Fake Empire and Freud

993 Words4 Pages
Michael Lieber English 8 Freudian Analysis This is an analysis of the song “Fake Empire” by The National. I wrote it to give my students a sample essay of Psychoanalytic Criticism. I have included the lyrics of the song since people often have difficulty understanding the lyrics when they hear the song. Stay out super late tonight Picking apples, making pies Put a little something in our lemonade and take it with us We're half awake in a fake empire We're half awake in a fake empire Tiptoe through our shiny city With our diamond slippers on Do our gay ballet on ice, bluebirds on our shoulders We're half awake in a fake empire We're half awake in a fake empire Turn the light out, say goodnight No thinking for a little while Let's not try to figure out everything at once It's hard to keep track of you falling through the sky We're half awake in a fake empire We're half awake in a fake empire _____________________________________________________________ In her analysis Angela Zimmerman states, “’Fake Empire’ explores the darker side of life as experienced by disengaged Americans” http://www.crawdaddy.com/ index.php/2009/02/11/the-national-fake-empire/. Her political interpretation concentrates on America’s hegemonic response to the attacks after 9-11 and a nation’s collective detachment to this confusing and turbulent time in American history. In a fairly extensive interview with National Public Radio, members of The National discussed the album The Boxer, and in particular, the song “Fake Empire” but did not link any anti-American sentiment in their interpretation to the admittedly ambiguous lyrics. Though there are decidedly American images running throughout the song – and in fact the entire album, “Fake Empire” explores not just the American psyche but the human psyche and, in particular, our use of symbols and

More about Fake Empire and Freud

Open Document