I'm in the city you hated
My eyes have fallen
Counting the clicks with the living dead
My eyes are red

I'm in the crush and I hate it
My eyes have fallen
I'm having trouble inside my skin
I'll try to keep my skeletons in

Is it weird to be back in the south?
And can they even tell
That the city girl was ever there or anywhere?

I'm having trouble inside my skin
I'll try to keep my skeletons in
I'll be a friend and a fuck-up and everything
But I'll never be
Anything you ever want me to be

I keep coming back here where everything slipped, ah-ah-ah
But I will not spill my guts out, ah
I keep coming back here where everything slipped, ah-ah-ah
But I will not spill my guts out, ah, ah

I don't need any help to be breakable, believe me
I know nobody else who can laugh along to any kind of joke
I won't need any help to be lonely when you leave me

It'll be easy to cover
Gather my skeletons far inside
It'll be summer in Dallas
Before I realize, ah

I don't want you to grieve but I want you to sympathize, alright
I can't blame you for losing your mind for a little while, so did I
I don't want you to change but I want you to recognize, that I

It'll be easy to cover
Gather your skeletons far inside
It'll be summer in Dallas before you realize
That I'll never be
Anything you ever want me to be

I keep coming back here where everything slipped, ah-ah-ah
But I will not spill my guts out, ah
I keep coming back here where everything slipped, ah-ah-ah
But I will not spill my guts out, ah, ah

Overall Meaning

The National's song "Slipped" reflects on a person's struggle with their own emotions and inner demons while being in the midst of an unwelcoming environment that they once escaped. The opening lines "I'm in the city you hated / My eyes have fallen" set the tone of distress and discomfort that the singer is feeling. They feel trapped and suffocated in this place that feels like it rejects them, counting every passing moment with a sense of hopelessness that drains them out.

As the song progresses, the singer questions their own identity and wonder if anyone could ever recognize or understand them for who they are. They claim to have trouble inside their skin, struggling to be comfortable with themselves. The line "I'll be a friend and a fuck-up and everything / But I'll never be / Anything you ever want me to be" reflects the idea that they might comply with others' expectations to some extent but will not compromise their true self.

The chorus of the song, "I keep coming back here where everything slipped, ah-ah-ah / But I will not spill my guts out, ah," talks about a cycle of returning to this place of discomfort over and over again but not giving into the urge of breaking down emotionally. The singer finds a way to "cover", archiving their skeletons inside and hopes to get through it alone.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm in the city you hated
I'm in a place you despised

My eyes have fallen
I'm experiencing exhaustion

Counting the clicks with the living dead
I'm surrounded by individuals who appear to be alive but don't appear to be living life to the fullest

My eyes are red
My eyes are bloodshot, possibly due to crying or lack of sleep

I'm in the crush and I hate it
I'm surrounded by a large group of people, and I'm not enjoying it

I'm having trouble inside my skin
I'm experiencing turmoil and anxiety that's difficult to manage

I'll try to keep my skeletons in
I'll attempt to hide my insecurities and fears

Is it weird to be back in the south?
Is it strange to have returned to the southern region of the United States?

And can they even tell
Will it be immediately apparent to those in the southern region?

That the city girl was ever there or anywhere?
Will they be aware that a person from the city visited the southern region?

I'll be a friend and a fuck-up and everything
I'll be supportive and amenable but flawed and troublesome at times

But I'll never be anything you ever want me to be
But I'll never be the person you desire me to be

I don't need any help to be breakable, believe me
I'm vulnerable enough on my own

I know nobody else who can laugh along to any kind of joke
I'm able to find humor in anything

I won't need any help to be lonely when you leave me
I don't need assistance to feel lonely when you depart

It'll be easy to cover
It will be simple to conceal

Gather my skeletons far inside
To keep my insecurities and fears hidden deep within me

It'll be summer in Dallas
It will be warm in Dallas, Texas

Before I realize, ah
Before I realize time has passed

I don't want you to grieve but I want you to sympathize, alright
I don't want you to be sad, but I would appreciate your understanding

I can't blame you for losing your mind for a little while, so did I
I don't hold you responsible for briefly losing your composure, as I've experienced the same

I don't want you to change but I want you to recognize, that I
I don't want you to alter yourself, but I want you to acknowledge that I

It'll be easy to cover
It will be simple to conceal

Gather your skeletons far inside
Keep your insecurities and fears hidden deep within you

It'll be summer in Dallas before you realize
It will be warm in Dallas before you perceive the passage of time

That I'll never be anything you ever want me to be
That I'll never be the person you desire me to be

I keep coming back here where everything slipped, ah-ah-ah
I continue to return to this place where everything I thought I knew shattered

But I will not spill my guts out, ah
However, I won't be divulging my innermost thoughts and feelings

But I will not spill my guts out, ah, ah
But I won't be disclosing my emotional baggage

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