The National showed up on Colbert’s Late Show last night to perform their impressive new song Day I Die (off of new album Sleep Well Beast, which was just released today). We’ve been digesting the new album for a while and can happily say (full review, soon come) that the band does not disappoint.

Check out the very lively Day I Die performance below, which features guitar hooks aplenty delivered by an enlarged band, including a posse of percussionists and regular touring members Benjamin Lanz and Kyle Resnick, along with Arone Dyer (of Buke and Gase) who adds vocals on the new album. Check it out and go buy/stream Sleep Well Beast HERE. Day I Die’s lyrics are at bottom.

Day I Die:

I don’t need you. I don’t need you.
Besides I barely ever see you anymore,
and when I do it feels like you’re only halfway there.
Young mothers love me, even ghosts of girlfriends
call from Cleveland—they will meet me
any time and anywhere.

The day I die, day I die, where will we be?
The day I die, day I die, where will we be?

Don’t do this, I don’t do this to you.
And don’t expect me to enjoy it.
Because I really don’t have the courage not to turn the volume up
inside my ears. For years I used to put my head inside
the speakers in the hallway
when you’d get too high and talk forever.

The day I die, day I die, where will we be?
The day I die, day I die, where will we be?
The day I die, day I die, where will we be?
The day I die, day I die, where will we be?

I get little punchy with the vodka just like my great uncle Valentine Jester did
when he had to deal with those people like you who made no goddam common sense.
I’d rather walk all the way home right now than to spend one more second in this place.
I’m exactly like you Valentine. Just come outside and leave with me.

Let’s just get high enough to see our problems.
Let’s just get high enough to see our father’s houses.

The day I die, day I die, where will we be?
The day I die, day I die, where will we be?
The day I die, day I die, where will we be?
The day I die, day I die, where will we be?