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.
Weather Systems
Andrew Bird Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Quiet down she said
Speaking to the back of his head
On the edge of her bed
I can see your blood flow
Your cells grow
Hold still a while
I can see it all from here
I can see
I can see
Weather systems of the world
And every time you turn the soil
Another cloud begins to boil
Some things you say
Are not for sale
I would hold that we're
All free agents
Of a substance or scale
Hold still a while
Don't spill the wine
I can see it all from here
I can see
I can see
Weather systems of the world
The song Weather Systems by Andrew Bird offers a reflective and metaphorical take on relationships and the natural world. The opening lines of the song, "Quiet, quiet down she said / Speaking to the back of his head / On the edge of her bed," suggest a sense of intimacy between two lovers. However, this intimacy is tempered by the singer's ability to observe the "weather systems of the world," which likely refers to the emotional and natural forces that constantly surround us. The line "I can see your blood flow / Your cells grow" further emphasizes the closeness between the lovers while also evoking the idea of change and growth over time.
The second verse delves deeper into the idea of change and the interconnectedness of all things. The singer alludes to the idea that every action has a reaction, every disturbance of the natural world causes a ripple effect. "And every time you turn the soil / Another cloud begins to boil" paints a picture of the constant and cyclical nature of the natural world. This idea of cause and effect is then tied back to human relationships in the final stanza. The lines "Some things you say / Are not for sale / I would hold that we're / All free agents / Of a substance or scale" suggest that our actions and words have consequences that cannot always be controlled or measured. We are all part of a larger, interconnected system, and our influence on others and the world around us is profound.
Overall, Weather Systems is a beautifully crafted song that uses natural imagery and metaphors to explore complex themes of love, change, and interconnectedness.
Line by Line Meaning
Quiet
The beginning of a hushed conversation between two people.
Quiet down she said
One person tells the other to speak quietly.
Speaking to the back of his head
The person is not facing the singer, they have their back turned.
On the edge of her bed
The two people are in a bedroom, on the bed, but not lying down.
I can see your blood flow
Metaphorical language that indicates the closeness of the two people.
Your cells grow
A continuation of the previous metaphorical language used to denote intimacy.
Hold still a while
A request from one person for the other to remain still.
Don't spill the wine
More metaphoric language urging someone to be careful and not waste something important.
I can see it all from here
The artist is in a position of greater understanding or observational power.
Weather systems of the world
A metaphor for the interconnectedness of things.
And every time you turn the soil
Gardening is used as another metaphor to show how small actions can have a large impact.
Another cloud begins to boil
The impact of small actions is not always immediately clear, it can build over time.
Some things you say
An acknowledgement that words have different meanings and values.
Are not for sale
Some things are priceless and cannot be bought or exchanged.
I would hold that we're
The start of a statement where someone is expressing their opinion.
All free agents
People are free to make their own choices and decisions.
Of a substance or scale
The decisions made by individuals have real consequences.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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