The National – “Afraid of Everyone”

As does most everyone, I adore The National’s latest album, High Violet.  Beautiful, dark and brooding, it will certainly be one of my top albums of 2010. This track in particular is a standout for me.  An obsession really as I listen to it over and over again. Matt Beringer’s pathos speaks to me. His distinctive baritone “voice has swallowed my soul.”  The lyrics of this particular tune are so lonely and dark that I yearn to understand what the song is about. But like all great songs, it’s vague enough to lead you to your own meaning and conclusion. I suspect it’s politically slanted but the subtext of trust is pervasive for me. And who hasn’t grappled with that concept at some point? What takes so long to establish and seconds to destroy, nothing is more painful than being hurt by someone you trust. It’s an alluring road, easy to get lost on…that road of fear.  To forgive and trust again is easy to intellectualize, difficult to practice. Finding the road to get you there? Well, like the song says, “I don’t have the drugs to sort it out.”