The National – Abel

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  My Opinion:It's kinda weird that no one has mentioned the Dessner Brothers, co-founders and lead songwriters of The National. I can't help but think they're related to this appropriation of the infamous Biblical bros, Cain and Abel, especially when the lead singer (Matthew, another biblical reference :D ) has slyly referenced 'family' as being pertinent to the song on multiple occasions.
  
  My guess- the song is about someone who feels out of control and pleading with his brother for help, but the help given is insufficient and only serves to further frustrate the song's narrator.

  Flag j0nnynonameon June 10, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:Listening to this song without knowing the words, I always thought it sounded like a lament for a friend/brother Abel who died, with the singer dealing with all the emotions of that. Maybe he drove off a bridge, and the singer is wanting to go back and stop the friend from driving, wanting Abel to take him along. By dying, he turns the singer good and god-fearing about too much excess, but what is he supposed to do with that if Abel is gone? Now he's missing something, and he's going nuts just like Abel.

  Flag adrmacon June 19, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:"My mind's not right" is maybe a reference to "Skunk Hour", a 1959 Robert Lowell poem

  Flag benk0202on May 12, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:also, the whole part where he says "i see water on the bridge. well, you better hold my hand through this..."-- again, it feels like desperation to me, and maybe even jealousy. he's almost threatening him here, like, "you better turn around, you better come back for me." the way a frightened person makes threats. he's scared. it almost gives makes me think of where you should draw the lines in relationships, especially with regards to family. like, cain thinks his own brother turned his back on him, should've helped him. and if his own brother could do that...

  Flag TheWrongGirlon September 07, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:notagoodidea, i see it in a similar way, or at least from the same perspective-- as in cain is saying this to abel. at first, i see it as sort of pleading and pathetic... like he's saying, "c'mon, gimme something here. i just don't get it, man." but i also see it as somewhat desperate, like he's missing something, maybe something everyone has, and he just can't understand it. so he feels as if he's losing it, and he just has to do something.

  Flag TheWrongGirlon September 07, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:I saw them in Cincinatti and the singer (dont know his name) said it was about families, I think. I dont know how, but thats what he said.

  Flag ragecage0500on October 19, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:From the first time I heard it I thought of Abel as the little brother of Cain and identified the first person as the evil brother, Cain. To me it's an interpretation of the difficult relationship between two brothers: Abel, good and rational and worried for his brother, Cain anxious and into trouble, at the same time trying to get his brother's sympathy ("my mind's not right") and trying to talk him into helping him to break loose and do something wrong ("Abel c'mon, give me the keys man..."). I can imagine this modern Cain being an addict, or a potential suicide, or a and his little brother Abel keeping him locked to prevent him from reinciding in his habits.

  Flag notagoodideaon June 26, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:I always interpreted the song as the lyrical interpretation of an anxiety attack. It actually has a lot of the same things that I think and/or feel during one. He uses Cain and Abel as a metaphor for his mind, Cain being the rational side and Abel being the side that's out of his control, but is taking over his emotions.

  Flag JonesieSuckson June 23, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:reuben abel was a famous professor of philosophy. he wrote the book man is the measure.
  
  all i'm sayin is, he sure gave me the keys to my mind.

  Flag fursoftasfuron May 16, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:A Great song! Actually, I think the song tracks pretty well as a creation from Cain's perspective of what could have happened after the Biblical account of Cain and Abel ends. I am hearing it as all Cain's words; he realizes what he's done in killing him and trying to work out his regret.

  Flag techaion February 20, 2008   Link

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