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.
Tenuousness
Andrew Bird Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When pressed about the rest of it, the world that is
From proto-Sanskrit Minoans to Porto-centric Lisboans
Greek Cypriots and and harbor-sorts who hang around in ports a lot
Here's where things start getting weird
While chinless men will scratch their beards
And to their minds a sharpened axe
Love of hate acts as an axis
Love of hate acts as an axis
First it wanes and then it waxes
So procreate and pay your taxes
Tenuousness
Less seven comes to three
Them, you, us plus eleven thank the heavens for their elasticity
And as for those who live and die for astronomy
Know when to stand or when to sit
Can't stand to stand can't stand to sit
Now who would want to know this
Click
Click
Click
Who wants to look upon this
Who wants to look upon this
Pray tell
Who wants to look upon this
Who wants to look upon this
Pray tell
Pray tell
Tenuousness
Less seven comes to three
Them, you, us plus eleven comes just shy of infinity
And as for those who live and die from numerology
The song "Tenuousness" by Andrew Bird is a contemplative piece that explores the complexity and ambiguity of the world we live in. The opening lines, "Tenuous at best was all he had to say, when pressed about the rest of it, the world that is," suggest that the singer is struggling to make sense of the world around them. The lyrics then move on to reference various civilizations and cultures throughout history, from the Minoans to the Greek Cypriots, emphasizing the vastness and diversity of human experience.
Things take a turn toward the surreal in the next few lines, where the singer mentions "chinless men" scratching their beards and sharpening axes on "Uralic syntax's". Here, Bird seems to be commenting on the absurdity of human thought and behavior, and perhaps hinting at the danger of blindly following ideology.
The chorus of the song explores the idea that love and hate are not opposites, but rather exist on the same spectrum, waxing and waning over time. The final lines of the song bring in themes of numerology and astronomy, suggesting that even in the face of vast cosmic forces, individuals still have agency and must make choices about how they live their lives.
Overall, "Tenuousness" is a dense and thought-provoking song that invites deep contemplation about the nature of existence.
Line by Line Meaning
Tenuous at best was all he had to say
He could only offer a fragile explanation or justification
When pressed about the rest of it, the world that is
When asked about broader topics concerning the world, he did not have much to say
From proto-Sanskrit Minoans to Porto-centric Lisboans
Examples of ancient cultures and their languages
Greek Cypriots and and harbor-sorts who hang around in ports a lot
Groups of people with specific geographical and occupational backgrounds
Here's where things start getting weird
The following ideas are unusual or unconventional
While chinless men will scratch their beards
Some men of uncertain loyalty will question these ideas
And to their minds a sharpened axe
To them, these ideas are weapons that can be used to argue and critique
Is brushed upon the Uralic syntax's
Specific languages and grammatical structures are being analyzed
Love of hate acts as an axis
The emotions of love and hate are central to human experience
First it wanes and then it waxes
Feelings of love and hate can fluctuate over time
So procreate and pay your taxes
Despite these emotions, people must still fulfill basic responsibilities like having children and paying taxes
Tenuousness
The fragility or uncertainty of situations and ideas
Less seven comes to three
A mathematical statement with unclear significance
Them, you, us plus eleven thank the heavens for their elasticity
A nonsensical phrase that emphasizes the flexible nature of reality and the ability of people to adapt to change
And as for those who live and die for astronomy
Referencing people who are passionate about science and the study of space
Know when to stand or when to sit
Knowing the appropriate times to take action or remain passive
Can't stand to stand can't stand to sit
Feeling restless and unsure of what to do
Now who would want to know this
Questioning the relevance or value of the previous statements
Who wants to look upon this
Asking who would be interested in these bizarre ideas
Pray tell
A phrase used to request an answer or explanation
Tenuousness
The uncertainty or fragility of situations and ideas
Less seven comes to three
Repeating a nonsensical phrase
Them, you, us plus eleven comes just shy of infinity
More nonsensical phrasing implying that humans are constantly expanding their understanding of the universe
And as for those who live and die from numerology
People who believe in the significance of numbers and patterns
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Andrew Wegman Bird
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@attorniaraw6396
Tenuous at best was all he had to say
When pressed about the rest of it, the world that is
From proto-Sanskrit Minoans to Porto-centric Lisboans
Greek Cypriots and harbor sorts who hang around in ports a lot, oh-oh
Here's where things start getting weird
While chinless men will scratch their beards, oh-ho
Tool their minds to sharpened axes
Brushed upon the Uralic syntaxes
Love of hate acts as an axis
Love of hate acts as an axis, oh-oh
First it wanes and then it waxes
So procreate and pay your taxes
Tenuousness less seven comes to three
Tenuous plus 11
Thank the heavens for their elasticity
And that's for those who live and die for astronomy
When Coprophagia was written
Know when to stand or when to sit
Can't stand to stand, can't stand to sit
And who would want to know this?
Click, click
Oh, who wants to look upon this?
Oh, who wants to look upon this pray tell?
Who wants to look upon this?
Oh, who wants to look upon this pray tell?
Pray tell
Tenuousness less seven comes to three
Them, you, us plus 11
Comes just shy of infinity
And that's for those who live and die for numerology
@ruthelizabethphoto
This is still one of my top favorite performances from him.
@BrickDavis
I've played music on a guitar nearly every day for 24ish years....and I wish I understood the language of music like him In any form of skill or talent....he's a delightful beautiful soul...but I don't know what it would be like to talk to him....I was so stoked when he did left handed kisses in Seattle at the paramount when I got to see him live....man what a show....but I just wish deeply with all my soul for a 2nd wish that I could find people who go to shows with me and enjoy the same wide spectrum of live music I wanna see and maybe I'll meet these friends sooner than later....hahah and for my 3rd wish...well that will just have to wait.
also I really was secretly hoping he would ask me to sing the Fiona apple part of left handed kisses...he's so good....I still wonder though If he would jam with me....
@Spetsnazty
A high quality version? What what? No way. I’ve been watching this since I was a kid.
@mountofsaturn
This version of Tenuousness has stuck with me since it came out. It just makes things make sense.
@norawildgen6029
So beautiful it breaks my heart
@jj5249
After feeling like I needed to read an encyclopedia after first listening to him so many years ago I always get drawn back to this song. It is a cacophony of emotions that help me restart my psyche and get back on track. Andrew Bird really is a set of molecules that sets themselves apart from the rest of our bundled up matter. What a treat.
@tchocky71
Golly, he has a special gift.
@SniKenna
I heard this many years ago now and I always find my way back somehow. Each layer of sound feels so right. I’m so grateful to have a song that feels like home. ❤
@Riasat202
That whistling... "Bird" is a very fitting last name.
@fabicontin
this man is a living musical GENIUS