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/
Driver Surprise Me
The National Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Get him out of your system, and warm your brand new bones.
Sweep him in a shopping bag, call a car and take him slow through NoLIta, driver surprise me.
Any rose red whore, with impeccable taste.
We'll take the place over, and let him go.
Driver surprise me. Whatever works for you.
That's a beautiful name. Can I take it because I don't remember anyone? And nothing reminds me.
I'm a brand new house, red girl swings somewhere else.
Driver surprise me.
Any rose red whore, with impeccable taste. We'll take the place over, let him go.
We'll let him blow in the eyes, we'll let him float in the drinks of the beautiful boys and the beautiful girls.
I'll find her jewelry in my room, I'll find her voice in my mouth.
I'll wear her clothes until she comes home. I'll find her number in my phone.
Driver, darling, driver. Driver, darling, driver. Driver, darling, driver. Let her take me home.
I'll find her jewelry in my room, I'll find her voice in my mouth.
I'll wear her clothes until she comes home.
The meaning behind the lyrics of The National's song "Driver Surprise Me" is beautifully ambiguous. The song could be interpreted in various ways but one of the most common ways is to view it as a song about leaving behind the past and embracing the new beginnings. The ideas of killing the old self, reinventing oneself, and starting anew are prominent in the song. The first verse of the song talks about purging oneself of the past by putting the pervert in a suit, taking him out, and lighting him up. This could be symbolic of burning one's old self and moving on to a new phase of life. The idea of warm brand new bones further emphasizes the idea of being reborn, without any baggage.
The chorus of the song repeats the words, "Driver surprise me", which could be interpreted as a plea to the unknown, to the possibilities of the future. The singer seems to be excited about the prospect of not knowing what's coming next, of the endless possibilities that lie ahead. The lines "I'm brand new and reinvented. Without a scratch, daisy fresh, and arrow straight" further emphasize this idea of a fresh start, with a clean slate.
The second verse of the song talks about finding someone new, taking over the old places, and leaving the past behind. The lines "I'll find her jewelry in my room, I'll find her voice in my mouth. I'll wear her clothes until she comes home" could be interpreted as a symbol of taking on a new identity or perhaps even accepting a new lover. The final chorus with the repeated lyrics "Driver, darling, driver. Let her take me home" could be interpreted as the singer submitting to the unknown and trusting the driver to take them towards a new phase of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Put the pervert in a suit, take him out and light him up.
Eliminate the corrupt man cloaked in respectable attire and celebrate his demise.
Get him out of your system, and warm your brand new bones.
Remove the harmful influence and begin anew with a refreshed perspective.
Sweep him in a shopping bag, call a car and take him slow through NoLIta, driver surprise me.
Dispose of the undesirable figure, take a leisurely drive through New York City's lively NoLIta neighborhood, and find excitement in the unexpected.
Any rose red whore, with impeccable taste.
Choose any attractive and refined companion.
We'll take the place over, and let him go.
Dominate the environment and relinquish control held by the previous occupant.
Driver surprise me. Whatever works for you.
Take control of the course of action and make choices based on personal preferences.
I'm brand new and reinvented. Without a scratch, daisy fresh and arrow straight.
Experience a rebirth, physically unblemished and spiritually renewed.
That's a beautiful name. Can I take it because I don't remember anyone? And nothing reminds me.
Comment on an attractive name while admitting difficulty in recalling anyone or anything.
I'm a brand new house, red girl swings somewhere else.
Metaphorically transform into a fresh dwelling, while a former lover moves on.
Any rose red whore, with impeccable taste. We'll take the place over, let him go.
Reinforce the notion of taking control and releasing previous ownership.
We'll let him blow in the eyes, we'll let him float in the drinks of the beautiful boys and the beautiful girls.
Demonstrate the ease with which the previously eliminated individual can be replaced within the social scene.
I'll find her jewelry in my room, I'll find her voice in my mouth.
Memorialize a former lover through scattered possessions and lingering memories.
I'll wear her clothes until she comes home. I'll find her number in my phone.
Continue to long for the return of the former lover through a physical connection and access to their contact information.
Driver, darling, driver. Driver, darling, driver. Driver, darling, driver. Let her take me home.
Request for the driver to transport the singer to their desired destination, where they yearn for a reunion with their former lover.
Contributed by Bailey H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.