Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire released Thrills on Rykodisc in 1997, shortly followed by second album Oh! The Grandeur in 1998. Both albums were heavily influenced by traditional folk, pre-war jazz, and swing, with Bird relying on the violin as his primary musical instrument, as well as providing vocals along with his trademark verbose lyrics.
The Bowl of Fire featured musicians from Bird's home town of Chicago, including Kevin O'Donnell, Joshua Hirsch, Jon Williams, Nora O'Connor, Andy Hopkins, Jimmy Sutton, Colin Bunn, and Ryan Hembrey. Members of the Squirrel Nut Zippers, Katharine Whalen and Jimbo Mathus also appeared on Thrills. During this period, Andrew Bird was a member of the jazz group Kevin O'Donnells Quality Six, for which he was the lead singer and violinist and contributed to arrangements and songwriting for the albums Heretic Blues (Delmark 1999) and Control Freak (Delmark 2000) (both Delmark albums were produced by Raymond Salvatore Harmon).
In 2001, the Bowl of Fire released their third album, The Swimming Hour, a dramatic departure from their previous recordings. It featured a mixture of styles, from the zydeco-influenced "Core and Rind" to more straightforward rock songs such as "11:11". Due to this eclectic yet pop-like nature, Bird has often referred to it as his "jukebox album". Although gaining critical praise (The Swimming Hour received a 9.0 from indie music website Pitchfork), the band failed to attain commercial success or recognition, playing to audiences as small as 40 people. In 2002, Bird was asked to open for a band in his hometown of Chicago, but fellow Bowl of Fire members were unavailable for the date. The reluctant Bird performed the gig alone, and the surprising success of this solo show suggested potential new directions for his music. The Bowl of Fire unofficially disbanded in 2003, and Bird went on to gain mainstream recognition and re-invent himself as a solo artist.
Pathetique
Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire Lyrics
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Eternally lost love, I bear no grudge
Though you're shining in your diamond splendor
No ray of light falls on the darkness of your heart
I've known it well for a long time
I bear no grudge
Und wenn das Herz auch bricht
Ewig verlornes Lieb!
Ich grolle nicht
Though you're shining in your diamond splendor
No ray of light falls on the darkness of your heart
I've known it well for a long a time
I bear no grudge
I saw you in a dream, I saw the darkness in your heart
I saw the snake that feeds upon your heart
I saw my love how utterly wretched you are
I bear no grudge, I bear no grudge
I'm over you, so come on back to me O.K
The lyrics to Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire's song "Pathetique" are both melancholic and forgiving. The singer of the song has suffered a lost love that has broken their heart, but despite this pain, they remain magnanimous towards their former lover. Their love, even though eternally lost, will not bear grudges. The singer acknowledges their former partner's beauty and charm, but is aware that there is darkness in their heart, which no ray of light can penetrate. This darkness has been known for a long time, and the singer bears no grudge for it. The singer has seen their former partner in a dream, but now understands the snake that feeds on their heart and how wretched they truly are. Yet, even in the face of this knowledge, the singer cannot hold a grudge and is over their former lover, inviting them to return.
The song depicts the experience of someone who has been hurt deeply by a partner they once loved but has found peace in forgiveness. The singer's emotional depth is evident in how they recognize the darkness in their former lover's heart that remains hidden from others. At the same time, their willingness to forgive suggests that the singer has overcome their pain and moved beyond the relationship. The lyrics suggest that no matter how much someone hurts us, holding a grudge only serves to prolong our suffering, and that forgiveness is the path to healing.
Line by Line Meaning
I bear no grudge, even though my heart may break
Despite the pain I feel, I hold no resentment towards you
Eternally lost love, I bear no grudge
My love for you may be lost forever, but I don't hold it against you
Though you're shining in your diamond splendor
Despite how impressive you may appear on the surface
No ray of light falls on the darkness of your heart
Your inner self is dark and void of any light or goodness
I've known it well for a long time
I've been aware of this fact for quite some time now
Ich grolle nicht
I bear no resentment
Und wenn das Herz auch bricht
Even if my heart is breaking
Ewig verlornes Lieb!
Lost love forever!
I saw you in a dream, I saw the darkness in your heart
In a dream, I witnessed the darkness within you
I saw the snake that feeds upon your heart
I saw the evil that consumes your heart
I saw my love how utterly wretched you are
I saw how miserable you are and how it affects my love for you
I'm over you, so come on back to me O.K
I'm no longer hung up on you, but if you want to come back, it's fine with me
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
VKB
"I saw you in a dream, I saw the darkness in your heart
I saw the snake that feeds upon your heart
I saw, my love, how utterly wretched you are
I bear no grudge, I bear no grudge"
Olivia Bolivs
anyone else get completely seduced by this song? i just close my eyes and it takes me .
Taylor Sturm
Richard Schumann brought me here