lives of ordinary people are some of the best and most popular.
They are timeless, and again, we see how our relationship with goats has been unchanged for so, so long.
Another great, easy-listening bit of music to try.
Evil Little Goat – Pearl Jam
On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have Pearl Jam’s Evil Little Goat.
Here, the goat is a metaphorical reference to a girl that was brought back from Scandinavia by someone.
“She was an evil little goat,” the song repeats many times.
This song uses the goat to reference how the girl knows the mountains and was a little dangerous—like mountain goats.
If you’re more into your rock music than slower and more traditional folky music like Carol King, give Pearl Jam a try!
(You Hit the Wrong Note) Billy Goat – Johnny O’Keefe
Moving backwards in time now, we have Johnny O’Keefe’s catchy song, Billy Goat.
It was actually given to O’Keefe by Bill Haley, whom has inspired Johnny’s career at many points.
Bill Haley was one of the most famous rock’n’roll musicians of his day.
The two met when Johnny was touring Australia in 1957, and Johnny would go on to perform the song countless times over the years and it always remained popular.
Goat Host – Buckethead
From Buckethead’s worryingly titled album Slaughterhouse on the Prairie, Goat Host is another great piece of rock music.
The album as a whole looks at themes of rural life, if in a somewhat abstract and purely musical way.
Goat Host in particular is a great track with some incredibly talented instrument wielding.
The title Goat Host is up for interpretation, although a goat host would simply be a lot of goats—something common to houses on the prairie!
Kiss the Go-Goat – Ghost
In this Ghost track from their YouTube miniseries, we hear the story of someone who falls in love with the devil.
The devil in this song appears as a goat, as he often does, and the song was meant to be interpreted as a satire on the way the band has been viewed.
They often had to battle allegations of Satan worship and association, so they used this song to play on that myth.
The song was recorded in the 60s, but not formally released until 2019.
Goats are often the subjects of songs, then, or at least feature in many popular songs.
They serve a variety of literal and symbolic functions, and are often used in relation to satanic imagery.
At the same time, they are also often just appreciated for what they are by songwriters.
They are friendly, good-natured farm animals, and almost everyone loves hanging around with them from time to time.
If you’ve been looking for some in-roads into new kinds of music, then any one of these songs is a good place to start.
If you’re feeling really adventurous, why not put some or all of these songs into a single playlist and just let it go?
You’ll have a great time and you may discover some new music that you never knew you loved.