| The National – American Mary Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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I agree with Shimi. I think this song is about a relationship that has ended and the protagonist is addressing his former lover. To me it seems that the lover did certain things in the relationship that over time cause the protagonist to lose his feelings for her. I think the line "i didn't try to take your love away i just never knew i had it..." Suggests that at one point he was very fond of her but felt that she did not care for him based on how he was treated. Now sometime later, he has collected himself and decided that this relationship is not right and loses his love for this person. It is at this point where the woman realizes that she has lost him and she wants him back. But it is too late and there is nothing she can do to change it because he has made his decision. Throughout the song there is an emphasis on the breakup not being out of spite of revenge but that it is the right thing to do and that if he was able to fall back in love, he would. But he can't. |
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| The National – Anna Freud Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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This song is about a girl from a small town who is trying to prove herself to the people around her by becoming a beauty queen and entering a Miss America type contest. She has a friend in her town who believes in her as she is but she can't get past the opinions of the strangers in her town that want to use her to get attention to themselves. They support her as long as she is on top but will abandon her if she fails. I think in the end she is defeated by the process and pressure, meanwhile the one person who believes in her and who's opinion probably matters the most is just left waiting. I love the line "your independent declaration sounded too much like a prayer". I think it sums up her outcome of failure. She spent her time and effort convincing herself that she can be what the people around her want but deep down her declarations to be a success are a prayer that she probably won't realize. As far as the title. It is a reference to Anna Freud, the daughter of Sigmund Freud. Anna was instrumental in the field of child developmental psychology. I think the line "Anna Freud no confidence in Anna. In Anna Freud" refers to the fact that the girl in this song couldn't beat the psychology of her situation and how her environment had shaped her personality. |
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| The National – Available Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| I think this song is about a relationship between a woman and man where the woman isn't able to attract the man's attention in the way that she wants. She then resorts to dolling herself up, inviting him over, getting him drunk and having sex. The man doesn't seem to dislike her personally but more so the situation she creates through her behavior. The man doesn't want to intentionally hurt her and the yelling at the end is him expressing his frustration because she is most likely upset that their physical encounterS didn't amount to what she wants. I think he feels tricked into coming over for one thing and now it is turning into something else. In the end, her offering herself to him physically even thought it won't amount to anything is what makes her available. The man will keep coming over for the sex and she will continue to hope/wish/try to make it more. The underlying theme to me is what people will do due to insecurities. | |
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