The National’s ‘The Alcott’ feat Taylor Swift debuts at No. 186 on Global Spotify

American band The National’s song The Alcott featuring Taylor Swift has debuted at No. 186 on Global Spotify with approximately 1.2 million streams. It also debuted at No. 76 on the US Spotify chart with 476k streams.

The lyrics are from the point of view of a separated couple as they take a look back at their past relationship. The lead singer of the band Matt Berninger revealed to Zane Lowe that he actually wrote the song about his wife Carin Besser who he often works with as well.

"It very much is a perspective of one person sort of coming to try to reconnect with the other person in a hotel bar," he explained. "I’d written all that side of it, and Aaron [Dessner, The National's guitarist] sent it to Taylor right away, and I think she jumped right into the role of the other voice, the other perspective … It sets a scene of a person with a notebook writing in a bar … and she fit right into that spot."