Andrew Bird (born July 11, 1973) is an American musician. He was born in La… Read Full Bio ↴Andrew Bird (born July 11, 1973) is an American musician. He was born in Lake Bluff, Illinois but currently resides in the Los Angeles area. Bird is a singer, a violinist and, since 2004, a guitarist. He is also an accomplished whistler.
His early work, which echoed gypsy jazz and traditional folk, has led into his current sound, which mixes rock with more broad compositions. His years of solo song-craft have now enabled him to produce a sound that is uniquely his own.
Trained by the Suzuki method from a young age and a graduate of Illinois' Northwestern University, Bird released his first solo album, Music of Hair, in 1996. Vastly different from his later releases, this first album showcases his violin skills and pays tribute to his fascination with both American and European folk traditions, as well as jazz and blues.
His initial commercial exposure was in collaborative work with the band Squirrel Nut Zippers. He was quickly lumped in with the swing craze that swept the United States music industry in the mid '90s; this is an affiliation that he is still working to shed.
Taking on the role of band leader in 1997 with Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire, he released the album Thrills. This was followed by 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.
In 2001, Bird released The Swimming Hour, his third release with the Bowl of Fire and a dramatic departure from previous recordings. The Swimming Hour featured a mixture of styles, from the zydeco-influenced "Core and Rind" to more straightforward rock songs. He has often referred to this record as his "jukebox album".
The Bowl of Fire unofficially disbanded some time in 2003, having featured many skilled Chicago musicians including Kevin O'Donnell, Nora O'Connor, Andy Hopkins (aka Mr. Rudy Day), Jimmy Sutton, Colin Bunn and Ryan Hembrey.
Bird then released two subsequent solo albums, both distributed through the label operated by Ani DiFranco, Righteous Babe Records. The two records, 2003's Weather Systems and 2005's The Mysterious Production of Eggs, continue a progression towards an eclectic indie folk sound that has proven challenging to classify.
Bird's live solo shows have been notable in that he uses a multi-track system to sample and loop his own performance. For example, he may record a snippet of his performance on violin, then play a "loop" of that sound. This provides a more full-bodied sound and aurally suggests a band performance, rather than the sound of a solo artist.
Bird's next full-length album Armchair Apocrypha (Fat Possum) was released on March 20th 2007.
November 2007 saw the Soldier On EP originally a European tour-only release. But due to high demand and unanticipated critical acclaim was released digitally and in CD-format on both sides of the Atlantic. Critics and fans alike have hearkened to the EP's first track, "The Trees Were Mistaken", a complex yet austere looping composition that marks a departure from Bird's earlier body of work. It also contains a cover of Bob Dylan's "Oh Sister".
January 2009 saw Noble Beast, also available with instrumental album Useless Creatures, released worldwide to positive reviews.
The Fatal Shore Songfacts reports that Break it Yourself, Bird's sixth solo studio album, was released on March 6, 2012 through Mom+Pop records in the US and Bella Union in the UK. The origins of the LP lie in a couple of jam sessions by a gathering of Bird's friends in the singer's western Illinois barn, near the banks of the Mississippi River.
Of his 2019 album My Finest Work Yet, Talia Schlanger of NPR says "Bird zooms way out on humanity across history's timeline, seeking insight about our current age, in a way he hopes 'stays above the news feed noise.'" Many tracks, including the opener "Sisyphus," include Andrew's trademark whistling.
His early work, which echoed gypsy jazz and traditional folk, has led into his current sound, which mixes rock with more broad compositions. His years of solo song-craft have now enabled him to produce a sound that is uniquely his own.
Trained by the Suzuki method from a young age and a graduate of Illinois' Northwestern University, Bird released his first solo album, Music of Hair, in 1996. Vastly different from his later releases, this first album showcases his violin skills and pays tribute to his fascination with both American and European folk traditions, as well as jazz and blues.
His initial commercial exposure was in collaborative work with the band Squirrel Nut Zippers. He was quickly lumped in with the swing craze that swept the United States music industry in the mid '90s; this is an affiliation that he is still working to shed.
Taking on the role of band leader in 1997 with Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire, he released the album Thrills. This was followed by 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.
