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.
Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning
Andrew Bird Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No, please don't worry
No, don't worry
See what the Lord has done
Just keep your lamp all trimmed and burning
Keep your lamp trimmed and burning
Keep your lamp all trimmed and burning
I said no, don't worry
No no don't worry
No, don't worry
She what the Lord has done
Just keep your lamp ...ed and and burning
Keep your lamp all trimmed and burning
Keep your lamp ...ed and burning
Oh, see what the Lord has
done
The lyrics to Andrew Bird's song Trimmed and Burning speak to a sense of hope, encouragement, and faith. The repetition of "keep your lamp all trimmed and burning" is a reference to the parable of the ten virgins found in the New Testament. In the parable, ten virgins are awaiting the arrival of the bridegroom, but five of them were foolish and did not have enough oil in their lamps to keep them burning. The message of the parable is an encouragement to be prepared and ready for the coming of the bridegroom, or the end of the world, and to live a life that reflects this preparedness.
The reference to the Lord in the lyrics further emphasizes the sense of religious guidance and comfort. The line "see what the Lord has done" can be interpreted as an acknowledgement of the goodness and mercy of God, and could also be a call to reflect on the blessings in one's life. Ultimately, the lyrics of Trimmed and Burning convey a sense of steadfastness and optimism, despite the uncertain and sometimes difficult nature of life.
Line by Line Meaning
I said no, don't worry
I am reassuring someone who is concerned.
No, please don't worry
I am asking someone not to worry.
No, don't worry
I am again asking someone not to worry.
See what the Lord has done
I am pointing out the power and greatness of God's work.
Just keep your lamp all trimmed and burning
I am advising someone to keep their spiritual light shining bright with consistent effort.
Keep your lamp trimmed and burning
I am repeating the advice to maintain one's spiritual strength.
Keep your lamp all trimmed and burning
I am stressing again the importance of staying spiritually strong.
See what the Lord has done
I am once again emphasizing the power and greatness of God's work.
I said no, don't worry
I am repeating my earlier reassurance.
No no don't worry
I am emphasizing again that there is no need to worry.
No, don't worry
I am reminding someone to not worry which was an ongoing concern.
She what the Lord has done
I am pointing out once again the power and greatness of God's work.
Just keep your lamp ...ed and and burning
I am once again advising someone to maintain their spiritual strength and also suggesting that they be alert and attentive in order to identify potential challenges and overcome them.
Keep your lamp all trimmed and burning
I am repeating my advice to maintain one's spiritual strength despite any obstacles and challenges.
Keep your lamp ...ed and burning
I am emphasizing again the need to be alert and attentive in maintaining one's spiritual strength.
Oh, see what the Lord has done
I am expressing astonishment at the power and greatness of God's work.
Contributed by Adrian E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.