Song of the Week

This week's song come courtesy of Joe.  Also, this band has become one of my new favorites in the past 48 hours.  The lead singer of The National has such a deep, powerful, soulful voice.  He is able to get across so many emotions by sort of just... speaking his lyrics.  

   The first time I heard this I was instantly reminded of Vanilla Sky.  Yes, Tom Cruise is in it.  Yes, it is a fantastic movie.  Please, please, please see this movie.  I'm sure Pete will agree with me on this point; it is a visually stunning film.  The director, Cameron Crowe, says in "Prelude to a Dream" that the film is like a puzzle, with each shot, each line, meaning something and it is up to the viewer to catch it all and put the pieces together.  

   This is like "Fake Empire."  What the hell is this song about?  I went and looked it up (thanks internet!).  Is it about America, the obvious answer?  Is it about being lost in the early stages of love as some message boarders find evidence for?  The author, Matt Berninger, seems to be wishy on the meaning himself.  "Some of the imagery is obviously iconically American; apple pies, lemonade, etc. But a lot of it is fairytale imagery like bluebirds and diamond slippers. The idea was to create a surreal, “fake” atmosphere/environment as a means of escaping reality. I don’t really think of it as a political song but I can’t deny that there are political undertones to it" (Carr for Paper Thin Walls).  Interesting.  And I'm in love with this song.