Latin American, Central Asian, and European nations tend towards more ornate and operatic pieces, while those in the Middle East, Oceania, Africa, and the Caribbean use a more simplistic fanfare. Four years on from ‘Murder Me Rachael’, by this point The National had mastered their pent-up, anxious side. Heeney composed it with his melodeon. This The National song would also go on to inspire the title to the band’s hilarious tour documentary from 2014. Kearney assisted Heeney in setting the refrain. A national anthem is a country's national song. Their songs are unashamedly intellectual and melancholic, yet the National are one of those rare bands revered by critics and fans alike. The national anthem reflects the history, struggles, and traditions of a nation and its people and serves as an expression of national identity. The song shares the same status as the National Anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’ barring certain official dictates. Let’s take a line-by-line tour of the history and meaning behind the lyrics. Aaron Dessner explained to The Quietus: "'Loose wool' is 'Terrible Love. The song … The National Q&A: On 'Weird' New Film, Dead Project and What Makes a Bad Show 3. Band members Matt Berninger and Aaron Dessner delve into their ambitious new collaborative work with filmmaker Mike Mills. The song, as "A Soldier's Song", was composed "early in 1910 or late in 1909", with words by Peadar Kearney, and music by his childhood friend and neighbour Patrick Heeney, who had collaborated on songs since 1903. A national anthem is a patriotic song or musical composition that is either recognized officially by a nation’s government and constitution or is accepted as such by convention through popular use. And their sixth album may well be their best yet "Waltzing Matilda" is Australia's best-known bush ballad, and has been described as the country's "unofficial national anthem". History Origins. The National’s songs usually feel warmly hermetic – from their artfully enveloping art-goth sonics to the way Matt Berninger’s merlot-gorged baritone turns midlife malaise into a lush cocoon. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. 'I remember Bryce saying, 'Ok, what does loose wool sound like?' Dessner’s guitars are like juggernauts towering over the rest of the song. At the time when India achieved independence it certainly was the more popular tune compared to ‘Jana Gana Mana’ which was adopted as the National Anthem by the Constituent Assembly later on. "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The National’s Matt Berninger has shared a new song, “One More Second,” from his upcoming debut solo album, Serpentine Prison, out October 2nd via Book Records.. The lyrics come from the "Defence of Fort M'Henry", a poem written on September 14, 1814, by 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by British ships of the Royal Navy in Baltimore Harbor during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812. The National Break Down Every Song on Their New Album, I Am Easy to Find. This song's sound is typical of the much denser and heavier instrumentation on High Violet compared to what the National has done previously.