[ ]   [ ]   [ ]                        [ ]      [ ]   [ ]
The National — Humiliation
Album: Trouble Will Find Me
Avg rating:
6.9

Your rating:
Total ratings: 565









Released: 2013
Length: 4:55
Plays (last 30 days): 0
I survived the dinner
And the air went thinner
I retired to the briars by the pool
It gets so loud

If I die this instant
Taken from a distance
They would probably list it down
Among other things 'round town

Got my rings around me
I got baby to pound me
I see stars and go weak
My baby cries and lays me down

In the skies over black Venice
I see eyes of a white menace
The surprise of the week
Is that I never heard the sound

All the L.A. women
Fall asleep while swimmin'
I got paid to fish 'em out
And then one day I lost the job

And I cried a little
I got fried a little
Then she laid her eyes on mine
And she said, "Babe, you're better off"

I got my rings around me
I got baby to pound me
I see stars and go weak
My baby cries and lays me down

In the skies over black Venice
I see eyes of a white menace
The surprise of the week
Is that I never heard the sound

Tunnel vision lights my way
Lead a little life today

As the free-fall advances
I'm the moron who dances
Ah
I was teething on roses
I was in guns and noses
Ah

Under the withering white skies of humiliation
Under the withering white skies of humiliation

Tunnel vision lights my way
Lead a little life today
Tunnel vision lights my way
Lead a little life today

She wore blue velvet
Said she can't help it
She wore blue velvet
Said she can't help it
She wore blue velvet
Said she can't help it
Comments (34)add comment
yes sir I like it
What a cool song... 
Mumble to me baby
 maxvonevil wrote:

Somebody once said that 99.2% of all statistics are worthless.



I think Abraham Lincoln said that on twitter
Somebody once said that 99.2% of all statistics are worthless.
I've always loved the timbre of Berninger's voice in equal measure with hating his banal lyrics. The quality of the twins' musicianship keeps me listening.
liking this band more and more.  Thanks Bill
Wow! This came up today, so I wasted an hour at work recreating the graphs. (Why did you blow up all my images, Photobucket?!)

With today's and Webfoot's data, the graphs look like this.  They're split now, because the number of ratings (265) should be shown with a much larger scale than the average rating (6.7).
RP graph
RP number
This shows how the larger number of ratings close to the average tend to ignore outliers.  Humiliation is reaching a rating asymptote of 6.7 or 6.8.
Hmm. Message to all: Listen to their entire catalogue and you'll get them.
 Proclivities wrote:

It's hard to tell in the comments sometimes if people are just using humorously hyperbole or have no actual understanding of the musical terms they toss around, but this song has several melodies.  All the songs I've heard from this band have melodies even if many of them may have pretty drab vocal lines.
 

 BBoyes wrote:

If Hemingway didn't need a plot, and Cash didn't need to actually sing, why does this band need a melody? Just sayin.
 
It's hard to tell in the comments sometimes if people are just using humorously hyperbole or have no actual understanding of the musical terms they toss around, but this song has several melodies.  All the songs I've heard from this band have melodies even if many of them may have pretty drab vocal lines.

5th data point, April 3, 2019: 208 ratings, average = 6.6

It's moving up fast!


 
unclehud wrote:
 unclehud wrote:   Found the lyrics and emailed 'em in, so perhaps that will provide license (and forgiveness) for two or three more of these geeky posts.  

{#Wink}


Last update (because I'm am rather embarrassed to have stumbled upon this again — but not embarrassed enough to let it die):

1st data point, July 13, 2013: 8 ratings, average = 3.8

2nd data point, July 31, 2013: 16 ratings, average = 5.2

3rd data point, December 17, 2013: 74 ratings, average = 6.5

4th data point, January 7, 2015: 136 ratings, average = 6.5

 (dragging of images into post editor is not allowed)   <—— Dadgummit!  Two nice graphs!  After a bit of further work ...

example of wasted time(1) I suppose this song has reached its maximum asymptotic rating of 6.5 — meaning it would take a LOT of 10s to move the average appreciably.  Can we assume that most of the ratings between data points 3 and 4 fell close to the 6.5 average?  I will.

(2) The accumulation of ratings was much quicker when the song was new.  (The "rate" of ratings.)  Perhaps this is because those who chose (or will ever choose) to rate this song did it upon an early listening.  After all, who rates a song after hearing it for 18 months?  And, as mentioned above, rating adjustments will have little affect on the average.

Done.

Thanks for your patience.


 
 adpucci wrote:
... this is pretty much their worst song...
 
