Green Gloves
The National
Like a little drop of ink in a glass of water…
The lyric popped in my head today and I had to remember where it came from. This song. My favorite from BOXER — a record with a slew of great songs. Not sure why this one’s the track I always stick a pin in. There’s something really mysterious and beautiful about it. It’s a compassionate love song to lost friendships. Lost relationships. Poetry. We put on our magic gloves and remember.
As the years pass, we all kind of drift apart, almost reluctantly, and land in separate places. Not necessarily a falling out, a fight or break up. I have some really good friends I haven’t spoken with in many years.
Hope we’re staying glued together
I have arms for them
But some nights I remember and try to get inside their heads and feel them again — who they are. It could be a prayer, a mediation, a memory.
Get inside their heads,
Love their loves… ❤️
I watch old videos, or look at photographs if. Old letters. Climb inside them. Because in this song, it’s not about me — it’s about stumbling on who they really were for the first time. If we can imagine seeing them through their eyes, we see them differently. It’s new. Perhaps this is an esoteric way to send out a blessing to them. And perhaps they’ll receive it.
Falling out of touch with all my
Friends are somewhere, getting wasted
Hope they're staying glued together
I have arms for them
Take another sip of them
It floats around and takes me over
Like a little drop of ink
In a glass of water
Get inside their clothes with my green gloves
Watch their videos in their chairs
Get inside their beds with my green gloves
Get inside their heads, love their loves
Cinderella through the room
I glide and swan
'Cause I'm the best slow dancer
In the universe
Falling out of touch with all my
Friends are somewhere, getting wasted
Hope they're staying glued together
I have arms for them
Get inside their clothes with my green gloves
Watch their videos in their chairs
Get inside their beds with my green gloves
Get inside their heads, love their loves
Now I hardly know them
But I'll take my time
I'll carry them over
And I'll make them mine
Get inside their clothes with my green gloves
Watch their videos in their chairs
Get inside their beds with my green gloves
Get inside their heads, love their loves
