Born Ruffians released their first album under their current name in 2006. The self-titled EP was followed by the 2008 release of ”Red, Yellow & Blue”. Their sophomore album was critically well received, earning an Independent Music Awards nomination for Pop/Rock Album of the year. In 2010, Born Ruffians released their second full-length album, ”Say It”.
In April of 2013, the band released another LP, titled ”Birthmarks”, with Yep Roc and Paper Bag Records.
Hummingbird
Born Ruffians Lyrics
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Think a lot more of the days than you
& You're you
The walls of the maze
Know the will more than the way than you
& You're just you
The buttons on my phone
Know I hate to be alone
When I dial, I'm in denial
But now at least I know
Where it is I have to go
I need supplies before I arrive
"You're running down my thigh," she said
"He's such a wonderful guy," she said
"There's pride in wanting to die,
I think I'll give it a try," she said
"I can't make it on my own
& It's so hard to be alone
When I die
I'll be alright,"
& Now at least she knows
Where it is she has to go
She'll need supplies before she arrives
We're not gonna die like this
We're not gonna die like this
Sing it with me, it goes like this
We're not gonna die like this
HUM-MING-BIRD
Fly away little humminbird!
The first two stanzas of this song, "The grass & the daisies/Think a lot more of the days than you/& You're you/The walls of the maze/Know the will more than the way than you/& You're just you," seem to be addressing the idea that nature and even inanimate objects can often be more present and aware of their surroundings and purpose than humans can be. The grass and the daisies have a grounded presence in the natural world, while the walls of the maze are blindly obedient to their function, whereas humans may struggle with their sense of self and purpose in the world. This is then followed by the idea of being alone, as the singer is constantly on their phone as a distraction from this feeling. However, they have finally realized that they need to stock up on supplies before going towards a destination that they need to reach.
The following stanzas are more revealing of a narrative as a woman speaks about wanting to die but feeling a certain amount of pride in wanting to try it. The singer then acknowledges the difficulty of being alone and wonders if she'll be okay when she dies, but at least now she knows which direction to go in and will need supplies before reaching her destination. The final chorus of the song asserts that we aren't going to die like this, and encourages the listener to sing along before exhorting a little humminbird to fly away.
Line by Line Meaning
The grass & the daisies
Nature remembers the passing of time better than you do
Think a lot more of the days than you
The natural world takes notice of a day's significance, unlike humans
& You're you
And you, as a human, are mortal
The walls of the maze
Obstacles can understand determination better than humans can
Know the will more than the way than you
Perseverance is understood better by barriers than by people
& You're just you
And you, as a human, are limited by your own perception
The buttons on my phone
Technology knows me better than I know myself
Know I hate to be alone
My reliance on technology is a disagreeable habit
When I dial, I'm in denial
My dependence on my phone to communicate is unhealthy
But now at least I know
I have come to a realization
Where it is I have to go
I have a sense of direction for my life
I need supplies before I arrive
I must prepare before undertaking my journey
"You're running down my thigh," she said
A sexually transmitted infection is being discussed
"He's such a wonderful guy," she said
The singer's previous dealings with men have not been positive
"There's pride in wanting to die,
The singer is struggling with suicidal ideation
I think I'll give it a try," she said
The artist is contemplating suicide
"I can't make it on my own
The artist feels alone and hopeless
& It's so hard to be alone
Solitude is challenging
When I die
The singer is still contemplating suicide
I'll be alright,"
The artist believes death will solve their problems
& Now at least she knows
The artist has found some sort of understanding
Where it is she has to go
The artist has regained a sense of purpose
She'll need supplies before she arrives
There are things the singer must do before undertaking their journey
We're not gonna die like this
The song's message is that life is worth living
Sing it with me, it goes like this
The singer invites the listener to join in a shared positivity
HUM-MING-BIRD
This phrase might signify a positive change or inspiration
Fly away little humminbird!
This phrase might signify a farewell of some sort
Contributed by Asher E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.