Their debut album BiRd-BrAiNs was first released on limited edition vinyl and cassette in June 2009, via the Portland-based imprint Marriage Records. In July 2009, it was announced that tUnE-yArDs had signed to 4AD, and a limited edition pressing of BiRd-BrAiNs was released on August 17, 2009.
A full worldwide release followed on November 16, 2009 (and November 17th in North America). The autumn 2009 pressing was remastered at Abbey Road Studios by Christian Wright, and includes two new bonus tracks: "Want Me To" and "Real Live Flesh."
BiRd-BrAiNs was entirely self-produced and recorded, with Garbus utilizing a hand-held digital voice recorder, ukulele, some noisy off-balance drums, and produced using shareware mixing software. Garbus described their sound as "a patchwork of sound snippets, of history in a present tense. It is a composer's commitment to the preservation of stories, however small and unassuming."
A second album w h o k i l l was released on April 19, 2011, preceded by the single "Bizness". It was produced by Garbus and engineered by Eli Crews at New, Improved Studios in Oakland, California. Comparing the act to Sonic Youth, Frontier Psychiatrist said, "if BiRd-BrAiNs was Garbus’ EVOL, a record bursting with musical ideas that attempted to subvert the notion of song, w h o k i l l is their Sister, a record that embraces the traditional pop song as a vehicle to convey those ideas." The song "Fiya" is featured on a 2010 commercial for the Blackberry Torch.
Bizness
tUnE-yArDs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Then can away the part that represents the thing that scarred you
I say, get up, stand up, get up, stand up, get on it
Yes sir, I am no longer who you thought this one would be
We end up around the mountain that I climb to lose you
I said, I said give me the business that business could work through
I say, ask me but all my wisdom departed
Tell me but all my wisdom departed but
Help please at least answer me this
Answer me, answer me
What's the business, yeah
Don't take my life away, don't take my life away
From a distance, yeah
Don't take my life away, don't take my life away
I'm a victim, yeah
Don't take my life away, don't take my life away
I'm addicted, yeah
Don't take my life away, don't take my life away
If you just press your fingers down under my skin (Go on and do it, go on and do it)
Lift up, dig up, lift up, dig up and bleed for me, and bleed for me
I say, I'll bleed if you ask me
I'll bleed if you ask me
That's when, that's when, he said no
What's the business, yeah
Don't take my life away, don't take my life away
From a distance, yeah
Don't take my life away, don't take my life away
I'm a victim, yeah
Don't take my life away, don't take my life away
I'm addicted, yeah
Don't take my life away, don't take my life away
I'm addicted, yeah
From a distance, yeah
I'm a victim, yeah
What's the business, yeah
I'm addicted, yeah (Don't take my life away, don't take my life away)
What's the business, yeah
I'm addicted, yeah
From a distance, yeah
I'm a victim, yeah
What's the business, yeah
Don't take my life away, don't take my life away
The lyrics of tUnE-yArDs' "Bizness" are somewhat abstract and open to interpretation, but they appear to center around themes of identity, victimization, addiction, and the search for meaning in life. In the first verse, the singer seems to be taking responsibility for something that has caused harm to another person, but also suggests that they are not the same person anymore, declaring "Yes sir, I am no longer who you thought this one would be." The second verse introduces the idea of "the business," which seems to be some sort of code or metaphor for the struggles and conflicts of life. The chorus repeatedly pleads not to have one's life taken away, and the bridge section is characterized by eerie imagery of digging and bleeding, along with the repeated question of "what's the business?"
Line by Line Meaning
If I represent the one that did this to you
If I am the one who hurt you
Then can away the part that represents the thing that scarred you
Then remove the part of me that caused you pain
I say, get up, stand up, get up, stand up, get on it
I urge you to rise and take action
Yes sir, I am no longer who you thought this one would be
I have changed from who you once knew me as
We end up around the mountain that I climb to lose you
Our relationship has come full circle and now it's over
I said, I said give me the business that business could work through
I asked for an explanation that could solve our problems
I say, ask me but all my wisdom departed
I admit that I don't know the answer
Tell me but all my wisdom departed but
I'm still hoping for an answer even if I don't have the wisdom to solve it
Help please at least answer me this
Please help me by answering this question
Answer me, answer me
I need an answer
What's the business, yeah
What's going on?
Don't take my life away, don't take my life away
Don't hurt me
From a distance, yeah
Even if we're apart
I'm a victim, yeah
I've been hurt
I'm addicted, yeah
I can't help but be drawn to this situation
If you just press your fingers down under my skin (Go on and do it, go on and do it)
If you want to understand me better, look deeper
Lift up, dig up, lift up, dig up and bleed for me, and bleed for me
Scratch beneath the surface and see what's really going on
I say, I'll bleed if you ask me
I'm willing to be vulnerable
That's when, that's when, he said no
But my request was denied
I'm addicted, yeah (Don't take my life away, don't take my life away)
I can't resist this situation
What's the business, yeah
I still don't understand what's happening
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Merrill Martin Garbus, Nathaniel J Brenner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind