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The first single from First Two Pages of Frankenstein, The National’s ninth album.
According to the 4AD press release, Matt Berninger had been struggling against severe depression which resulted in writer’s block, and “Tropic Morning News” was the turning point for continuing their work on First Tw...
[Verse 1]
I wasn't starting yet
I didn't even think you were listening
I wasn't ready at all
To say anything about anything interesting
It's a thing you have
You just don't know that you do it
You wait around in a conversation
While I get in and start stumbling through it
[Chorus]
I was so distracted then
I didn't have it straight in my head
I didn't have my face on yet or the role or the feel
Of where I was going with it all
I was suffering more than I let on
The tropic morning news was on
There's nothing stopping me now
From saying all the painful parts out loud
[Verse 2]
Got to my feet
Feeling that I'd let you down
Wanted to say it slow and perfect
But it all somehow got switched around
Something went off on its own
My dumb, automatic chit-chat
It's not what I meant to say at all
There's no way you can attach me to that
[Chorus]
Got up to seize the day
With my head in my hands feeling strange
When all my thinking got mangled
And I caught myself talking myself off the ceiling
I was suffering more than I let on
The tropic morning news was on
There's nothing stopping me now
From saying all the painful parts out loud
[Post-Chorus]
Oh, where are all the moments we'd have?
Oh, where's the brain we shared?
Something somehow has you rapidly improving
Oh, what happened to the wavelength we were on?
Oh, where's the gravity gone?
Something somehow has you rapidly improving
[Bridge]
You found the ache in my argument
You couldn't wait to get out of it
You found the slush in my sentiment
You made it sound so intelligent
You can stop and start an athlete's heart
How do I feel about it?
I would love to have nothing to do with it
I would like to move on and be through with it
[Verse 3]
I'll be over here lying near the ocean
Making ocean sounds
Let me know if you can come over
And work the controls for a while
[Chorus]
I was so distracted then
I didn't have it straight in my head
I didn't have my face on yet or the role or the feel
Of where I was going with it all
I was suffering more than I let on
The tropic morning news was on
There's nothing stopping me now
From saying all the painful parts out loud
[Post-Chorus]
Oh, where are all the moments we'd have?
Oh, where's the brain we shared?
Something somehow has you rapidly improving
Oh, what happened to the wavelength we were on?
Oh, where's the gravity gone?
Something somehow has you rapidly improving
Tropic Morning News was written by Aaron Dessner & Matt Berninger & Carin Besser.
Tropic Morning News was produced by The National.
The National released Tropic Morning News on Wed Jan 18 2023.
Co-written with Berninger’s wife Carin Besser, “Tropic Morning News” takes its title from a phrase Besser invented to describe the regrettably routine practice of doomscrolling.
“The idea of referring to the darkness of the news in such a light way unlocked something in me,” says Berninger. “It bec...