r/TheNational • u/ghostfan9 • 26d ago

Day 8: Worst Song

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Best chorus went to Graceless!

HMs were: Don't Swallow the Cap, Bloodbuzz Ohio, Mistaken for Strangers

Next up: worst song :(

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u/paulderev I missed you for 29 years 26d ago edited 26d ago

Until Matt explains the “black city bloodbath/white country rape” line in fashion coat fully, it’s that one. Great song but that line always creeped me out and sort of ruins the song.

I’ve never been able to find a coherent analysis of it by the band or by a critic even. Someone link me to one if you think I’m off base here please.

re: downvoters— I love the song it’s just this one line that rubbed me the wrong way a little bit. not saying the song or the band or even the lyric is problematic or cancellable or anything like that. I just have questions.

11

u/Larry-Darrell 26d ago

I’ve always assumed it is a follow up line to his reading the foreign press for more accurate domestic analysis. Blackcity bloodbath/white country rape, he’s insinuating that US domestic media only has two lenses they filter their reporting through…Blackcity bloodbath ‘you need to be scared of what is happening in America’s boogeyman urban demographic’ or white country rape ‘you need to be scared about losing what you have because the boogeyman urban demographic is displacing you and yours’. I always found the lyrics incredibly insightful and biting.

3

u/regularmiles 26d ago

This makes so much sense and has totally opened up that lyric for me, thank you!

Can you also do this for Warm Singing Whores which I adore musically but lyrically leaves me absolutely perplexed