Released: 2004
“About Today” by The National, especially in its 2021 remastered glory, taps into a somber, introspective slice of indie rock that’s as evocative as it is haunting. With its sparse instrumentation and Matt Berninger’s melancholic baritone, the track paints a raw, poignant picture of emotional distance and the fear of loss within a relationship. Through its lyrical simplicity, it conveys the complexity of human connection, fear, and vulnerability.
The opening lines, “Today, you were far away, and I didn’t ask you why,” set the tone for the entire song. It’s about the moments we notice someone we care about drifting away, emotionally or physically, yet finding ourselves paralyzed, unable to bridge that growing gap with words. This isn’t just about physical distance; it’s about sensing a chasm in the emotional intimacy you once shared with someone, feeling them slip away, and not knowing how to stop it or even if you should.
When the narrator mentions, “You just walked away, and I just watched you,” there’s a palpable sense of helplessness. It’s as if in the face of potential loss, we can sometimes become spectators in our own lives, frozen by a mix of fear, uncertainty, and the dread of confrontation. The repeated question, “How close am I to losing you?” underscores a deep fear of separation or the end of a relationship. It’s a haunting refrain that anyone who’s feared losing someone can relate to.
The following verse, “Tonight, you just closed your eyes, and I just watched you slip away,” depicts a scene of quiet desperation. It’s visualizing someone right beside you, yet miles away in spirit. The imagery here is powerful and devastating; it speaks to the heart of the song – watching someone you love withdrawing into themselves, becoming a stranger, and feeling utterly powerless to stop it.
In a brief moment of dialogue, “Hey, are you awake? Yeah, I’m right here. Well, can I ask you about today?” there’s a glimmer of hope, a tentative reaching out. It’s a stark reminder of how crucial communication is, yet it also highlights how difficult it can be to initiate these conversations, especially when we sense something’s wrong. It’s the acknowledgment of the day’s emotional distance, yet also a desire to understand, to bridge the gap, even if it’s filled with the fear of what that conversation might reveal.
The closing lines, repeating “How close am I to losing you? How close am I to losing?” strip down to the core fear – the potential end of a connection that once felt unbreakable. It’s not just the loss of the person that’s feared, but the loss of a part of oneself that is intertwined with that person. The song, through its repetition and simplicity, captures the cyclical nature of these fears and the feeling of inevitability that sometimes accompanies them.
In “About Today,” The National crafts a subtly devastating exploration of emotional disconnection and the fragility of human relationships. Its understated delivery belies the depth of its emotional impact, making it a poignant reflection on love, loss, and the hope for reconciliation.
