Their self-titled debut album"The National" (Brassland 2001) was recorded and released before they had played even a single show. They cut the album with engineer Nick Lloyd and formed a label with writer Alec Bemis, so those recordings could be released. Kerrang! magazine gave it four Ks, calling it "the stuff underground legends are made of."
The National made a second album, "Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers" (Brassland/Talitres 2003). The staff was the same, though Peter Katis, who produced "Turn on The Bright Lights" and "Antics" by Interpol, helped produce and mix, and Australian composer Padma Newsome from Clogs collaborated on arrangements and strings.
Following the first session of several for Bernard Lenoir on France's Radio Inter, an in-between EP was released, Cherry Tree, containing what would become the blueprint for the sound on their next record and the session of Sad Song's standout Murder Me Rachael. After these accolades and being impressed by their live show, Roger Trust signed them to Beggars Banquet.
A show at their favorite bar became a van ride to neighboring cities, became a plane ride to Europe, became two summers overseas. Their ties to those good jobs slackened. And they continue on their own path, moving out even further out in Brooklyn to Ditmas Park, where there is space and familiar suburban streets and even Geese on Beverly Road. Their album, "Alligator", much of which was recorded at their homes in Ditmas Park, was engineered by Paul Mahajan, who has worked with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and TV on the Radio. Padma Newsome camped out for a month with the band, and Peter Katis added more production and mixed the record at his house in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Berninger's potent baritone still intones about matters fraught and funny and sad; about record collections, missing persons and medium-sized American hearts. But the record's not simply gothic or miserablist -- more like the plays of Tennessee Williams, it's full of peculiar intimacies and awkward grace. Alligator's heroes are reckless and possessed seducers, but they are apologetic ones. In The National's imaginings, in songs alternately lush and spare, there is something twighlit and dreamy worked out in the basement of our brains.
"Abel," "Secret Meeting," and "Lit Up" were released as singles.
On May 22, 2007, The National released their follow-up to Alligator, Boxer, on Beggars Banquet. Taking advantage of the fact that nobody had heard their first album and earliest demos, Matt proceeded to steal lyrics and melodies from them and give them the attention they deserved while keeping the intimacy that made them special. They even managed to convince new friend Sufjan Stevens to lay down some piano tracks for them, and recorded the album in a scant 6 months after coming off the long post-Alligator road.
"Mistaken for Strangers", "Fake Empire" and "Apartment Story" have been released as singles. The band have just finished touring North America and are on a large European autumn/winter tour after playing high slots at several large festivals. In their Dec. 07/Jan. 08 issue, Paste magazine named Boxer best record of 2007.
The band's fifth album, High Violet, was released on May 10, 2010 by 4AD Records. "Bloodbuzz Ohio", "Anyone's Ghost" and "Terrible Love" were released as singles.
In 2013 their sixth studio record Trouble Will Find Me was released and named "Best New Music" by Pitchfork. The album contained the single "I Need My Girl". In 2015, the album outtake "Sunshine On My Back" was released.
Four years after Trouble Will Find Me, marking the longest timespan between albums in their career so far, they released their seventh album Sleep Well Beast on September 8th, 2017 and were yet again met with great critical success.
The National homepage: http://www.americanmary.com/
The National blog http://tntl.tumblr.com
The National on Twitter http://twitter.com/TheNational
The National on Instagram http://instagram.com/TheNational
Brassland homepage: http://brassland.org/
Beggars Banquet homepage: http://www.beggars.com/
Cherry Tree
The National Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cherry Tree
Lay us out on the table
Your sharp alright
But no one is asking so leave it alone
Leave it alone
No one is asking so leave it alone
Leave it alone
Can we
Loose lips sink ships
Don't Look at me
I'm only breathing
Don't look at me I'm indiscreet
Don't look at me
I'm only breathing
Don't look at me I'm indiscreet
Your sharp alright
But no one is asking so leave it alone
Leave it alone
Can we
No one is asking so leave it alone
Leave it alone
Can we
Loose lips sink ships
Can we show
A little discipline
Can we show
A little discipline
Can we
Can we
Loose lips sink ships
Can we show
A little discipline
Can we show
A little discipline
Can we
Can we
Loose lips sink ships
The song "Cherry Tree" by The National is open to interpretation, but one possible meaning is that it speaks to the fragility of relationships and the necessity of discretion. The lyrics begin with the plea to "take us down and all apart," suggesting a willingness to be vulnerable and exposed. The lines "your sharp alright, but no one is asking so leave it alone" may refer to a harsh truth or criticism, but the singer asks to let it go unsaid. This can be seen as a call to protect the fragility of relationships, acknowledging that words can hurt and divide.
The repeated phrase "loose lips sink ships" reinforces the idea that words and actions can have serious consequences. The image of laying something out "on the table" suggests a willingness to examine and confront difficult truths, but also implies that this can be dangerous. The lines "don't look at me, I'm only breathing" and "don't look at me, I'm indiscreet" suggest a sense of shame or insecurity. The refrain "can we show a little discipline" is a plea for restraint, acknowledging that even well-intentioned impulsiveness can be damaging.
In general, "Cherry Tree" seems to be a poignant reflection on the complexities of human relationships, and the importance of being mindful of how our words and actions impact others.
Line by Line Meaning
Take us down and all apart
Break us apart completely
Cherry Tree
Symbolic of the transient nature of life, that is brief and delicate like the blossoms of a cherry tree
Lay us out on the table
Expose us, show our true selves and vulnerabilities
Your sharp alright
But no one is asking so leave it alone
Leave it alone
Can we
No one is asking so leave it alone
Leave it alone
Can we
Acknowledgement of someone's wit, but asking them to not use it in a harmful or unnecessary manner
Loose lips sink ships
Warns against irresponsible talk, as it can have damaging consequences
Don't Look at me
I'm only breathing
Don't look at me I'm indiscreet
Don't look at me
I'm only breathing
Don't look at me I'm indiscreet
Expressing insecurity and fear of judgment for being too open or honest
Can we show
A little discipline
Can we show
A little discipline
Can we
Asks for self-control and restraint in words and actions
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: PD, ANNA MCGARRIGLE, KATE MCGARRIGLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind