Fake Empire

{{for|the production company named after the song|Fake Empire Productions}} {{Infobox song | name = Fake Empire | cover = Fake Empire.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = The National | album = Boxer | released = June 23, 2008 | recorded = Tarquin Studios | studio = | venue = | genre = Indie rock, post-punk revival | length = 3:27 | label = Beggars Banquet Records | writer = Matt Berninger, Bryce Dessner | producer = Peter Katis and The National | prev_title = Apartment Story | prev_year = 2007 | next_title = Bloodbuzz Ohio | next_year = 2010 | misc = }}

"'''Fake Empire'''" is a song by Brooklyn-based indie rock band The National from their fourth studio album, ''Boxer''. The song was released in June 2008 as the album's third and final single.<ref name=single>{{cite web |accessdate=2010-01-23 |url=http://www.americanmary.com/sound_fakeempire-promo.php |title=Sound / Fake Empire - Single (Promo) |publisher=The National |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100111040659/http://www.americanmary.com/sound_fakeempire-promo.php |archive-date=2010-01-11 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Production== "Fake Empire" was written by Bryce Dessner of The National. Commenting on the song's initial concept, he said, "Conceptually I said I would love to write a song that was based on a certain polyrhythm, the four-over-three pattern, which is what you hear in the piano. It's something I, personally, have never heard in rock music. What's interesting is the song sounds like it's in four, but it's in three. The harmonies and the way I'm playing the piano music are actually incredibly simple – sort of like "Chopsticks" simple – with this really weird rhythm. At the end we said, 'Oh, wouldn't it be cool if we had a horn fanfare?' so Padma [Newsome] wrote this very Steve Reichian minimalist horn fanfare."<ref>{{cite web |access-date=2010-01-23 |url=https://www.sfgate.com/music/article/The-National-s-brand-of-intelligent-art-rock-2555260.php |title=The National's brand of intelligent art-rock quietly hooks listeners in |publisher=San Francisco Chronicle |date=2007-06-21 |author=Richardon, Derk |archive-date=2007-08-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070811014840/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/2007/06/21/derk.DTL |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Lyrical Interpretation== Lyrically, "Fake Empire" is a commentary about a generation lost to disillusion and apathy. Vocalist Matt Berninger further explained to ''The Quietus'' that it is about "where you can't deal with the reality of what's really going on, so let's just pretend that the world's full of bluebirds and ice skating."<ref>[http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=19349 Fake Empire by The National] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808141050/http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=19349 |date=2017-08-08 }} - Songfacts (accessed December 28, 2015)</ref>

==Promotion== The National made their network television debut when they performed "Fake Empire" on the ''Late Show with David Letterman'' on July 24, 2007.<ref>{{cite web |accessdate=2010-01-23 |url=http://www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow/live/index/php/927499.phtml?play=1 |title=Now Playing: The National – "Fake Empire" |publisher=CBS |archive-date=2011-06-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604043316/http://www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow/live/index/php/927499.phtml?play=1 |url-status=live }}</ref> In the television series ''Chuck'', the song appeared in the episode "Chuck Versus the Break-up" on October 13, 2008.<ref>{{cite web |accessdate=2010-01-23 |url=http://www.buddytv.com/articles/chuck/chuck-episode-23-chuck-vs-the-23572.aspx |title=Chuck: Episode 2.3, "Chuck vs. the Breakup" |publisher=BuddyTV |date=2008-10-13 |archive-date=2010-05-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100507024038/http://www.buddytv.com/articles/chuck/chuck-episode-23-chuck-vs-the-23572.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> "Fake Empire" also played during the final scene of the pilot episode of NBC's police drama ''Southland'',<ref>{{cite web |access-date=2010-01-23 |url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/southland-pilot,26435/ |title=Southland: "Pilot" |publisher=AV Club |date=2009-04-09 |archive-date=2010-01-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100122132723/http://www.avclub.com/articles/southland-pilot,26435/? |url-status=dead }}</ref> as well as over the concluding scene and credits of the 2008 film ''Battle in Seattle''.<ref>{{cite web |accessdate=2010-01-23 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0850253/soundtrack |title=Battle in Seattle (2007) soundtrack |publisher=IMDb |archive-date=2009-12-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091209074523/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0850253/soundtrack |url-status=live }}</ref> An instrumental version of the song<ref>{{cite web |accessdate=2010-01-23 |url=http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/7545-you-can-vote-however-you-like/ |title=You Can Vote However You Like |publisher=Pitchfork Media |date=2008-10-29 |author=Hogan, Marc |archive-date=2010-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100222151318/http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/7545-you-can-vote-however-you-like/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> was featured in Barack Obama's campaign video "Signs of Hope and Change" during his 2008 United States presidential campaign,<ref>{{cite web |accessdate=2010-01-23 |url=http://stereogum.com/archives/video/the_national_team_up_with_obama_to_bring_signs_of_019081.html |title=The National Team Up With Obama To Bring "Signs Of Hope & Change" |publisher=Stereogum |date=2008-09-03 |archive-date=2010-02-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100203180057/http://stereogum.com/archives/video/the_national_team_up_with_obama_to_bring_signs_of_019081.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcRA2AZsR2Q |title=Signs of Hope & Change |date=2008-09-01 |last=BarackObamadotcom |access-date=2024-08-07 |via=YouTube}}</ref> and the song was also played at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.<ref name=fame /> The members of The National supported the presidential candidate;<ref name=fame /> they put Obama's face on a fundraising T-shirt with the text "Mr. November", taken from the name of a song from the band's third album, ''Alligator''.<ref name=fame>{{cite web |accessdate=2010-01-23 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2008-09-16-national-profile_N.htm |title=The National's fame starts to live up to the name |publisher=USA Today |date=2008-09-17 |author=Lopez, Korina |archive-date=2010-05-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100525084948/http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2008-09-16-national-profile_N.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> In the fifth season premiere episode of the teen drama television series ''One Tree Hill'', several songs by The National were featured, including "Fake Empire".<ref>{{cite web |accessdate=2010-01-23 |url=http://www.cwtv.com/music/one-tree-hill/season-5 |title=One Tree Hill music |publisher=The CW |archive-date=2010-04-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100412155700/http://cwtv.com/music/one-tree-hill/season-5 |url-status=live }}</ref> It was also featured in Person of Interest, at the end of the episode Sotto Voce, 9th episode of the 5th season. Season 1 episode 6 of Feel Good, a Netflix series, featured this song.

