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.
Truth Lies Low
Andrew Bird Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can play alone
Oh, you do the walk of shame
From the comfort of your home
So here's another game
You can play along
Where you empty all your blame
From your guilty bones
Oh, the eyes, the eyes, the eyes, they know
(The eyes, they know)
Like a thousand tiny suns that glow
(And they burn and they glow)
Oh, the eyes, the eyes, the eyes, they know
While truth lies low
While truth lies low
So here's another game
Fools are taking aim
They got pistols in their phones
How the sheath is on the rain
Got plastic in our stones
Oh, the lies, the lies, the lies, they grow
(The lies, they grow)
Like a thousand tributaries flow
(The eyes, they know)
Oh, the eyes, the eyes, the eyes, they know
While truth lies low
While truth lies low
Vitriol from their pens flows
Anonymously, their hate crows
But at least they care enough
At least they care enough
At least they care enough
To let you know
The lyrics of "Truth Lies Low" by Andrew Bird convey a commentary on the modern societal obsession with appearances, masking the truth, and the constant judgment and scrutiny we face in a digital age. The song begins by introducing a game that can be played alone, suggesting a sense of isolation and introspection. This game is characterized by the "walk of shame" and the act of emptying blame, implying a self-reflection on past mistakes and the desire to move on.
The lyrics then shift to another game, where fools aim with pistols in their phones. This metaphor highlights the dangers and consequences of spreading falsehoods and misinformation through the internet and social media. The reference to the sheath being on the rain and plastic in our stones suggests that our defenses against these falsehoods are compromised, making it difficult to discern the truth.
The chorus emphasizes the power of observation and perception, as the eyes are portrayed as being aware of the truth. The image of a thousand tiny suns that glow suggests the radiance and intensity of these eyes, symbolizing the collective judgment and scrutiny faced in society. Despite this, the truth remains hidden and lies continue to grow. This highlights the notion that truth is often overshadowed or suppressed by falsehoods and manipulation.
The final verse introduces the vitriol and hate that flows from anonymous individuals through the medium of pens, presumably referring to online trolls or keyboard warriors. Despite their negativity, the lyrics acknowledge that at least these individuals care enough to let you know their opinions, emphasizing the strange paradox of simultaneously seeking validation and criticism in today's digital landscape.
Overall, "Truth Lies Low" presents a somber reflection on the complexities and challenges of navigating truth and falsehoods in a world where appearances are easily manipulated, and judgment is never far away.
Line by Line Meaning
Here's a little game
Let's engage in a small activity
You can play alone
You can participate in it by yourself
Oh, you do the walk of shame
You feel embarrassed and regretful
From the comfort of your home
Right from the safety and familiarity of your own home
So here's another game
Here's another activity
You can play along
You can participate in it
Where you empty all your blame
Where you remove all your responsibility
From your guilty bones
From the guilt you carry within you
Oh, the eyes, the eyes, the eyes, they know
The gaze of others is perceptive and aware
(The eyes, they know)
(Their eyes have understanding)
Like a thousand tiny suns that glow
Bright and illuminating, like numerous small suns
(And they burn and they glow)
(Intensely radiating and shining)
Oh, the eyes, the eyes, the eyes, they know
The observation of others remains perceptive
While truth lies low
While the truth remains hidden
So here's another game
So here's another activity
Fools are taking aim
Ignorant individuals are targeting others
They got pistols in their phones
They possess weapons in the form of their smartphones
How the sheath is on the rain
The covering is on the precipitation
Got plastic in our stones
We have artificialness within our values
Oh, the lies, the lies, the lies, they grow
The falsehoods continue to expand
(The lies, they grow)
(Deception continues to proliferate)
Like a thousand tributaries flow
Similar to numerous streams merging
(The eyes, they know)
(Observers have understanding)
Oh, the eyes, the eyes, the eyes, they know
The gaze of others is perceptive and aware
While truth lies low
While the truth remains hidden
Vitriol from their pens flows
Acidic hate emanates from their writings
Anonymously, their hate crows
Their hateful expressions are made without revealing their identities
But at least they care enough
At least they have sufficient concern
At least they care enough
They have a minimal level of compassion
At least they care enough
They possess some degree of empathy
To let you know
To inform you
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ANDREW WEGMAN BIRD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind