what i'm listening to--the national.

do you ever hear a song--or two or three or a handful--that totally drives it home? i mean, the kind of song filled with lyrics that seem to be speaking directly to you as if you're the only one listening? several songs by the national feel like just like that, like they were written for me. it's kinda crazy and pretty silly, i know. it's been that way since i first started downloading their music, months and months ago. and since i can't stop listening to them, i thought i'd tell you about their brilliance and share some of my favourite songs and lyrics. each title is linked to a free download of the song so take advantage! the lyrics are great on their own but with the music accompaniment they light up the sky and set your soul soaring.

fake empire
stay out super late tonight picking apples, making pies
turn the light out, say goodnight, no thinking for a little while
let's not try to figure everything out at once
it's hard to keep track of you falling through the sky

mistaken for strangers
you get mistaken for strangers by your own friends
make up something to believe in your heart of hearts
so you have something to wear on your sleeve of sleeves

slow show
my leg is sparkles, my leg is pins
you know i dreamed about you
for 29 years before i saw you
you know i dreamed about you
i missed you for, for 29 years

bloodbuzz ohio
i was carried to ohio in a swarm of bees
i never thought about love when i thought about home

lemonworld
so happy i was invited
gives me reason to get out of the city
i'm too tired to drive anywhere, anyway right now
do you care if i stay?
you and your sister live in a lemonworld

conversation 16
we belong in a movie
we should swim in a fountain
do not want to disappoint anyone
i'm a confident liar
have my head in the oven so you know where i'll be
i'll try to be more romantic
i want to believe in everything you believe
i was less than amazing
fall asleep in your branches
you're the only thing i want anymore

england
someone send a runner
for the feeling that i lost today
you must be somewhere in london
you must be loving your life in the rain

exile vilify
does it feel like a trial?
does it trouble your mind the way you trouble mine?
now you're thinking too fast
you're like marbles on glass
did you fall for the same empty answers again?

so far around the bend
i know you're a serious lady
living off a teacup full of cherries
nobody knows where you are living
nobody knows where you are
wanted to cry but you can't when you're laughing
you're so far around the bend
i'll run through a thousand parties
i'll run through a million bars

think you can wait
i was drifting, crying
i was looking for an island
i was slipping under
i'm out of mind; think you can wait?
i'm way off the line; think you can wait?
what i'm thinking is simple
i won't make trouble
i'll pull the devil down with me one way or another

i cannot get enough of this band. love love love. and it all started with "bloodbuzz ohio."

images courtesy of posthocmanagement.com and lsdimension.com