==Reception== Allmusic considered "Fake Empire" one of The National's best songs, and described it as a song that "begins as a dead-of-night ballad that echoes Leonard Cohen, then peppy brass and guitars turn it into something joyous."<ref>{{cite web |accessdate=2010-01-23 |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/r1042225 |title=Boxer review |publisher=Allmusic |archive-date=2011-11-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111113003656/http://www.allmusic.com/album/r1042225 |url-status=live }}</ref> Mark Mordue of ''WAtoday'' called "Fake Empire" "one of the great rock'n'roll songs" of 2007. He described it as "a romantic-sounding tune marked by a quiet declaration that 'We're half awake in a fake empire,' [which] married the lonely-guy blues of a New York night to a veiled critique of American imperialism. In short, it expressed the feelings of being lost inside a dream."<ref>{{cite web |accessdate=2010-01-23 |url=http://www.watoday.com.au/opinion/crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon-20080811-3t85.html |title=Crouching tiger, hidden dragon |publisher=WAtoday|date=2008-08-10 |author=Mordue, Mark |archive-date=2008-08-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080814092156/http://www.watoday.com.au/opinion/crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon-20080811-3t85.html |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Stylus Magazine'' ranked "Fake Empire" as the 7th-best song of 2007.<ref>{{cite web |accessdate=2010-01-23 |url=http://stylusmagazine.com/articles/pop_playground/top-50-songs-of-2007.htm |title=Top 50 Songs of 2007 |publisher=Stylus Magazine |archive-date=2015-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206062440/http://stylusmagazine.com/articles/pop_playground/top-50-songs-of-2007.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Track listing== ;DL and promo CD (BBQ 417) # "Fake Empire" – 3:27 # "Without Permission" – 3:37 # "Fake Empire" (Live) – 3:42

==Personnel== *Matt Berninger - vocals *Aaron Dessner - guitar *Bryce Dessner - guitar, piano *Bryan Devendorf - drums, percussion *Scott Devendorf - bass Additional Musicians *Tim Albright - trombone *Thomas Bartlett - keyboards *CJ Camerieri - trumpet *Marla Hansen - backing vocals *Jeb Wallace - French horn

==Certifications== {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|award=Gold|type=single|artist=The National|title=Fake Empire|relyear=2008|certyear=2023|accessdate=March 22, 2023}} {{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|noshipments=true|nosales=true}}

==Cover versions==

* Danny Seim of Menomena recorded a cover of the song in 2008 for his solo project, Lackthereof, on the album ''Your Anchor''.<ref>{{cite web |accessdate=2010-03-19 |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/theticket/2008/0822/1219331384463.html |title=Rock and pop reviews |work=Irish Times |date=2008-08-22 |archive-date=2012-10-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020124152/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/theticket/2008/0822/1219331384463.html |url-status=live }}</ref> * Ryan Lewis also released a song called "Fake Empire" on the album ''[[Ryan Lewis#The VS. .5BRedux.5D|The VS. [Redux]]]'' in 2010 together with Macklemore. It samples the "Fake Empire" refrain, therefore making it a remix rather than a cover. * Anna-Lynne Williams released a version of the song as Lotte Kestner on her 2011 album ''Stolen''.

* Molly Tuttle, recorded a cover of the song on her ''…but I’d rather be with you'' album, released in 2020<ref>{{Cite web |last=Freeman |first=Jon |date=2020-06-26 |title=Molly Tuttle Previews New Album With Cover of the National's 'Fake Empire' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/molly-tuttle-covers-the-national-fake-empire-1020955/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.americanmary.com/ The National official website]

{{The National}}

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Category:2008 singles Category:The National (band) songs Category:2007 songs Category:Beggars Banquet Records singles Category:Songs written by Matt Berninger