In 2001, Bird released The Swimming Hour, his third release with the Bowl of Fire and a dramatic departure from previous recordings. The Swimming Hour featured a mixture of styles, from the zydeco-influenced "Core and Rind" to more straightforward rock songs. He has often referred to this record as his "jukebox album".
The Bowl of Fire unofficially disbanded some time in 2003, having featured many skilled Chicago musicians including Kevin O'Donnell, Nora O'Connor, Andy Hopkins (aka Mr. Rudy Day), Jimmy Sutton, Colin Bunn and Ryan Hembrey.
Bird then released two subsequent solo albums, both distributed through the label operated by Ani DiFranco, Righteous Babe Records. The two records, 2003's Weather Systems and 2005's The Mysterious Production of Eggs, continue a progression towards an eclectic indie folk sound that has proven challenging to classify.
Bird's live solo shows have been notable in that he uses a multi-track system to sample and loop his own performance. For example, he may record a snippet of his performance on violin, then play a "loop" of that sound. This provides a more full-bodied sound and aurally suggests a band performance, rather than the sound of a solo artist.
Bird's next full-length album Armchair Apocrypha (Fat Possum) was released on March 20th 2007.
November 2007 saw the Soldier On EP originally a European tour-only release. But due to high demand and unanticipated critical acclaim was released digitally and in CD-format on both sides of the Atlantic. Critics and fans alike have hearkened to the EP's first track, "The Trees Were Mistaken", a complex yet austere looping composition that marks a departure from Bird's earlier body of work. It also contains a cover of Bob Dylan's "Oh Sister".
January 2009 saw Noble Beast, also available with instrumental album Useless Creatures, released worldwide to positive reviews.
The Fatal Shore Songfacts reports that Break it Yourself, Bird's sixth solo studio album, was released on March 6, 2012 through Mom+Pop records in the US and Bella Union in the UK. The origins of the LP lie in a couple of jam sessions by a gathering of Bird's friends in the singer's western Illinois barn, near the banks of the Mississippi River.
Of his 2019 album My Finest Work Yet, Talia Schlanger of NPR says "Bird zooms way out on humanity across history's timeline, seeking insight about our current age, in a way he hopes 'stays above the news feed noise.'" Many tracks, including the opener "Sisyphus," include Andrew's trademark whistling.
/=/=/
Andrew Bird Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Andrew Bird:
11:11 Standing on the corner Plastic cup in her hand Standing on…
13. Tables And Chairs If we can call them friends then we can call…
50 Pieces You've been away for such a long long time Gone from…
A Nervous Tic Overprescribed Under the mister We had survived to Turn on t…
A Nervous Tic Motion Of The Head To The Left Overprescribed Under the mister We had survived to Turn o…
A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left Overprescribed Under the mister We had survived to Turn on t…
A Nervous-Tic-Motion Of The Head To The Left Overprescribed Under the mister We had survived to Turn o…
A Woman's Life And Love Since I first saw him, I think myself blind I look…
Action I have been driving all night Bathing in fluorescent light …
Action Adventure now if you think i'm wasting your time again i'm wasting…
angle I've got a new found fangled Fandango tango angle And it kee…
Angle? I've got a new found fangled Fandango tango angle And it k…
Anonanimal See a sea anemone The enemy See a sea anemone And that'll be…
Archipelago What if one day we just refused to play? With no…
Are You Serious Used to have just one foot out the door Yeah, I…
Armchairs I dreamed you were a cosmonaut Of the space between our…
Atomized They're gonna try to get a rise To unseat you They'll demagn…
Auld Lang Syne Should auld acquaintance be forgot And never brought to mind…
Banking on a Myth There's a guy I'd like to thank He signs the checks…
Bein' Green It's not that easy bein' green Having to spend each day…
Bell Witch I hear a sweet voice, it's talking, it's talking Her…
Bellevue Now I find someone who can slake my thirst in…
Bellevue Bridge Club And I will hold you hostage Make you part of my…
Beware Step right on up, take a good good look At the…
Bloodless They're profiting from your worry They're selling blanks dow…
Candy Shop Well, piece by piece and nail by nail it'll all…
Capital Crimes We're a fine institution We're using a test to decide Like s…
Capsized Now when you wake up Night's falling, someone is by your…
