All The Wine is All For Me

This is me, happy as can be, with my National setlist written by Aaron Dessner on a paper towel at the High Violet Annex, Friday, May 14, 2010.

Although they skipped over Abel and All The Wine because the sound quality was too poor for the louder songs, the set was incredible and something I will never forget. Front row, center to see Mr. Berninger is a dream come true for me.

A Real Song About Real Things

It might be strange that I find this to be one of the most romantic songs I've ever heard but I'm a strange person. This is a great song and the lyrics are about a REAL relationship, not the fake garbage Justin Beiber wants us to believe.

Conversation 16 Lyrics by The National

I think the kids are in trouble

Do not know what all the troubles are for
Give them ice for their fevers
You're the only thing I ever want anymore
Live on coffee and flowers
Try not to worry what the weather will be
I figured out what we're missing
I tell you miserable things after you are asleep

Now we'll leave the silver city 'cause all the silver girls
Gave us black dreams
Leave the silver city 'cause all the silver girls
Everything means everything

It's a Hollywood summer
You never believe the shitty thoughts I think
Meet our friends out for dinner
When I said what I said I didn't mean anything
We belong in a movie
Try to hold it together 'til our friends are gone
We should swim in a fountain
Do not want to disappoint anyone

Now we'll leave the silver city 'cause all the silver girls
Gave us black dreams
Leave the silver city to all the silver girls
Everything means everything

I was afraid, I'd eat your brains
I was afraid, I'd eat your brains
'Cause I'm evil
'Cause I'm evil

I'm a confident liar
Had my head in the oven so you'd know where I'll be
I'll try to be more romantic
I want to believe in everything you believe
I was less than amazing
Do not know what all the troubles are for
Fall asleep in your branches
You're the only thing I ever want anymore

Now we'll leave the silver city 'cause all the silver girls
Gave us black dreams
Leave the silver city to all the silver girls
Everything means everything

I was afraid, I'd eat your brains
I was afraid, I'd eat your brains
'Cause I'm evil
'Cause I'm evil
'Cause I'm evil

Matt Berninger, I Love You.

I'm sitting here alone at 3:07am listening to The National through my headphones and thinking that I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I don't know what else there is to say about this band that hasn't been said before - by me. I don't like cults but I'd gladly belong to any cult that had a gentleman with Matt Berninger's voice at the helm. This is otherworldly stuff. My words can't describe what this music is, it needs to be honored in a way my 24 year old brain can't even comprehend. I'm not worthy of this brilliant work - none of us are. I don't know how it's possible.

I'm not even drunk.

I don't know how they created this masterpiece. This is better than Tom Petty's "Wildflowers", my favorite album of all time.

For a more comprehensive review: http://musicmavens.blogspot.com/2010/05/listen-to-this-national-high-violet.html

Favorite tracks so far: Lemonworld, Conversation 16, Runaway, Anyone's Ghost, Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks .... and that's already half of the album.

Two Crushes (My Boyfriend Knows About Both)

I'll just tell you what they are up front: The National and my professor.

There was a crazy storm just now that came out of nowhere. I was walking towards a bus stop at school when suddenly the sky turned gray, rain started fogging up my vision, and wind was trying to lift me off my feet (some of that may be an overdramatization of reality).

The closest place to find shelter was the office of my beloved ex-professor.

In a perfect world: I would've run over to the building, pulled open the door, and ran into the hallway soaking wet and shivering. My gorgeous professor would've suddenly appeared and said, "oh no, you're cold. Let me help you." He would put his arms around me and run his hands through my drenched hair. He'd offer me his jacket and say, "Come into my office. I'm sure we can take care of this..."

In reality: I just walked a little faster to the bus stop and stood under the awning thing until the bus arrived. I was miserable and it was disgusting being on top of a bunch of college students all soaked and smelly.

Luckily, I illegally downloaded the song "Lemonworld" off The National's yet-to-be-released album "High Violet" last night and it has been keeping me company all day. It is all I've listened to on repeat for the past four hours (between classes at least).

After pondering the question for many years, I still don't know what categorizes a particular song as your "favorite" or if there is a reasonable expiration date on said comment but minus the semantics, "Lemonworld" is my favorite song right now.

The lyrics are outrageous in my opinion - really beautiful and almost dead in a very real way. Matt Berninger's delivery of these lyrics is equal parts dry & dead and alive & slippery. I think this would makes sense if you heard the song.

Here's a link to the song, hopefully it works.

Lemonworld Lyrics - The National
The deepest part of the song surprisingly are the "do do do do" areas. It's the way he says it.

So happy I was invited
Give me a reason to get out of the city
See you inside watching swarms on TV
Livin' or dyin' in New York it means nothing to me
I gave my heart to the Army
The only sentimental thing I could think of
With cousins and colors and somewhere overseas
But it'll take a better war to kill a college man like me

I'm too tired to drive anyway, anyway right now
Do you care if I stayed?
You can put on your bathing suits
And I'll try to find somethin' on this thing that means nothin' enough
Losin' my breath, doo doo doo doo doo doo doo
Losin' my breath, doo doo doo doo doo doo doo

You and your sister live in a Lemonworld
I want to sit in and die
You and your sister live in a Lemonworld
Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo
You and your sister live in a Lemonworld
I want to sit in and die
You and your sister live in a Lemonworld
Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo

This pricey stuff makes me dizzy
I guess I've always been a delicate man
Takes me a day to remember a day
I didn't mean to let it get so far out of hand
I was a comfortable kid
But I don't think about it much anymore
Lay me on the table, put flowers in my mouth
And we can say that we invented a summer lovin' torture party

I'm too tired to drive anyway, anyway right now
Do you care if I stayed?
You can put on your bathing suits
And I'll try to find something on this thing that means nothin' enough

You and your sister live in a Lemonworld
I want to sit in and die
You and your sister live in a Lemonworld
Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo
You and your sister live in a Lemonworld
I want to sit in and die
You and your sister live in a Lemonworld
Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo...

Losin' my breath
Doo doo doo doo doo doo...