Andrew Bird (born July 11, 1973) is an American musician. He was born in La… Read Full Bio ↴Andrew Bird (born July 11, 1973) is an American musician. He was born in Lake Bluff, Illinois but currently resides in the Los Angeles area. Bird is a singer, a violinist and, since 2004, a guitarist. He is also an accomplished whistler.

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.

Something Biblical
Andrew Bird Lyrics

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Take your apples from the earth
And your fingerlings from the air
If you cried when you were born
'cause it ain't fair
You got nothing, nothing to wear

And there's a drink that we're all needing
A need to weep but we have tried

And though the clouds we keep on seeding
Still the county remains dry, the county remains dry
The county remains dry

I see your coat, that it needs sewing
And these seeds will sow the corn silk bride
But in your absence nothing's growing
And still the county remains dry, the county remains dry
The county remains dry

Well still we keep on dreaming
Of that fifty-year flood
Of oceans of plasma
And rivers of blood

Take your apples from the earth
And your fingerlings from the air
If you cried when you were born

'cause it ain't fair
You got nothing, nothing to wear

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Andrew Bird's "Something Biblical" are a reflection on the human experience and the struggles we face in life. The first stanza, "Take your apples from the earth and your fingerlings from the air, if you cried when you were born 'cause ain't fair. You got nothing, nothing to wear," speaks to the idea of starting from scratch, coming into the world with nothing, and working hard to make something of ourselves. The imagery of taking apples from the earth and fingerlings from the air suggests that we must work hard and persevere, even if it feels like we have nothing to work with. The line "if you cried when you were born 'cause it ain't fair" emphasizes the idea that life can be challenging and unfair at times, but we must keep pushing forward.

The second stanza, "And there's a drink that we're all needing, a need to weep but we have tried, and though the clouds we keep on seeding, still the county remains dry," suggests that despite our collective struggles and need for comfort, we are unable to come together in our grief. The line "still the county remains dry" refers to a lack of emotional connection and support from those around us, as though we are all alone in our struggles. The third stanza, "I see your coat, that it needs sewing, and these seeds will sow the corn silk bride, but in your absence nothing's growing, and still the county remains dry," speaks to the idea that although we may have the tools we need to succeed, such as seeds for planting, without community and support, we may not be able to thrive. The phrase "corn silk bride" is a reference to a traditional Native American agricultural practice where corn is considered the bride of the earth.

Overall, "Something Biblical" explores themes of struggle, perseverance, and the need for community and support in times of hardship. The lyrics encourage listeners to keep pushing through difficulties and to seek connection with those around us.

Line by Line Meaning

Take your apples from the earth
Harvest the fruits of your labor

And your fingerlings from the air
Gather the intangible things in life

If you cried when you were born
Life is tough and full of struggles

'cause it ain't fair
Sometimes life just doesn't seem right

You got nothing, nothing to wear
Life can make you feel vulnerable and exposed

And there's a drink that we're all needing
We have an unquenched thirst for something

A need to weep but we have tried
We've exhausted our tears but still feel the need to cry

And though the clouds we keep on seeding
We keep working hard, hoping for rain

Still the county remains dry, the county remains dry
Despite our efforts, the situation remains unchanged

I see your coat, that it needs sewing
I see the areas in life where you need improvements

And these seeds will sow the corn silk bride
Planting hope for the future