Case In Point I'm a breather mail receiver And I don't know where I…
Cataracts And when our mouths are filled with uninvited tongues of…
Chemical Switches I keep hearing a vicious rumor From the backrooms, to the…
Cock O' The Walk C'mon baby move over I'm sitting here tonight, C'mon baby…
Core Listen you don't know You don't know my mind When…
Core And Rind Listen you don't know You don't know my mind When…
Cracking Codes You just have to look into my eyes You don't need…
Danse Caribe You were a shameless child Bandied by stiff cross currents A…
Danse Carribe You were a shameless child Bandied by stiff cross currents …
Dark Matter When I was just a little boy I threw away all…
Darkmatter When I was just a little boy I threw away all…
Dear Dirty Dear Dirty, I'm a man strong and {n/a} And I live…
Dear Old Greenland On the way to Greenland (On the way to Greenland) I shall…
Desperation Breeds Beekeeper sing of your frustration In this litigious breeze …
Desperation Breeds ... Beekeeper sing of your frustration In this litigious breeze…
Desperation Breeds... Beekeeper sing of your frustration In this litigious breeze …
Dig up the Hatchet Dig Up the Hatchet & pass it around Exhume these memories…
Don Whenever Paul thinks of rain, Swallows fall in a wave…
Don The Struggle Come on everybody, let's settle down We're all just stumblin…
Don't Be Scared Whenever Paul thinks of rain, Swallows fall in a wave…
Dora Goes to Town She's got a ham in her handbag, a pig in…
Effigy Last night I saw a fire burning on The palace lawn O'er the…
Eight One just reached for her gun, two's slumped in the…
Encircle My Love I was born a rake and a rambling boy Thru many…
Eugene Studies have shown that we like sheep are prone To sure…
Eyeoneye Go ahead and congratulate yourself Give yourself a hand the …
Faithless Ghost I seen your face before When I was waxin' the kitchen…
Fake Palindromes My dewy-eyed Disney bride, what has tried Swapping your bloo…
Fallorun We could have been together But you couldn't stand the weath…
Fatal Flower Garden It rained, it poured, rained so hard Rained so hard all…
Fatal Shore Would it be easier, so much easier If you never knew…
Feetlips Feetlips, why do you do that way? You know you'll have…
Fiery Crash Two stars are missing me Jet waves are driving me Things in…
First Song Then it was dust in Illinois a small boy After an afternoon…
First Song (Live in Los Angeles, CA) then it was dusk in Illinois a small boy, after an…
Fitz & Dizzyspells Comes and goes Like in fits and dizzy spells Like the weat…
Fitz and the Dizzyspells Comes and goes Like in fits and dizzy spells Like the weathe…
Fixed Positions When your position remains fixed, my dear Results can be mix…
Giant of Illinois The giant of Illinois Died from a blister on his toe After…
Give It Away Did you give it away Did you give it away for…
Glass Figurine You've got me sitting on your mantle like a little…
Gotholympians My pitiful sorrows have seen more tomorrows than yours My r…
Grinnin' Now don't you mind people grinnin' in your face. Now don't…
Gris-Gris You know I've never been to Venezuela, but everything's fine…
Happy Birthday When I wake up In the morning, Pour the coffee, And I read…
Happy Day Some day Some happy day Some day I'll find I live before…
Headsoak I was walking with my feet A position fell over me The…
Heretics Born host to a tongue so sing a song about…
High John Peoples all talking bout High John in the land. He's got…
Hole in the Ocean Floor I woke with a start Crying bullets, beating heart To hear al…
How Indiscreet (One, two, three, four) I saw you last night My my, how…
How You Gonna Keep 'Em Down On The Farm "Reuben, Reuben, I've been thinking, Said his wifey dear, No…
I We're keeping busy Yeah we're bleeding stones With our mac…
I Shall Not Be Moved Well lordy I shall not be, I shall not be…
Ides Of Swing Some say April is the cruelest And though I can be…
If I Needed You If I needed you would you come to me Would you…
Imitosis His keeping busier as bitter storms His imaginations and his…
Inside Problems Molting porous sheathing Breathing through the skin Sloughin…
Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning I said no, don't worry No, please don't worry No, don't wo…
Lazy Projector If memory serves us, then who owns the master How do…
Left Handed Kisses I don't believe everything happens for a reason To us romant…
London Town London town My heart is falling down Will it break on the…
Lone Didion She's a lone, she's a lone, lone, lone Didion She's a…
Lull Being alone It can be quite romantic Like Jacques Cousteau U…
Lusitania If you loosen liable lips You keep sinking all my…
Make a Picture Oh, I don't wanna ride on your shoulders or put…
