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.
Gotholympians
Andrew Bird Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My rain really pours
At least more than yours
At least more than yours
In the depths of my sadness there's a beautiful madness you see
It's right here on my sleeve
You must not believe
So I really have to say it's all just so romantic
Cause I've seen the others try and they just seem pedantic
Cause when it comes to misery
When it comes to misery
When it comes to misery
No one competes with me
My sweeping emotions have spanned the great oceans
From this fifty foot wave I just can't be saved
O don't even try
I can't be saved
My pitiful sorrows have seen more tomorrows than yours
My rain really pours
At least more than yours
At least more than yours
So I really have to say it's all just so romantic
Cause I've seen the others try and they just seem pedantic
Cause when it comes to misery
When it comes to misery
When it comes to misery
No one competes with me
The lyrics to Andrew Bird's song "Gotholympians" describe a person who feels that their pain and sorrow are greater than anyone else's. The singer is arrogant and seems to take pride in the depth of their emotions, claiming that their sadness is a "beautiful madness." They also suggest that others' attempts to express their own pain are inadequate and "pedantic" in comparison.
Throughout the song, the singer emphasizes their own perceived superiority in terms of experiencing and expressing negative emotions. They suggest that their "pitiful sorrows" have lasted longer and have been more intense than those of others. They describe themselves as a "fifty foot wave" that cannot be saved, implying that their pain is overwhelming and cannot be eased.
Despite the singer's arrogance and self-centeredness, the lyrics suggest a deeper sense of loneliness and isolation. They seem to feel that no one truly understands the depth of their pain, and their repeated assertion that "no one competes with me" suggests a desperate need for validation and recognition.
Overall, the lyrics to "Gotholympians" paint a picture of a person whose arrogance and self-pity stem from a sense of deep insecurity and loneliness. The song suggests that while it may be tempting to wallow in sadness and claim ownership over the title of "most miserable," true healing and connection can only come from vulnerability and empathy for others.
Line by Line Meaning
My pitiful sorrows have seen more tomorrows than yours
I have experienced more sadness in my life than you
My rain really pours
My emotions are overwhelming and pour out of me like rain
At least more than yours
My sadness is more intense than yours
In the depths of my sadness there's a beautiful madness you see
Despite my sadness, there is a beauty and complexity to my emotions
It's right here on my sleeve
My emotions are on display for everyone to see
You must not believe
Others are often skeptical of the intensity of my emotions
I can see you just don't believe
I can sense that others doubt the depth of my feelings
So I really have to say it's all just so romantic
Despite the sadness, there is a romanticism to my experience
Cause I've seen the others try and they just seem pedantic
Others who attempt to express their sadness seem superficial in comparison
Cause when it comes to misery
When it comes to suffering and sadness
No one competes with me
My experience of sadness is more intense than anyone else's
My sweeping emotions have spanned the great oceans
My emotions are vast and intense
From this fifty foot wave I just can't be saved
My sadness is like an immense wave that cannot be overcome
O don't even try
Others' attempts to console me will not succeed
When it comes to misery
When it comes to suffering and sadness
No one competes with me
My experience of sadness is more intense than anyone else's
Contributed by Max T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ouiam
My pitiful sorrows have seen more tomorrows than yours
My rain really pours
At least more than yours
At least more than yours
In the depths of my sadness there's a beautiful madness you see
It's right here on my sleeve
You must not believe
I can see you just don't believe
So I really have to say it's all just so romantic
Cause I've seen the others try and they just seem pedantic
Cause when it comes to misery
When it comes to misery
When it comes to misery
No one competes with me
My sweeping emotions have spanned the great oceans
From this fifty foot wave I just can't be saved
O don't even try
I can't be saved
My pitiful sorrows have seen more tomorrows than yours
My rain really pours
At least more than yours
At least more than yours
Not Saved
I love how this is basically "I'm sadder than you," the song. Gotholympians as a name is so on the nose I love it.
You're being extra cheeky lately Andrew
J Hansen Hlebica
Yes, and he released this originally in 2001, which goes to show the extent to which he predicted the prevalence of the phenomena he's describing here, which makes evident why he would bring it up again presently. They have come to now call it the "oppression Olympics". But of course, he's not so prophetic as he seems, because this has been a thing for quite awhile. He just managed to reflect upon it and write a song about it some years ago. There may be other such examples. Either way, he's clearly a sharp cat.
Ned Bilow
I loved his music since I was a teenager (over a decade ago) and one of the things I always admired about his work is the subtlety and his ability to play with words. I'm afraid his latest material is basically a U-turn with, as you said "cheeky" and on the nose lyrics. Not really my jam, but still, from a musical standpoint, top-notch.
Not Saved
@Lillie Eve Basically it's just slamming "goth" and "Olympians" together. like Goth-Olympics, it's just trying to sound more sad than the other person, like it's a challenge. :)
Lillie Eve
Not Saved I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed not saved, explain it to me please??
Sarah Mills
He does a lot of variations on themes. I really enjoy listening to the evolution of his work.
Nick Berndsen
Andrew Bird is a weird guy, I guess that's why he's so good
Mario Alfaro
I love the evolution (and similarities) between this, and the original version in his first Fingerlings album. Great stuff!!
- Csótánypüré -
Totally.
I have been waiting for things like that in the new album. Somehow I couldn't grow myself older to love it (I mean not older by time, older by experiences). His new songs are too I don't know...I can't enjoy them except Sisyphus. It is a masterpiece.
Will Milks
What a perfect song to express my miseries since he cancelled his show I was gonna see...for my birthday this year...that was on...my birthday. All the best on Fargo. It’s gonna be a great season!