By what measure?
I love this band but this is pretty much their worst song...

 unclehud wrote:   Found the lyrics and emailed 'em in, so perhaps that will provide license (and forgiveness) for two or three more of these geeky posts.   {#Wink}


Last update (because I'm am rather embarrassed to have stumbled upon this again — but not embarrassed enough to let it die):

1st data point, July 13, 2013: 8 ratings, average = 3.8

2nd data point, July 31, 2013: 16 ratings, average = 5.2

3rd data point, December 17, 2013: 74 ratings, average = 6.5

4th data point, January 7, 2015: 136 ratings, average = 6.5

 (dragging of images into post editor is not allowed)   <—— Dadgummit!  Two nice graphs!  After a bit of further work ...

example of wasted time

(1) I suppose this song has reached its maximum asymptotic rating of 6.5 — meaning it would take a LOT of 10s to move the average appreciably.  Can we assume that most of the ratings between data points 3 and 4 fell close to the 6.5 average?  I will.

(2) The accumulation of ratings was much quicker when the song was new.  (The "rate" of ratings.)  Perhaps this is because those who chose (or will ever choose) to rate this song did it upon an early listening.  After all, who rates a song after hearing it for 18 months?  And, as mentioned above, rating adjustments will have little affect on the average.

Done.

Thanks for your patience.


Just listen to his tale. It may fit some situations you have seen.

 It may also help  you understand events that happened to you.

If you don't listen and open your thoughts to the perspective/experience of oghers you will miss much of life

  blotto wrote:
what's he mumbling about?

 

No idea, same thing he's always mumbling about, I'd imagine. 
Love the album....love the song.  One of our favorite bands right now.

I want to like The National.  Except all the songs sound roughly the same.

 

Like tires on the pavement at 100 kph.


unclehud wrote:
Statistic geek update, about 2 weeks and unknown number of plays later: 16 ratings, average = 5.2. (Plays in the last 30 days = 3.)  Five posts on two separate dates since earlier post.
Found the lyrics and emailed 'em in, so perhaps that will provide license (and forgiveness) for two or three more of these geeky posts.   {#Wink}
 

Update #2:  now 74 ratings.  That means 58 new ratings which -- in themselves -- averaged 6.86, to improve the past 5.2 rating to  its current of 6.5. 

(Days since last update = 139, or an average of 2.40 days between ratings.   Plays in last 30 days = 3, or an average of 10 days per play; unknown number of plays since last update.  Song comments since last update = 6, but only 5 unique, since 1 seems to be a duplicate.  Average of 27.8 days between song comments, but this is a misleading statistic as comments are posted on only 4 unique dates in the past 139 days. 

Can one assume posted comments will cluster on "play dates"?  Perhaps.  One cannot accurately assume the inverse: that "play dates" are limited to comment dates.)


 toomanyollys wrote:

If only there was an easy way of finding out... like a conveniently placed button or something.

I like it. Reminds me of TV on the Radio in some sections.

 
I tried that and I still don't understand what he's mumbling about!
 kz1300a1 wrote:
I like.  Doesnt sound like a clone band.
 

you're a carbon copy of yourself...you're funny, aren't you?
I like.  Doesnt sound like a clone band.
 blotto wrote:
what's he mumbling about?

 
If only there was an easy way of finding out... like a conveniently placed button or something.

I like it. Reminds me of TV on the Radio in some sections.
what's he mumbling about?
unclehud wrote:
Statistic geek report:  8 ratings, average = 3.8.  No comment, just the facts, ma'am.  (Will be back later to see how subsequent raters have moved the average.  Sorry to post off-subject.)

Off to find lyrics, which are not available here.

Statistic geek update, about 2 weeks and unknown number of plays later: 16 ratings, average = 5.2. (Plays in the last 30 days = 3.)  Five posts on two separate dates since earlier post.

Lyrics now available.


a song that just kind of meanders along and never really goes anywhere.

ah, but it's the journey you say?

not this one.

 
 Lazarus wrote:

I really like the instrumentation, arrangement, and production, but can't they find more than a couple melodies for their songs?  It shall remain unrated...

 
If Hemingway didn't need a plot, and Cash didn't need to actually sing, why does this band need a melody? Just sayin.
Thanks to this article:
https://www.slate.com/articles/arts/music_box/2013/05/the_national_s_trouble_will_find_me_reviewed_too_many_crescendos.html

I have figured out why I don't like this band. They really hold everything at arm's length; it's technically skilled grumbling. Too bad, they seem like good musicians. 
Hmmm not sure what to think of this. Sort of a mumbler but can't hold that against him. Kind of a catchy tune and interesting photo on the CD. Interesting drumming. Maybe it will grow on me.
  Tunnel vision lights my way
  Lead a little life today
or not.

I really like the instrumentation, arrangement, and production, but can't they find more than a couple melodies for their songs?  It shall remain unrated...
Statistic geek report:  8 ratings, average = 3.8.  No comment, just the facts, ma'am.  (Will be back later to see how subsequent raters have moved the average.  Sorry to post off-subject.)

Off to find lyrics, which are not available here.
Melody, Mr. National. Do you use it?