Manifest I'm coming to the edge of the widest canyon My companion's…
Masterfade Well you sure didn't look like you were having any…
Masterswarm Come what may Lay your eggs where it's warm We come here…
Measuring Cups Get out your measuring cups and we'll play a new…
Minor Stab Some people was an angry thin skinned man, couldn't get…
MX Missiles And now as I would judge and say you're aloof But…
Naming of Things You remind me of you The way you shot right through…
Natural Disaster Conforming on a Monday Too often and too cold But you aren't…
Near Death Experience Experience You used to be like toffee, Between the kitten's teeth You…
Nervous Tic Overprescribed Under the mister We had survived to Turn o…
Never Fall Apart Oh, dear friend, won't you speak to me? I'm down here,…
Nomenclature Just think of the lives you could swap with your…
Not A Robot But A Ghost I run the numbers through the floor Here's how it goes I…
NOT A SONG ABOUT A TRAIN If sound is a wave like a wave on the…
Nuthinduan Waltz I'm just an old yout, with a cane made of…
Oh No In the salsify mains of what was thought but unsaid All…
Oh Sister Oh, sister, when I come to lie in your arms Please…
Olympians You were inhabited Speaking in tongues in the night I wasn't…
Opposite Day I got home this morning With the sun right in my…
Orpheo And there are places we must go to To bring these…
Pathetique I bear no grudge, even though my heart may break Eternally…
Plasticities This isn't your song, this isn't your music How can there…
Proxy War He don't have to get over her She don't to have…
Pulaski Half empty, half full Cup runneth over Horns of plenty, coff…
Puma Do you see particles in the air? Unguided particles in the…
Railroad Bill Railroad bill, railroad bill Never worked and he never will …
Red Velvet Rope A Red Velvet Rope & a red carpet You're on…
Richmond Woman Give her a red lipstick and a bright pair of…
ROMA FADE See her light, how it reigns So hard on your high…
Saints Preservus I once was found But now I'm lost I could be anywhere Where…
Satisfied I'm going on home now guess I'm satisfied Going on home…
Scythian Empire Five day forecast bring black tall rains and hellfire While…
Scythian Empires Five day forecast bring black tall rains and hellfire While …
See The Enemy Hold on just a second Don't tell me this one you…
Shoulder Mountain You walk into a room And you are instantly feeling uncomfort…
Sic Of Elephants You were right There was never reason to worry Money made …
Sifters If sound is a wave like a wave on the…
Simple X Some people wake up on Monday mornings Barring maelstroms an…
SISYPHUS Sisyphus peered into the mist A stone's throw from the preci…
Skin Is My skin is White as parchment Drier than a downtown office…
Skin Is My My skin is White as parchment Drier than a downtown office b…
So Much Wine Merry Christmas I had nothing to say on Christmas day When you threw…
Some of These Days Some of these days, you'll miss your honey Some of these…
Something Biblical Take your apples from the earth And your fingerlings from th…
Song of Foot Sometimes when I am worth it And my mind doesn't have…
Souverian The bells will ring Church steeple's catching fire And if yo…
Sovay I was getting ready to be a threat I was getting…
Spanish for Monsters All alone now, guess I'm satisfied All alone now, guess I'm…
Spare-Ohs The finches and sparrows build nests in my chimney What rema…
Spirograph Echoes down water wells Picked up in sacred spirograph Weeke…
Stop n’ Shop Thought the wall was a gun And that the gun was…
Sweetbreads When I was a little boy I threw away my…
Tables If we can call them friends then we can call…
Take Courage I'd start over if I could. From the tropic of Cancer…
Tea Well, I can tell by the way you take your…
Ten-You-Us Tenuous at best was all he had to say when…
Tenuousness Tenuous at best was all he had to say When pressed…
The Confession Don't tell me anything, anyhow Your contribution, proposed s…
The Giant of Illinois The giant of Illinois Died from a blister on his toe After…
The Happy Birthday Song When I wake up In the morning, Pour the coffee, And I read…
The Idiot's Genius Viridian green Was the color that triggered The relapse that…
The Naming of Things You remind me of you The way you shot right through…
The New Saint Jude Come on, all you stand-up men You self-empowered beginners A…
The Night Before Your Birthday On the night before your birthday I sat down to write…
The Nightshade Gets In It Comes and goes Like in fits and dizzy spells Like the weathe…
The Privateers Don't sell me anything Your one time offer, so uncalled for…
and many more tracks by Andrew Bird.
