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.
Effigy
Andrew Bird Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I saw a fire burning on
The palace lawn
O'er the land
The humble subjects watched in mixed
Emotion
Who is burnin'?
Effigy
Who is burnin'?
Who is burnin'?
Effigy
Last night
I saw the fire spreadin' to
The palace door
Silent majority
Weren't keepin' quiet
Anymore
Who is burnin'?
Who is burnin'?
Effigy
Who is burnin'?
Who is burnin'?
Effigy
Last night
I saw the fire spreadin' to
The country side
In the mornin'
Few were left to watch
The ashes die
Who is burnin'?
Who is burnin'?
Effigy
Who is burnin'?
Who is burnin'?
Effigy
Why?
Why?
Why?
Effigy
Andrew Bird's "Effigy" is a song that is both eerie and intriguing. The lyrics describe the burning of an effigy, which is essentially a representational figure or a stuffed image of a person. Throughout the song, there is an air of suspicion and intrigue as the persona narrates the effigy's burning and repeatedly asks the question, "Who is burning?". The lyrics suggest that the burning of this effigy is a symbol of some form of resistance or rebellion against a powerful entity, possibly a government or monarchy.
The song's theme of resistance is particularly evident in the lines "The humble subjects watched in mixed Emotion" and "Silent majority Weren't keepin' quiet anymore." These lyrics suggest that the people are no longer content with their current situation and are beginning to take action to resist the ruling power. The image of the effigy burning in the palace lawn and spreading to the countryside represents the growing rebellion and the eventual destruction of the previous system.
The repetition of the question "Who is burnin'?" adds to the suspenseful nature of the song, as it suggests that the identity of the person or entity behind the burning is not immediately clear. The repeated use of the word "effigy" throughout the song also emphasizes the symbolic nature of the burning and the resistance it represents.
Overall, "Effigy" is a powerful song that speaks to the desire for change and rebellion against oppressive systems. Its lyrics suggest that the burning of an effigy is a symbol of hope for those seeking to resist and overthrow those in power.
Line by Line Meaning
Last night
The events in this song took place last night.
I saw a fire burning on The palace lawn
The singer saw a fire on the lawn of the palace.
O'er the land The humble subjects watched in mixed Emotion
The people of the land watched the fire with mixed emotions.
Who is burnin'? Who is burnin'? Effigy
The people don't know what or who is burning, but they know that an effigy is involved.
Last night I saw the fire spreadin' to The palace door
The fire spread to the palace door.
Silent majority Weren't keepin' quiet Anymore
The normally quiet majority of people started to speak out.
Who is burnin'? Who is burnin'? Effigy
The people still don't know what or who is burning.
Last night I saw the fire spreadin' to The country side
The fire spread to the countryside.
In the mornin' Few were left to watch The ashes die
In the morning, there were a few people left to watch the ashes from the fire.
Who is burnin'? Who is burnin'? Effigy
The mystery of what or who is burning remains.
Why? Why? Why? Effigy
The singer questions why the effigy was burned, but no clear answer is provided.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ANDREW WEGMAN BIRD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
The Count
If you come to find me affable
And build a replica for me
Would the idea to you be laughable
Of a pale facsimile
So when you come to burn an effigy
It should keep the flies away
When you learn to burn this effigy
It should be
For the hours that slip away, slip away
It could be you, it could be me
Working the door, drinking for free
Carrying on with your conspiracies
Filling the room with a sense of unease
Fake conversations on a nonexistent telephone
Like the words of a man who's spent a little too much time alone
When one has spent too much time alone…
So if you come to burn my effigy
It should keep the flies away
When you learn to burn an effigy it should be
Of a man whose lost his way, slips away
It could be you, it could be me
Working the door, drinking for free
Carrying on with your conspiracies
Filling the room with a sense of unease
Fake conversations on a nonexistent telephone
Like the words of a man who's spent a little too much time alone
When one has spent too much time alone…
Solveig Inga
Whoever thinks the intro to this song is amazing, listen to more baroque music if you wanna hear more...andrew bird understands classical music as well as modern and incorporates that into his music. It's a very rare and beautiful understanding to have.
Ballsrog
Pretty much anything with violin is better than anything without it
Max Muller
Another great example of the integration of modern and baroque music is "Golden Brown", by The Stranglers
The Count
If you come to find me affable
And build a replica for me
Would the idea to you be laughable
Of a pale facsimile
So when you come to burn an effigy
It should keep the flies away
When you learn to burn this effigy
It should be
For the hours that slip away, slip away
It could be you, it could be me
Working the door, drinking for free
Carrying on with your conspiracies
Filling the room with a sense of unease
Fake conversations on a nonexistent telephone
Like the words of a man who's spent a little too much time alone
When one has spent too much time alone…
So if you come to burn my effigy
It should keep the flies away
When you learn to burn an effigy it should be
Of a man whose lost his way, slips away
It could be you, it could be me
Working the door, drinking for free
Carrying on with your conspiracies
Filling the room with a sense of unease
Fake conversations on a nonexistent telephone
Like the words of a man who's spent a little too much time alone
When one has spent too much time alone…
Valerie
Those first 40 seconds can only be described as magic. Beautiful, stunning, lovely magic.
man chise
superb collaboration. I love the way the voices blend in together so beautiful, .....sweetness!
Travis Whitney
Of his best harmonic offerings; whistling included.
Spencer Elliot
wow. the very opening had me slack-jawed and on the floor with my laptop pressed to my ears.
Timothy Houck
I won't complain about your songs because I listen to them. Well done.
Gokul Naidu
Yesterday was the first time i heard this song and it made me cry