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.
Near Death Experience Experience
Andrew Bird Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Between the kitten's teeth
You used to build arid shelters out of sticks and leaves and
Spend the whole day underneath.
You used to be like copper
Pliable but strong,
You used to smile and nod, say "you're right," be polite,
So you dare the plane to crash,
Redeem the miles for cash when it starts to dive
And we'll dance like cancer survivors
Like we're grateful simply to be alive.
Dare the plane to crash,
Redeem the miles for cash
And we'll dance like cancer survivors
Like your prognosis was that you should've died.
No, there's nothing wrong; there's nothing wrong when it starts to down
And we'll dance like cancer survivors
Like we're grateful simply to be alive
No, there's nothing wrong; there's nothing wrong when it starts to down
And we'll dance like cancer survivors
Andrew Bird's "Near Death Experience Experience" speaks to the idea that life is fleeting and that we should embrace the miracle of being alive. The first stanza depicts a person who used to be innocent and naive, spending their days building shelters and playing. As they grew older, they became more cynical, nodding and smiling along with society's falsehoods. The second stanza brings forth the idea of the gamble of life. Bird sings of daring the plane to crash and redeeming miles for cash, embracing the danger of living. The chorus "And we'll dance like cancer survivors, like we're grateful simply to be alive" epitomizes the entire message of the song, showing that one should not take their life for granted and should truly embrace every moment.
The line "dance like cancer survivors" is particularly poignant as it references the strength and resilience shown by those who have beaten the disease. By comparing living to surviving cancer, Bird adds another level of depth to the song's meaning. The final verse repeats the chorus and drives home this message, stating that there is "nothing wrong" and that we should live each day to the fullest.
Line by Line Meaning
You used to be like toffee, Between the kitten's teeth
You were once vulnerable and easy to succumb to, like toffee that can be easily chewed by a kitten.
You used to build arid shelters out of sticks and leaves and Spend the whole day underneath.
You used to create makeshift shelter for yourself, spending long hours of the day protected from the outside world.
You used to be like copper Pliable but strong, You used to smile and nod, say 'you're right,' be polite, When you know that everybody's wrong.
In the past, you had a flexible yet unwavering nature, politely agreeing with others even when you knew they were incorrect.
So you dare the plane to crash, Redeem the miles for cash when it starts to dive And we'll dance like cancer survivors Like we're grateful simply to be alive.
You take risks and challenge fate, even in the face of danger, and if you come out alive, you celebrate life with the same gratitude as a cancer survivor.
Dare the plane to crash, Redeem the miles for cash And we'll dance like cancer survivors Like your prognosis was that you should've died.
You live your life recklessly, fully aware of the risks and consequences, and if you make it out unscathed, you'll rejoice and celebrate as if you've defied your supposed destiny of death.
No, there's nothing wrong; there's nothing wrong when it starts to down And we'll dance like cancer survivors Like we're grateful simply to be alive.
Even when things start to go wrong, and difficulties arise, you'll keep on dancing and celebrating life with the same grateful spirit as a cancer survivor.
No, there's nothing wrong; there's nothing wrong when it starts to down And we'll dance like cancer survivors.
Despite the challenges and hardships that come your way, you'll embrace life and celebrate it with the same joy and gratitude as someone who has survived cancer.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ANDREW WEGMAN BIRD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind