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.
HERETICS
Andrew Bird Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Held a breath for too long till we're half sick about it
Tell us what we did wrong, then you can blame us for it
Turn the clamp on our thumbs so we're down about it
And tell us all about it, we're so in doubt about it
How about some credit now
Credit is due for the damage that was done
With this blow and vicious gun
And although pratfalls can be fun, encores can be fatal
And then I hear you say
Thank God it's fatal, thank God it's fatal, not shy
Not shy and fatal, not shy and fatal, thank God
Thank God it's fatal, thank God it's fatal, not shy
Not shy and fatal, not shy and fatal
Wait just a second now
It's not all that bad, are we not having fun?
You make your mountains of handkerchiefs
Where the mascara always runs
So be careful when you're done you're bound to get post natal
Wait, did I just hear you say
Thank God it's fatal
No, we don't want to hear the sound of a draw
No, we don't want to hear the sound of a draw
And we don't want to hear the signs that you bore
You know the kind of sign you hang on a door
Saying, "We'll be back, we're a crack"
Now don't you think we might have heard all that before
Yeah, don't you think we might have heard all that before
Born host to a tongue so sing a song about it
Held our breath for too long till we're half sick about it
Tell us what we did wrong and you can blame us
Turn the clamp on our thumbs so we're down about it
"Heretics" by Andrew Bird is a song with a complex message about the duality of human nature. The lyrics are written from the perspective of someone who sees themselves as a "heretic," or someone who challenges the norm and questions authority. The first verse seems to be directed towards those who have criticized the singer's actions and ideas, as they ask to be told what they did wrong and then punished for it. The singer is resigned to their fate, acknowledging that they are "so in doubt about it" and willing to accept whatever comes their way.
In the second verse, the singer takes a step back and acknowledges the harm that they and others have caused through their actions. They suggest that "credit is due for the damage that was done" and that while pratfalls (or comedic falls) can be fun, the consequences can be fatal. This is a commentary on the tendency of humans to make mistakes and cause harm without fully understanding the consequences. The singer also references the role that society plays in this, as they suggest that "we have wrought upon ourselves and others" and that there is a cycle of violence that we must acknowledge.
Line by Line Meaning
Born host to a tongue so sing a song about it
We have the ability to speak up and share our thoughts, so let's use it to talk about the situation we're in.
Held a breath for too long till we're half sick about it
We've been avoiding addressing the problem for too long and it's making us feel uneasy and unwell.
Tell us what we did wrong, then you can blame us for it
We want to hear feedback on what we did wrong so we can take ownership and make things right, instead of just being blamed for it.
Turn the clamp on our thumbs so we're down about it
Makes us feel powerless and defeated, as if we have no control over the situation.
And tell us all about it, we're so in doubt about it
We're feeling unsure and hesitant, so we need more information about what's happening to make sense of it.
How about some credit now
We deserve recognition for what we've accomplished, despite the challenges we've faced.
Credit is due for the damage that was done
We accept responsibility for the harm we've caused and want to make amends for it.
We have wrought upon ourselves and others
Our actions have had negative consequences not only on ourselves, but also on those around us.
With this blow and vicious gun
Our actions were very harmful, like a violent attack.
And although pratfalls can be fun, encores can be fatal
Although we may laugh at our own mistakes, repeating them could have serious consequences.
And then I hear you say Thank God it's fatal, thank God it's fatal, not shy, Not shy and fatal, not shy and fatal, thank God Thank God it's fatal, thank God it's fatal, not shy, Not shy and fatal, not shy and fatal
There's a sense of relief or even celebration that consequences were serious enough to force change, rather than being ignored or brushed aside. But this attitude towards harm is unsettling and suggests a lack of empathy or compassion.
Wait just a second now
Let's pause for a moment to reconsider our perspective and actions.
It's not all that bad, are we not having fun?
There may be moments of enjoyment, but harm is still being done and it's important to acknowledge that.
You make your mountains of handkerchiefs
You're creating a big fuss or exaggerating the situation.
Where the mascara always runs
This is a stereotypical portrayal of women crying and being overly emotional.
So be careful when you're done you're bound to get post natal
If you continue down this path, you're likely to experience negative consequences similar to postpartum depression.
Wait, did I just hear you say Thank God it's fatal
This repeated phrase suggests a possible inability or unwillingness to truly understand the impact of harm caused.
No, we don't want to hear the sound of a draw
We don't want to hear about or experience more harm or violence.
And we don't want to hear the signs that you bore, You know the kind of sign you hang on a door
We don't want to hear empty promises or excuses.
Saying, 'We'll be back, we're a crack'
This phrase implies that the person will return and be a source of harm again, rather than actually changing their behavior for the better.
Now don't you think we might have heard all that before
We've heard these empty promises and excuses many times before, and they're not convincing or helpful at all.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ANDREW WEGMAN BIRD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind