From the first undulating pulses of submariner bass, the first vocals – soft like a whisper in the ear – and the first fizz of hi-hats that force along the pace, the sound is unmistakably Underworld. Electronics wrapped effortlessly around songs; streams of consciousness lyrics that form indelible images; a perfectly balanced mix of melody and rhythm. Underworld’s sixth studio album is a thundering return to form, although it’s fair to say that the band responsible have never really been below par.
Bird 1
Underworld Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
White stick with a red light
Floats past her on the right
White stick on the rock
Roping in the wind
Are you hungry?
Do you know what to eat
Floating in the blue
I hear you your voice
It comes out above my head
Close to you, close to you
There is one bird in my house
She said you woke up from a dream
He heard Mama Cass
He felt better if I would
have known (those) things
It damped his mood for a second
Then he remembered where he was
He regained his perspective
That felt a
Lot better
It gets much better
He laid down on his bed
With the front door open
And the sunlight
flooding into the room
He smelt tire
He laid back listening to a fly
He saw washing hanging
In the sun
He caught a fleeting
glimpse of a man
moving uphill
pursued by a bus
He saw a white church with a
Three blue-domed roof
A crucifix on the top
And an ant walked
Along the edge of his book
He heard another bell
And a (braying mustache(?))
And a moped started up
Sounding like a chainsaw
of tiny firecrackers
And he smelled tire again
A fly came dim
Along the shaft of sunlight
Coming through the open door
He watched it cross the room
And get halfway and then it
Turned around and left, he laughed
There is one bird in my house
The lyrics to Underworld's song Bird 1 are abstract and open to interpretation but seem to convey a sense of disconnectedness and disorientation. The imagery includes a bat biting someone, a white stick with a red light floating by, and a bird in the house. The repeated question, "Are you hungry?" may be a metaphorical inquiry into the state of one's soul or psyche. The line "I hear your voice, it comes out above my head" suggests feeling overwhelmed by outside influences or voices.
Later in the song, there is a shift to a calmer and more peaceful scene. The singer takes notice of the sounds and sights around him, like the washing hanging in the sun and a man being pursued by a bus uphill. The singer feels a sense of relief and gratitude for his current state of being. He hears bells, a donkey's bray, and the sound of a moped starting up, all adding to the sensory experience. The line, "There is one bird in my house," repeats, perhaps as a reminder that even in moments of stillness, life is always present.
Overall, the song Bird 1 evokes feelings of being lost and disconnected from reality, while also offering glimpses of beauty and peace in the present moment.
Line by Line Meaning
Bat bit and ten (?)
Unclear or nonsensical phrase, possibly indicating confusion or disorientation
White stick with a red light
Visualizing a boat or ship moving through the water with a light indicating direction
Floats past her on the right
The boat passes someone on the right side
White stick on the rock
Another boat or nautical marker identified in the water near a rocky shore
Roping in the wind
A rope or line swaying in the wind, perhaps attached to a boat or object in the water
Are you hungry?
Asking if the listener is hungry or if they desire something such as food or nourishment
Do you know what to eat
Asking if the listener knows what they want to eat or if they have specific dietary preferences
Floating in the blue
Subject or object floating or moving through a blue-colored environment, such as a body of water or sky
I hear you your voice
Acknowledging the sound or speech of another person
It comes out above my head
The sound or message is heard or interpreted in a way that feels above or beyond one's own understanding
Close to you, close to you
Describing a sense of physical or emotional proximity to someone or something
There is one bird in my house
Literal description of a bird present in a living space
She said you woke up from a dream
Someone else describes the dream state or experience of the singer
He heard Mama Cass
The singer or subject hears the music or voice of the singer Mama Cass
He felt better if I would have known (those) things
The singer believes that if the subject had known certain things, they would have felt better or been more satisfied
It damped his mood for a second
The subject experiences a temporary shift in mental or emotional state due to new information or a change in circumstance
Then he remembered where he was
The subject recalls their physical location or situation, leading to a sense of grounding or reassurance
He regained his perspective
The subject is able to reframe or refocus their thoughts or feelings in a more positive or constructive way
That felt a lot better
The subject experiences a noticeable improvement in mood or outlook
It gets much better
An optimistic or hopeful statement indicating that things will improve significantly
He laid down on his bed
Physical position or action of the subject in a private or personal space
With the front door open
Description of the subject's physical surroundings or environment
And the sunlight flooding into the room
The presence of natural light in the subject's space or setting, providing illumination or warmth
He smelt tire
Sensory experience of detecting the scent of burnt rubber or automobile exhaust
He laid back listening to a fly
The subject reclines and listens to the sound of a flying insect in their vicinity
He saw washing hanging in the sun
Observation of clothing or fabric hanging outside to dry
He caught a fleeting glimpse of a man moving uphill pursued by a bus
Brief sighting of a person struggling or being pursued by some external force or entity
He saw a white church with a three blue-domed roof
Description of a distinct architectural feature or landscape element
A crucifix on the top
Religious symbol or iconography associated with the church described earlier
And an ant walked along the edge of his book
Tiny insect observed near or on the subject's personal belongings
He heard another bell and a (braying mustache(?))
Auditory perception of various sounds, including possibly a distant animal call or human voice
And a moped started up sounding like a chainsaw of tiny firecrackers
Auditory perception of a loud, distinctive motorized vehicle or machine
And he smelled tire again
Recurring sensory experience of the scent of burning rubber or engine exhaust
A fly came dim along the shaft of sunlight
Second occurrence of a flying insect entering the subject's space or field of view
Coming through the open door
Description of the physical path or location of the flying insect
He watched it cross the room
The subject observes the movement of the flying insect across their space or environment
And get halfway and then it turned around and left, he laughed
The subject experiences a humorous or lighthearted moment watching the insect's decision-making or behavior
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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