The National

The National The National Lyrics
1.Son

And if you follow me, son
The window wrap around you
Carry from the ground
You will never be alone

You wait one turn to sunlight
That's falling on a girl
You're still outside the world

She's reading books from empty women
They're givin' beauty tips from empty hips

And how is the water of the rain?
And how is the air of the wind?
And how are the arms of your mother
She's holding you in?

Watch them as they try to fly
Their kites inside their bedrooms
That were only built for drinking
Your thoughts, they never lasted long
When you were under the sky
Above it you can hold a thought forever

And how is the water of the rain?
And how is the air of the wind?
And how are the arms of your mother
She's holding you in?

And how is the water of the rain?
And how is the air of the wind?
And how are the arms of your mother
She's holding you in?


2.Anna Freud

Everyone is watching
But nobody is watching for you
I don't wanna turn it on
It only makes me sad for you

I know you can play piano
That was just a talent show
I've never known you like I know you
I never wanted you to go

You're on the rocks in a two piece suit
The dead location of the dying suit
You gave Lawrence a big salute

Texas brought them to their knees
Indiana pushes you on the stairs
Your independent declaration
Sounded too much like a prayer

But I'll wake up and wait there for you
I'll wait there for you

Anna Freud
No confidence in Anna
Anna Freud

Remember what they said to you
Everyone will know us now
We love you, babe, you make us proud
Don't come home without he crowd

Don't come back to long this town
We always knew you'd let us down
Don't come back without the crown

Anna Freud
No confidence in Anna
Anna Freud

But I'll wake up and wait there for you
I'll wait there for you


3.Watching You Well

You stand now, on yourself
A little moon is coming in the room
You stand there still
Like you were in the arms of
Everyone you ever wanted

I was watching you well

I won't stop you, I won't speak
The water on your cheek is the only thing smooth and
I'm ashamed that I'm ashamed of you
Standing in my room, lest more water overtake you

And I was watching you, watching you well

Why won't you leave me quicker?
Why won't you leave me?

I'm ashamed that I'm ashamed of you
For standing in my room, lest more water overtake you

I won't stop you
And I won't speak

Why won't you leave me quicker?
Why won't you leave me?


4.Bitters & Absolut

Sweetie, you don't look so good
Your bottom lip is bleeding
I cut it on your collarbone
Go on, go back to sleep

Sugar, who were you thinking of?
You woke me with your breathing
Honey, how am I supposed to tell?

If I were a spy in the world inside your head
Would I be your wife in a better life you led?

Thought I saw you on the stairs
Of this American century
I went up through all the years
You were years ahead of me

Remember when you dipped your hand?
I never saw it coming
You took the wind out of me

If I were a spy in the world inside your head
Would I be your wife in the better life you led?

I'd do you better than you do
I'd do you better than you ever will
When I am on bitters and Absolut

If I were a spy in the world inside your head
Would I be your wife in a better life you led?

I'd do you better than you do
I'd do you better than you ever will
When I am on bitters and Absolut


5.Theory Of The Crows

Where crybabies cry in the United States
Bright white on both sides like a plate
Nobody listens, nobody should
It'd be a waste of attention

Not enough money to buy a PC
So I come in this weekend, asleep on my feet
And if I forget you, I'll have nobody left to forget
I guess that's 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
I'm selling my time to the man who sells style
That time should be mine to waste on you

I'll suck off investors
I'll suck off VCs

I'm losing my posture from time on my knees
They treat me so well
'Cause I'll do anything
It's in my nature of service

But I'll need you to disprove
My theory of the crows

Kids of the wealthy are raised by the poor
You send daughters to Los Angeles and New York
I need mine to see me when I wake up
I need mine to know that I'm what they come to
When they come home


6.Beautiful Head

You're walking taller than you should
The air is thin around your beautiful head
You're saying things with your mouth to me
That I don't recognize, you're aware of yourself lately

Redefining yourself, designing yourself
You haven't looked at me forever
Got a diagram of your associations
A strategy, you're weighing your options

What would you trade me for?
You're measuring me lately
And I can tell and I can tell I'm losing weight
You're measuring me lately, you're dressing me

Do not tell me I've changed
You're just raising your standards
Do not give me away
I am the same, I am the same

Have you found him?
Have you told him everything?
Does he say he feels bad about all this?
You've shown tenderness for me
Tenderness for me, to him

Do not tell me I've changed
You're just raising your standards
Do not give me away
I am the same, I am the same


7.29 Years

Could you tell me the enchantment
And say goodbye
I met a girl called disillusionment

Could you tell her I made the headlines
Says, 'Boy draws wings on everything'
Could you tell her to check the headlines
Says, 'Boy finds angels in the river'

