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The National — Weird Goodbyes
Album: Weird Goodbyes
Avg rating:
7.2

Your rating:
Total ratings: 852









Released: 0
Length: 4:58
Plays (last 30 days): 1
Memorize the bathwater, memorize the air
There'll come a time I'll wanna know I was here
Names on the door frames, inches and ages
Hand prints in concrete at the softest stages

I don't know why I don't try harder
I feel like throwing towels into water

Get it down to nothing, everything that matters
Fever flashes, eyelashes and traffic patterns
Humidity, history, chemistry and panic
Swimsuits in the windows of electric minivans

I don't know why I don't try harder
I've been going down some, some strange water

Move forward now, there's nothing to do
Can't turn around, I can't follow you
Your coat's in my car, I guess you forgot
It's crazy the things we let go of

It finally hits me, a mile's drive
The sky is leaking, my windshield's crying
I'm feeling sacred, my soul is stripped
Radio's painful, the words are clipped
The grief, it gets me, the weird goodbyes
My car is creeping, I think it's dying
I'm pulling over until it heals
I'm on a shoulder of lemon fields

What was I even leaving for?
I keep going back and forth
I think now I'm about to see
Didn't know how sad it'd be

Memorize the bathwater, memorize the air
There'll come a time I'll wanna know when I was here
Names on the door frames, inches and ages
Hand prints in concrete at the softest stages

I don't know why I don't try harder
I feel like throwing towels into water

Move forward now, there's nothing to do
Can't turn around and I can't follow you
Your coat's in my car, I guess you forgot
It's crazy the things we let go of

It finally hits me, a mile's drive
The sky is leaking, the windshield's crying
I'm feeling sacred, my soul is stripped
Radio's painful, the words are clipped
The grief, it gets me, the weird goodbyes
My car is creeping, I think it's dying
I'm pulling over until it heals
I'm on a shoulder of lemon fields
The grief, it gets me, the weird goodbyes
My car is creeping, I think it's dying
I'm pulling over until it heals
I'm on a shoulder of lemon fields
Comments (18)add comment
 daveinnj wrote:


I think the whole song is about loss of something important. And how, in the face of really sad loss, that sadness bleeds into a mad form of futility. And I'm not sure there's anything more lunatic or futile than throwing towels into water. 


it just rhymes with harder...
 vandal wrote:

Maybe it's just me, but this is amazing. 

9


Nope, it's not just you.  This may very well be my new favourite song by the National.  Our oldest daughter, who lives in northern BC, flew south to see this band in Vancouver a few years ago, so I get to think of her every time a National song gets played.  Just like a spiritual hug.
"Hand prints in concrete at the softest stages"


"I don't know why I don't try harder"

It's been 4 years since she left, 3 since I learned it was for one of the perhaps 4 people I considered a friend.  The youngest son changed from a career path similar to his father's to one, while worthwhile, follows the footsteps of his mother.  Last night the oldest son started his move to the other side of the country in search of...something calling him onward, and with it the last shred of the vision I had for the last 20 years of what the future would look like is gone.  And now this song, which I've always enjoyed, comes on and just cuts me all the way down.  Dammit....if I'd have only tried just a bit harder...

"Move forward now, there's nothing to do" has proven easy to say but stubbornly difficult to put in practice.

 daveinnj wrote:


I think the whole song is about loss of something important. And how, in the face of really sad loss, that sadness bleeds into a mad form of futility. And I'm not sure there's anything more lunatic or futile than throwing towels into water. 


I like when an artist can communicate emotion but leaves plenty of space for personal interpretation 
 Laptopdog wrote:

Evidently David Letterman is a big fan of this group. He talked about this song on one of his recent YouTube videos. He didn't understand the lyrics about throwing the towel into water anymore than I do.



i saw that, too. 
Too bad RP doesn't play the colab stuff with Taylor. Coney Island would do so, so well, the two are quite the pair . But alas, it's not to be. 
 timmus wrote:
 
Come on RP, please add the album release years.


Yes please!
Strait 9 here also
 Laptopdog wrote:

Evidently David Letterman is a big fan of this group. He talked about this song on one of his recent YouTube videos. He didn't understand the lyrics about throwing the towel into water anymore than I do.



I think the whole song is about loss of something important. And how, in the face of really sad loss, that sadness bleeds into a mad form of futility. And I'm not sure there's anything more lunatic or futile than throwing towels into water. 
 timmus wrote:
 
Come on RP, please add the album release years.

It is there under song details.
 timmus wrote:
 
Come on RP, please add the album release years.


Looks like your request has been received: released: 2022-08-22
"I feel like throwing towels into water" LOL the dude must be really mad?  
Released: 0
 
Come on RP, please add the album release years.
 lily34 wrote:

5 for now. not a huge fan of bon iver. maybe this will grow on me.

***EDIT 8/15/23 3 weeks later...it grew on me. very powerful. i'm moving up to 7 but, i think it's going to continue to grow. would love it if the lyrics were posted here eventually.




Memorize the bathwater, memorize the air
There'll come a time I'll wanna know I was here
Names on the doorframes, inches and ages
Handprints in concrete, at the softest stagesI don't know why I don't try harder
I feel like throwing towels into waterGet it down to nothing, everything that matters
Fever flashes, eyelashes and traffic patterns
Humidity, history, chemistry and panic
Swimsuits in windows of electric minivansI don't know why I don't try harder
I've been going down some, some strange waterMove forward now, there's nothing to do
Can't turn around, I can't follow you
Your coat's in my car, I guess you forgot
It's crazy the things we let go ofIt finally hits me, a mile's drive
The sky is leaking, my windshield's crying
I'm feeling sacred, my soul is stripped
Radio's painful, the words are clipped
The grief, it gets me, the weird goodbyes
My car is creepin', I think it's dying
I'm pullin' over until it heals
I'm on a shoulder of lemon fieldsWhat was I even leaving for
I keep going back and forth
I think now I'm about to see
Didn't know how sad it'd beMemorize the bathwater, memorize the air
There'll come a time I'll wanna know I was here
Names on the doorframes, inches and ages
Handprints in concrete, at the softest stagesI don't know why I don't try harder
I feel like throwing towels into waterMove forward now, there's nothing to do
Can't turn around, and I can't follow you
Your coat's in my car, I guess you forgot
It's crazy the things we let go ofIt finally hits me, a mile's drive
The sky is leaking, my windshield's crying
I'm feeling sacred, my soul is stripped
Radio's painful, the words are clipped
The grief, it gets me, and the weird goodbyes
My car is creepin', I think it's dying
I'm pullin' over until it heals
I'm on a shoulder of lemon fields
The grief, it gets me, the weird goodbyes
My car is creepin', I think it's dying
I'm pullin' over until it heals
I'm on a shoulder of lemon fields
Evidently David Letterman is a big fan of this group. He talked about this song on one of his recent YouTube videos. He didn't understand the lyrics about throwing the towels into water anymore than I do.

Maybe it's just me, but this is amazing. 

9
5 for now. not a huge fan of bon iver. maybe this will grow on me.

***EDIT 8/15/23 3 weeks later...it grew on me. very powerful. i'm moving up to 7 but, i think it's going to continue to grow. would love it if the lyrics were posted here eventually.
First listen, went and checked out the lyrics.  It's nice.  Starting with a 7.