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/
Slipping Husband
The National Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're acting like a kid
We don't want to hear about
The things you never did
You could've been a legend
But you became a father
That's what you are today
Spending all your time
Somewhere inside your head
Haunted by the important
Life you could've lead
But your kisses aren't enough
To keep your kids in line
So you better straighten out yourself
And give your baby time
'Cause if you don't give her what she needs
She'll get it where she can
'Cause she's lonely man
Don't. don't leave yourself alone for too many days
Sooner than you know your gonna start slipping
You'll end up talking to the ghost
Of your wife as if you knew her
Your eyes will put her everywhere
And spending all your time
Somewhere inside your head
Haunted by the important
Life you could've lead
You'll fuck yourself to clear your head
You'll close your door and go to bed
You'll try to sleep without a dream
'Cause that's where she finds you
Yeah, that's where she finds you
Don't leave yourself alone for too many days
'Cause sooner than you know your gonna start slipping
Dear we better get a drink in you
Before you start to bore us
Dear we better get a drink in you
Before you start to bore us
Dear we better get a drink in you
Before you start to bore us
Dear we better get a drink in you
Before you start to bore us
"Don't forget the alcohol ooh baby, ooh baby, ooh baby, ooh baby, ooh baby"
The National's song Slipping Husband is a track that discusses the challenges of balancing personal ambition with familial responsibilities. The opening lines of the song depict a conversation between a couple, with one partner admonishing the other for behaving immaturely. The partner who is being scolded is portrayed as having unrealized potential, as someone who had lofty dreams but ultimately became a father instead. The song suggests that the main character regrets his decision to abandon his own goals for the sake of his family, as he is now haunted by the idea of what could have been. However, he realizes that he cannot simply continue to exist inside his own head, and that he must "straighten out himself" if he wants to be a good parent.
The lyrics also touch upon themes of loneliness and the perils of self-isolation. The chorus warns the main character not to "leave [him]self alone for too many days," as doing so will cause him to "start slipping." This can be interpreted both literally (as in descending into madness) and metaphorically (as in losing touch with oneself and one's surroundings). The song even implies that the main character might begin to have hallucinations, as he will "end up talking to the ghost of [his] wife as if [he] knew her."
Overall, Slipping Husband is a poignant exploration of the challenges that can arise when one tries to reconcile one's own personal ambitions with the obligations of family life. The lyrics are raw and emotional, and are set to a haunting, melancholic melody that perfectly captures the song's themes.
Line by Line Meaning
Sit down dear we gotta talk
Let's have a serious conversation
You're acting like a kid
You're behaving immaturely
We don't want to hear about The things you never did
Don't make excuses for your shortcomings
You could've been a legend
You had potential for greatness
But you became a father
Your responsibilities shifted towards being a parent
That's what you are today
Your current role is as a parent
Spending all your time Somewhere inside your head
You're lost in your own thoughts
Haunted by the important Life you could've lead
You regret the path not taken
But your kisses aren't enough To keep your kids in line
You need to be a more present and responsible parent
So you better straighten out yourself And give your baby time
You need to work on yourself and prioritize your child's needs
'Cause if you don't give her what she needs She'll get it where she can 'Cause she's lonely man
If you don't give your child the love and attention she needs, she'll seek it elsewhere
Don't. don't leave yourself alone for too many days Sooner than you know your gonna start slipping
Don't isolate yourself or you'll spiral into a negative mindset
You'll end up talking to the ghost Of your wife as if you knew her Your eyes will put her everywhere
You'll become consumed with past memories and long for what you've lost
You'll fuck yourself to clear your head You'll close your door and go to bed You'll try to sleep without a dream 'Cause that's where she finds you Yeah, that's where she finds you
You'll resort to destructive behaviors to numb your pain and avoid facing reality
Dear we better get a drink in you Before you start to bore us
We need to get you drunk to tolerate your behavior
Don't forget the alcohol ooh baby, ooh baby, ooh baby, ooh baby, ooh baby
Alcohol is a temporary escape from your problems
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Aaron Dessner, Bryan Devendorf, Bryce Dessner, Matthew D. Berninger, Scott D. Devendorf
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind