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The National — England
Album: High Violet
Avg rating:
7.2

Your rating:
Total ratings: 507









Released: 2010
Length: 5:36
Plays (last 30 days): 0
Summer sent a runner through the weather that I'm under for the feeling that I lost today
Summer sent a runner for the feeling that I lost today
Summer sent a runner through the weather that I'm under for the feeling that I lost today
Summer sent a runner for the feeling that I lost today

You must be somewhere in London
You must be loving your life in the rain
You must be somewhere in London
Walking Abbey Lane

I don't even think to make, I don't even think to make
I don't even think to make corrections

Famous angels never come through England
England gets the ones you never need
I'm in a Los Angeles cathedral
Minor singing airheads sing for me

Put an ocean and a river between everybody else, between everything, yourself, and home
Put an ocean and a river between everything, yourself, and home

You must be somewhere in London
You must be loving your life in the rain
You must be somewhere in London
Walking Abbey Lane

I don't even think to make, I don't even think to make
I don't even think to make corrections

Famous angels never come through England
England gets the ones you never need
I'm in a Los Angeles cathedral
Minor singing airheads sing for me

Afraid of the heights, stay the night with the sinners
Afraid of the heights, stay the night with the sinners
Afraid of the heights 'cause they're desperate to entertain

(Repeat x4)
Comments (57)add comment
this band never disappoints
(at being total dog shit)
 althuism wrote:

Saw them at the Ryman in Nashville last Sunday. One of the best shows I have been to in a while. I love this song!



SORRY, you need to get out more
 rdo wrote:
The most cryptic lyrics I have heard in some time.  All I can pick up clearly is "England" and "London" and then the rest is mumbling. 

Still, I LOVE IT!

 
That model worked for REM for years...
The most cryptic lyrics I have heard in some time.  All I can pick up clearly is "England" and "London" and then the rest is mumbling. 

Still, I LOVE IT!
His voice reminds me of Mark Knopfler.
 Papernapkin wrote:
A bit worn out by the limited number of songs here and the constant playing of The National, Talking Heads, Mark Knoffler, Neko Case, and The Dead. Heading over to Pandora.
 
  Bye, bye!   {#Wave} ...oh, and don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Heard this song twice, already love it.
 Papernapkin wrote:
A bit worn out. Heading over to Pandora.
 
Yes, you go have a nap at your girlfriend's place. {#Sleep} We''ll call you when your favorite TV show comes on....{#No}.

 Papernapkin wrote:
A bit worn out by the limited number of songs here and the constant playing of The National, Talking Heads, Mark Knoffler, Neko Case, and The Dead. Heading over to Pandora.
 
Gee and Pandora is not repetitive at all...nothing like music that all sounds the same.


Shades of Blues — Moody Blues that is. ;-)  I only caught the tail end of it, but something about the sound reminded me of the Moody Blues.

 gortacleva wrote:
Funny thing for me is that whenever I see the thumbnail of the High Violet album cover, I think it's a map. Of England. That's been going on since before I heard this song. Which I just bumped to 9. Love it!

{#Umbrella}
 
Squints. . . looks out of the corner of one eye. . . then the other. . . leans back. . . then looks real close. . . 

England? Are we on the same island?
Saw them at the Ryman in Nashville last Sunday. One of the best shows I have been to in a while. I love this song!
{#Sleep}
Great show in Pittsburgh Saturday the 25th.  Crowd was pretty crazy after some "prompting" by Berninger. 
Funny thing for me is that whenever I see the thumbnail of the High Violet album cover, I think it's a map. Of England. That's been going on since before I heard this song. Which I just bumped to 9. Love it!

{#Umbrella}
Thank you!  I ended up giving this CD to everybody on my crew.  We did it on Saturday; ~11 miles, 5 hours 18 minutes.  Then I took a very long nap.  {#Sleep}
 
MojoJojo wrote:
Cool.  You have created a mental image that I will henceforth associate with this song.  Very apt. 

Fare thee well in all thy swimething.  Swim!  Swim like the wind!

 

"Flavour the hops stay the night with the city"? At least, that's what I heard until I was claimed by the arms of Morpheus and went into a microsleep {#Sleep}
 madra wrote:
So... I've spent the last10 months training for a marathon swim.  This whole album is great, and is somehow the perfect pace for swimming... great for watching the bubbles passing beneath me in the lake on my training swims (I don't know if that's a great endorsement for you land-based animals).  Musically, this particular song is how I envision the actual swim:  We're starting among the trees, early in the morning when the world is quiet.  It takes me a bit to warm up and find my pace.  The music builds as the sun comes up, and I get stronger as my shoulders loosen.  The brass section rises as we swim through the middle of the city, and the end of the song captures how (I think) it will feel to finish, hours later, with friends waiting on the beach.  Hate all you want, but every time I hear this song, I can feel the whole thing and I get so excited. 
 
thanks for writing this. i enjoyed reading it. the world is full of haters and lovers and we meet in-between!! the yin and the yang, you know?

myself, i was never comfortable in the water.

{#Crowded}
 madra wrote:
So... I've spent the last10 months training for a marathon swim.  This whole album is great, and is somehow the perfect pace for swimming... great for watching the bubbles passing beneath me in the lake on my training swims (I don't know if that's a great endorsement for you land-based animals).  Musically, this particular song is how I envision the actual swim:  We're starting among the trees, early in the morning when the world is quiet.  It takes me a bit to warm up and find my pace.  The music builds as the sun comes up, and I get stronger as my shoulders loosen.  The brass section rises as we swim through the middle of the city, and the end of the song captures how (I think) it will feel to finish, hours later, with friends waiting on the beach.  Hate all you want, but every time I hear this song, I can feel the whole thing and I get so excited. 
 
Cool.  You have created a mental image that I will henceforth associate with this song.  Very apt. 

Fare thee well in all thy swimething.  Swim!  Swim like the wind!

So... I've spent the last10 months training for a marathon swim.  This whole album is great, and is somehow the perfect pace for swimming... great for watching the bubbles passing beneath me in the lake on my training swims (I don't know if that's a great endorsement for you land-based animals).  Musically, this particular song is how I envision the actual swim:  We're starting among the trees, early in the morning when the world is quiet.  It takes me a bit to warm up and find my pace.  The music builds as the sun comes up, and I get stronger as my shoulders loosen.  The brass section rises as we swim through the middle of the city, and the end of the song captures how (I think) it will feel to finish, hours later, with friends waiting on the beach.  Hate all you want, but every time I hear this song, I can feel the whole thing and I get so excited. 


 Papernapkin wrote:
A bit worn out by the limited number of songs here and the constant playing of The National, Talking Heads, Mark Knoffler, Neko Case, and The Dead. Heading over to Pandora.
 

I agree, but that's nothing compared to the Snow Patrol barrage that we had last summer/fall..

Man the lyrics in this song are completely mindless. Sounds like your drunk cousin babbling with his head over the bowl. The music's ok but it way too elevatorish - just gentle and inoffensive. If I want to hear mindless leftist psychobabble I definitely prefer the energy of rage against the machine — equally mindless and uneducated but at least there's a bit of a bite to it!!

I like this song, and two or three other songs off the album are very good in isolation, but the album itself is a bit boring when considered as a whole.  

As for the band in general, it is better live in my opinion if only because its members apparently feel free, then, to actually rock out.  

 

 contractor07 wrote:
Best album of 2010 so far imho {#Mrgreen}
 

Number 40 in Amazon's top 100, I was fairly shocked to see that.  They deserve it.
OK, so I know I just commented the other day but I just LOVE this song. {#Hearteyes}
Best album of 2010 so far imho {#Mrgreen}
 Papernapkin wrote:
A bit worn out by the limited number of songs here and the constant playing of The National, Talking Heads, Mark Knoffler, Neko Case, and The Dead. Heading over to Pandora.
 
Maybe you should get out a little bit.


Someone send a runner through the weather that I'm under for the feeling that I lost today
Love the feeling of this song.

 Papernapkin wrote:
A bit worn out by the limited number of songs here and the constant playing of The National, Talking Heads, Mark Knoffler, Neko Case, and The Dead. Heading over to Pandora.
 

Don't let the door hit you on the way out.
A bit worn out by the limited number of songs here and the constant playing of The National, Talking Heads, Mark Knoffler, Neko Case, and The Dead. Heading over to Pandora.
 teapot wrote:


C'mon floydoftherock! There's no need to insult people because you don't happen to like a certain band.
 
hehe I like to kill two birds!!

And I didn't think it was reaaaally that insulting. Just a gentle jab. {#Hungry}
floydoftherocks wrote:
Easy listening for pretentious leftists.... 
chyk5 wrote:


I see that the occupation listed in your profile is spot on!
 

Yep!  He's livin' the dream.

This latest album by The National is a giant leap forward for them, based on the selections played here.  I have to get this.
 floydoftherocks wrote:
Easy listening for pretentious leftists....
 

C'mon floydoftherock! There's no need to insult people because you don't happen to like a certain band.
 shutter wrote:
Just got the best balcony seats for their show in Pittsburgh in September.  Looking forward to the show.
 

I hope you enjoy them! :-)
 chyk5 wrote:


I see that the occupation listed in your profile is spot on!
 
hehe!! that made me laugh.. love it.

-F

 floydoftherocks wrote:
Easy listening for pretentious leftists....
 

I see that the occupation listed in your profile is spot on!
These guys have a 'sound' that is really catchy. I like it.
Easy listening for pretentious leftists....
Just got the best balcony seats for their show in Pittsburgh in September.  Looking forward to the show.
Saw these guys in concert for the first time recently. I had no expectations going into the evening, and I was SO blown away by their performance that I left shaking my head in wonder. Talented band, charismatic front-man, powerful performance, interesting songs. Just phenomenal.
Good drummer.
 Cynaera wrote:
I think I'ma have to max out my credit card again and buy this CD.  Love it!{#Dancingbanana_2}
 
Dude, if your credit card only has $15 left before it's maxed, I hate to break it to you, but it's already maxed.

I really like these guy's style.


...kind of opens with a sufjan stevens vibe...
 Bluesgrrl wrote:
I LUUUUV Matt's voice{#Hearteyes}
 

I do not.{#No} Quite frankly, his voice is the main stumbling block to liking this band.
Now that I have heard the whole album, I can say that this is one of my least favorite tracks on the whole CD. The National are just not my cup o' tea except for Bloodbuzz Ohio and Vanderlye Crybaby Geeks, those songs are ok.
I think I'ma have to max out my credit card again and buy this CD.  Love it!{#Dancingbanana_2}
I LUUUUV Matt's voice{#Hearteyes}
I love this whole CD. Their best work so far.

Every song I hear from this CD is somehow "compelling" — so glad you're playing it here!
wow{#Yell}
 mcklein18 wrote:

Yes!!! finally first on a comment thread.
 
Or not.


 mcklein18 wrote:

Yes!!! finally first on a comment thread. I have seen these guys several times in new york city. They play a lovely, tight intense and sparse show. I recognized their sound immediately but feel this reaches even further into a moody, searching tone that is moving. {#Undecided}
His lyrical phrasing can be jarring at times and this is more pleasing to ear while still having a weighty expressiveness
 

Sorry about that - I was just being a spoiler. Your comment deserves the first spot.

I agree re: the jarring lyrical passages. Love that.

Yes!!! finally first on a comment thread. I have seen these guys several times in new york city. They play a lovely, tight intense and sparse show. I recognized their sound immediately but feel this reaches even further into a moody, searching tone that is moving. {#Undecided}
His lyrical phrasing can be jarring at times and this is more pleasing to ear while still having a weighty expressiveness
Nice one!
"Hurry, hurry, step right up!"

This whole CD is sounding pretty good so far btw!
Hurry!