You know I dreamed about you
For 29 years before I saw you
You know I dreamed about you
I missed you for 29 years

Birds are flying out of water
Underneath the sky
I run up to the rainbow girl
Just to pass her by

I'll never have a change of heart
My swan will never sing
I have no heart, the swan is gone
And now I wear the wings

You know I dreamed about you
For 29 years before I saw you
You know I dreamed about you
I missed you for 29 years

You know I dreamed about you
For 29 years before I saw you
You know I dreamed about you
I missed you for 29 years

You know I dreamed about you
For 29 years before I saw you


8.Pay For Me

I thought I'd come to you
And your long lazy scene
Instate direction, finger on a magazine
I'd call you when I need you
I can't get used to your new name

Send a body double over with your keys
She'll see you in an hour
Everybody quiet please
Essex house is down the road
The actors want to be alone

Your room is still and soft as a jeweler's
Incidental music coming down the hall
Remember when I never had to wait for you at all?
I wish my hands were yours as I lay your keys
On a magazine

Take me to LaGuardia
My baby's gonna pay for me

Bottle from the duty free
I'll drink it all across the sea
Lay me down business class
Headphones and a sleeping mask

She's gonna pay for me
She's gonna pay for me

Brother, I wish you were home
Just tell me you're not alone
Call me back, I'm on a plane
I think I'm somewhere over Spain

I'm in the dark without the stars
I've never seen a black suit dark
Thought I'd be above the rain
Somewhere on a higher plane

Oh brother, I wish you were home
My brother, I wish you were home

Baby, you're asleep by now
You never stayed awake for me
You never waited up for me
No, you never waited up for me!

Now there's nothing I can do
I lost you but I beat the sound
Couldn't if I wanted to
The cogwheel doesn't turn around!

Oh brother, I wish you were home
My baby is in a room alone
My brother, I wish you were home


9.The Perfect Song

Ten years older than I was
What I brought you down to see
What I thought would make you fall in love

Wearing off on our dreams
Someday, man I'm gonna be no different
Than the other rivers

I tried to look at you but I couldn't break the ice
You stood out there for an hour freezing
Put your hand around my back
I guess you thought I needed that

I never try to find you
I hope you don't remember me
I hope your not alone

Wanted me to take you home
You said you'd rather be alone
I never thought of that
Car is warm and we had wine
But I couldn't find the perfect song

Now our furniture for the one with crows feet
And I can't even remember the call
Sometimes I can feel your weight when I close my eyes
Seven times I was under you

I never try to find you
I hope you don't remember me
I hope your not alone

I don't wanna know what your thinking
I'm looking out the window
Just fucking drinking

Shallow frame and shaky sticks
But I know there's a river in me
Shallow minded adult tricks
But I know there's a river in me


10.American Mary

Give my jewels to the army, my silverware and jeans
Give my love to your family, tell them anything
Give yourself to anyone, give yourself away
Don't be a nightingale for anyone's space to fill

If I could, I'd be your star again
Fall across your falling sky

It takes a lot of little rain to make you feel like nothing
Anything, anything you can do, do to me
For everything I did for you nothing
I didn't try to take your love away
I just never knew I had it

There is nothing you can say to ever make me want you
American
There is nothing you can say to ever make me leave you
American
American Mary

If you kiss me, kiss me with your silver eyes
Don't look at me like someone you don't recognize
I didn't try to do this
Your arms around my shoulder blades are useless

There is nothing you can say to ever make me want you
American
There is nothing you can say to ever make me leave you
American
American Mary


11.Cold Girl Fever

Bottle eyes, glassy blue
I watch the rain come out of you
Sky is white with the flu, I'm terrified of losing you
If I go to the sea, I'll bring you down, down with me
If I go to the rain, you'll never see me again

You've got cold girl fever

I promised to leave if you ever went cold
Then leave when I'm sleeping, you told me
Put your spine in your back and your arms in your coat
Don't hold on to me when there's nothing to hold

You've got cold girl fever

It's not what you said but that's what you meant
I'm losing my baby on promises kept
What are you for?
What are you for now that I have hard cold?

You've got cold girl fever


12.John's Star

I wanted to show you John's star
And lay down with you in strawberry fields
You said, 'You're gonna lay down here
You're gonna lay down alone'
I thought I told you I was ruined by the stones

I don't ever want you to come home again
I don't want to hear your call, your voice in my room
I am divine, my arms are stronger than rivers
And when you feel that way, you want to feel that way again
Forever

Once ruined, baby you stay ruined
Yeah, once ruined, baby you stay ruined

Anything is beautiful and I blame you
I woke up in your sheets of rain
And everything you touch around here
You leave a stain

Once ruined, baby you stay ruined
Yeah, once ruined, baby you stay ruined