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/
Theory of the Crows
The National Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the united states
Bright white on both sides
Like a plate
Nobody listens
Nobody should
It'd be a waste of attention
To buy a PC
So I come in this weekend
Asleep on my feet
And if I forget you
Ill have nobody left to forget
I guess thats what assholes get
Traded my day light
For a career
But I need you to disprove
My theory of the crows
Pouring my fingers across the keys
Will someone review my salary please?
Im selling my time to the man who sells style
That time should be mine to waste on you
Ill suck off investors
Ill suck off VCs
Im losing my posture from time on my knees
They treat me so well
Cause I'll do anything
Its in my nature of service
But ill need you to disprove
My theory of the crows
Kids of the wealthy are raised by the poor
You send daughters to los angelos and new york
I need mine to see me
When I wake up
I need mine to know
That im what they come to
When they come home
The lyrics of The National's Theory of the Crows talk about the themes of loneliness, desperation, and the bitter realization that sometimes, no matter how much you suck up to people or strive to be successful, life will never be the way you want it to be. The opening lines suggest that people who are perceived as weak, or crybabies, are usually ignored or misunderstood in society, and that it would be pointless to try to get attention. This feeling of hopelessness is further emphasized through the lyrics "Not enough money to buy a PC, so I come in this weekend, asleep on my feet." It seems like the singer is working so hard to make ends meet that they have forgotten how to live outside their job.
The song also talks about the idea of selling one's time, energy, and dignity to the corporate world in exchange for money and status. The line "Traded my daylight for a career" denotes that the singer has given up on pursuing their passions or spending time with their loved ones because they feel compelled to achieve material success. However, despite all this, the singer still holds onto the belief that there might be someone out there who can save them from their misery, evident in the lines "But I need you to disprove my theory of the crows."
Overall, Theory of the Crows is a poignant commentary on the modern-day struggles of unfulfilled dreams, the loss of innocence, and the dangers of prioritizing success over personal fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
Where crybabies cry
The place where weak people go to complain and express their emotions.
In the united states
Referring to America, the country where this takes place.
Bright white on both sides
A comparison to a white plate, suggesting that everything is plain and uninteresting.
Like a plate
Continuing the previous metaphor, stating that everything is dull and unsatisfying.
Nobody listens
People ignore those who are weak and complain too much.
Nobody should
It is not worth wasting your attention on these people.
It'd be a waste of attention
Reiterating the point that the crying people are not worth listening to.
Not enough money
Lacking financial resources to acquire certain things, such as a computer.
To buy a PC
Desiring a personal computer but not being able to afford it.
So I come in this weekend
Taking a weekend job to earn some extra money.
Asleep on my feet
Feeling exhausted and drained from working tirelessly all day.
And if I forget you
If I lose touch with you or our relationship fades away.
Ill have nobody left to forget
There will be no one left in my life worth remembering or cherishing memories of.
I guess thats what assholes get
Sarcastically stating that this is a consequence of being a bad person or making poor choices.
Traded my day light
Sacrificing leisure time and normal daylight hours for work.
For a career
Choosing to pursue a professional career instead of enjoying time off.
But I need you to disprove
Asking someone to prove me wrong.
My theory of the crows
A personal hypothesis or idea that the person wants to be challenged or disproven.
Pouring my fingers across the keys
Typing on a keyboard or computer.
Will someone review my salary please?
Asking for a salary increase or to be evaluated based on work performance.
Im selling my time to the man who sells style
Working for a company that values appearance or fashion rather than substance or quality.
That time should be mine to waste on you
Believing that time spent with loved ones or romantic partners is more valuable than working for a company that doesn't appreciate or respect you.
Ill suck off investors
Desperately trying to please investors or those with financial power.
Ill suck off VCs
Similarly, attempting to gain favor and approval from venture capitalists.
Im losing my posture from time on my knees
Kneeling for too long becomes exhausting and uncomfortable, causing physical discomfort and exhaustion.
They treat me so well
The company or higher-ups may treat them well due to the effort and sacrifice they make to appease them.
Cause I'll do anything
Willing to go to great lengths or extremes to gain approval or financial support.
Its in my nature of service
Believing that it is their natural role to serve and prioritize the needs of others before their own.
Kids of the wealthy are raised by the poor
Wealthy children may lack a true sense of perspective and understanding of the working class or impoverished individuals and their struggles.
You send daughters to los angelos and new york
Referring to wealthy parents who may send their children to the big cities for education or cultural exposure.
I need mine to see me
Wanting children to grow up with a strong connection and relationship with the parent.
When I wake up
Desiring children to understand and appreciate the sacrifices and hard work that their parents went through.
I need mine to know
Reiterating the importance of the children acknowledging and valuing their parent's efforts and sacrifices.
That im what they come to
Implying that the parent is the one that their children need for support and guidance.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Aaron Dessner, Matthew D. Berninger
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind