Slow Show

The National

Standing at the punch table, swallowing punch
Can't pay attention to the sound of anyone
A little more stupid, a little more scared
Every minute, more unprepared

I made a mistake in my life today
Everything I love gets lost in the drawers
I want to start over, I want to be winning
Way out of sync from the beginning

I wanna hurry home to you
Put on a slow, dumb show for you and crack you up
So you can put a blue ribbon on my brain
God, I'm very, very frightened, I'll overdo it

Looking for somewhere to stand and stay
I leaned on the wall and the wall leaned away
Can I get a minute of not being nervous
And not thinking of my dick?

My leg is sparkles, my leg is pins
I better get my shit together, better gather my shit in
You could drive a car through my head in five minutes
From one side of it to the other

I wanna hurry home to you
Put on a slow, dumb show for you and crack you up
So you can put a blue ribbon on my brain
God, I'm very, very frightened, I'll overdo it

You know I dreamed about you
For twenty-nine years before I saw you
You know I dreamed about you
I missed you for, for twenty-nine years

You know I dreamed about you
For twenty-nine years before I saw you
You know I dreamed about you
I missed you for, for twenty-nine years


Lyrics submitted by lampada, edited by marsattack, mfinn

Slow Show Lyrics as written by Aaron Brooking Dessner Bryce David Dessner

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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Slow Show song meanings
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82 Comments

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  • +15
    General CommentIt’s about someone who’s really uncomfortable in public around people, maybe a little a-social and there’s a girl who makes him feel normal, loved and comfortable. He feels out of place, like he doesn’t fit where he is, he probably feels embarrassed, a little like an alien. And he wants to go home to that one person he can be himself around and feel good about it. That one person that makes him feel normal and sane. He’s been dreaming of having this person in his life since he was born, probably referring to a life full of insecurities and doubts about people and he found the person who finally understands him and accepts him.
    jahjahjehon May 14, 2008   Link
  • +13
    General CommentI think Slow Show relates to the fact that the woman may be more educated than this man. The man, feeling very insecure, feels the constant need to clown his way into the heart of his girl, lest she become bored. And he is afraid afraid of over doing it and becoming the silly idiot he himself thinks he is. I think he is also so very in love with her, and afraid that she will find out he is the fraud he thinks he is...
    beanbag01on January 21, 2008   Link
  • +9
    General CommentThis song is about feeling inadequate in every area of your life except your relationship. It's about being in love with the way the person you love makes you feel.

    "I made a mistake in my life today," "I want to start over, I want to be winning" "I leaned on the wall and the wall leaned away" "I better get my shit together, better gather my shit in" - not being good enough, feeling awkward, not feeling like you're living up to your potential.

    "I wanna hurry home to you
    put on a slow, dumb show for you
    and crack you up
    so you can put a blue ribbon on my brain
    god I'm very, very frightening
    I'll overdo it"

    But it's all worth it to come home at the end of the day to someone who accepts you for exactly who you are. Even if you don't have any moves... :) She makes him feel smart and sexy, the opposite of how he feels around other people.

    "I missed you for
    for twenty-nine years"

    Gorgeous. It's how The National says "You complete me."

    heardithereon September 12, 2009   Link
  • +4
    My OpinionThis song is pretty much about someone with zero self-esteem who is in love with someone. He sucks at relationships (everything I love gets lost in drawers) and he has never had a chance to really stay with someone for a long period of time... most likely because he is his own worst enemy.

    So he knows he is a fuck up. He wants to still go home to this girl he loves because he seeks approval from her... he cares way too much about what this girl thinks of him. He already knows he will try too hard. He will say something stupid. He knows that this relationship is doomed. But only because he is so unsure of every single thing that he does.

    It seems like at the end he cuts the BS and just comes clean about how he feels. Doesn't over do it and just simply states "You know I dreamed about you for 29 years, before I saw you." The song is him realizing that he isn't such a fuck up and that he knows how he feels and he just has to be honest rather than put on a show for her.
    thatsboxyon February 12, 2013   Link
  • +4
    My InterpretationA love song. I think this is about a man in love, perhaps for the first time.

    He's awkward and desperately wants approval from the person he's in love with (to give him a 'blue ribbon'). He also sees her as his sanctuary from the world, all he wants to do is go home and be with her and make her laugh.

    He's afraid he's going to blow it - "God I'm very, very frightening, I'll overdo it" - because he wants to impress her SO much, and can't think of anything else, and can't find peace in normal social situations.

    "Can I get a minute of not being nervous
    And not thinking of my dick?"

    And

    "You could drive a car through my head in five minutes
    From one side of it to the other"

    And she (I'm just assuming it's a she) is perhaps the love of his life, the one he always dreamed to find. And it scares him.

    You know I dreamed about you
    For twenty-nine years before I saw you
    You know I dreamed about you
    I missed you for, for twenty-nine years

    Just a beautiful song.
    crookedlegson June 21, 2013   Link
  • +3
    General CommentYou know I dreamed about you
    for twenty-nine years before I saw you

    There just seems so much ache and half joy in this line I can't even catch my breath. I imagine him naked on the edge of his bed cock flailing writing this on the back of a cigarette pack.
    powderfinger01on May 03, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Commentthe national is so damn good
    jasono52on April 20, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment"i leaned on the wall and the wall leaned away"

    i know it's kind of lame just to quote what's already been quoted above...but jesus.

    that line is GOOD. so funny and so humanly pathetic...what an album this is.
    artformsnowon June 01, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General CommentStanding at the punch table swallowing punch.... : Im at a party listening to all the bullshti being said around me with empty conversations that mean nothing to me that are not of any interest to me and im stuck here putting up with it. (punch has several meaning of getting drunk; punched by all this conversations that are going over my head)

    I made a mistake in my life today...: I got into a fight with youtoday and now im here at a party realizing how much i miss you and realizing that i dont and shouldnt be here and i shouldnt have foughten with you over it

    I wanna hurry home to you..(my fav part of the whole song) Hes saying that while hes at this party hes stuck at the only thing he wishes he could do is repair the fight he had with you and go back to being with you to make you laugh instead of being at theis akward party that is making me more frightened with every minute i spend away from you and frightened that you are still mad at me.

    I leaned on the wall adn the wall leaned away..: im looking for soem type of support but couldnt find it in any one of the people im surrounded by

    You could drive a car through my head..: Imagine driving through a dark tunnel; you are in the dark and the only thing you can see is the light at the end of the tunnel that you are dying to get to (the light is the person you want to make laugh. you want to be back at that happy point int eh relationship with that significant person

    You know I dremed about you for 29 years: You are everythign i ever desired and sought out in a person .


    This song is beautiful it cna be taken in so many directions. It can be a testament of love and apology to a significant other or it can be viewed as a song talkign about an akwardness of feeling like you havent reached your goals in life and you cant be happy and calm and sure of yourself or think about anything else until you achieve this goal.
    oddlittleraraon September 14, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General CommentI cried when I listened to the song.I don't know why.
    You know I dreamed about you for twenty-nine years before I saw you
    You know I dreamed about you. I missed you for for twenty-nine years
    I began to love the song, the band just because these lyrics.It's just beautiful...
    ArcAlexon April 25, 2011   Link

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