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
feanoR
Honest people who write honest music should never consider stopping. They often achieve that which other artists can only dream about, though the latter may often be in the spotlight of the world while the former are not. However, I listen to music as old as animals, yet when I listen to this I appreciate it and it attracts me, and I ain't no insect attracted to just any light. :) Quality over quantity is what each man or woman should wish for, to strive for.
This has actually happened to many artists who have attracted a whole lot of, let's say, teenage fans. They have eventually come to wish for an audience of higher education and refinement, precisely for the difficulty that presents itself in attracting such a fan base, or even just an occasional listener who will choose to nod his head in approval, if only just once. It acts as a measure of the artist's development in various areas of existence, be it the art itself, or the mind behind from which it emanates.
By this I wish not to offend those who listen to music where the profound is considered that which is stupid, ostentatious, and lecherous, but it is only fair according to the rule of divine justice to express the thought this way, for he who has refused to move on the staircase of life cannot complain when those who have climbed higher above have no desire to come back down. It is a greater sin to be high up the staircase and become stagnant than to be at the lowest point yet trying to move upwards. That's why there still is a thread that connects those high up there and those who are at the beginning of their journey, the thread of kindness delivered to all those who wish to advance towards knowledge, through reason and love. That is why, in the end, even great scientists such as Carl Sagan or Richard Feynman had given lectures to the general populace, to any mind that had desired to learn and take another step into the unknown and understand it.
And in our universe, there is not only one set of stairs, but there are many. Therefore cooperation is imperative, necessitated by the myriad of pathways that the universe abounds in.
PS: I am from Slovakia, which is extremely close to Hungary, so he has at least two fans in two small countries of Europe. :)
PS2: Thanks for the story, it was interesting and very nice.
NPR Music
How do you love rap when rap doesn’t love you back? From Rico Nasty’s harassment from toxic Carti fans, to Saucy Santana's unapologetically femme aesthetics in a queerphobic industry, to the assault case that put Megan Thee Stallion’s entire image on trial, each episode of Louder Than A Riot – the second season of our investigative hip-hop podcast – unpacks the unspoken rules of rap that hold the entire culture back. Tap in to our first episode at https://n.pr/louder-season-2.
Darren Brennan
There's still plenty of rap that is accepting of everyone. Underground independents are doing it. And in this day and age, they don't wait for mainstream acceptance.
Charlie Day
His whistling is so pitch-perfect that actual birds use him for reference
Cerevisi
TRUTH!
Iwansyah Putra
LOL, You're right, mister.
Nathanael Elliott
And the fact he is whistling inward has always blown my mind as a musician. You can't whistle into a mic unless you're breathing inward. If you haven't seen his old shows where he played every instrument himself that's amazing too
Jennifer Beetz
and when he blends his voice with the violin notes he plays? holy holy holy (holy)
Haven
that’s why he’s called andrew bird
Scott Sheehan
The only gripe I have with Tiny Desk Concerts is that I become a fan of so many great artists from here, but I end up preferring these versions more than their original recordings!
Teresa A
Don't worry. Me too.