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.
waiting to talk
Andrew Bird Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nobody's listening
Everybody's sweating
Nobody's glistening
Nobody knows what he's thinking
Doesn't really step out even when he's drinking
Seems kind of creepy seems like the kind that stalks
Nobody knows when he's sinking
Always looks pensive whether or not he's thinking
To him it seems to him it screams
Everyone's just waiting to talk
Everyone's waiting to talk, Lord
It's all so terribly awkward on the verandas in the front halls
In the bus station's bathroom stalls
Yeah, it seems everyone's just waiting to talk
What must he be thinking?
Can we even guess?
He's not really linking
Himself with the rest
Does he know our big secret?
Has one of us confessed?
Bout the wires circuits and motors
Buried in our chest
It's all just a pointless equation
This parabolic conversation
Like two distinct lines
Never the twain shall meet
Never? No never
Nobody knows what he's thinking
Doesn't really step out even when he's drinking
To him it seems to certain extremes
That everyone's waiting to talk
The song "Waiting to Talk" by Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire portrays a society where people talk a lot but nobody is truly listening to one another. Instead of listening, people are more concerned with their own thoughts and ideas, making them oblivious to the thoughts of others. The song also emphasizes how awkward it can be in social settings like verandas or bathroom stalls, where people are just waiting for their chance to talk. The singer in this song is very reserved and does not engage much with the people around him. He appears to be deep in thought all the time, which makes others uncomfortable and view him as creepy.
The lyrics of the song suggest that the singer knows something that everyone else does not, and this creates a sense of mystery around him. The reference to "wires circuits and motors buried in our chest" suggests that this secret may be related to something artificial or otherworldly, possibly implying artificial intelligence. However, the song does not provide any answers to these questions, which adds to the intrigue of the song.
Overall, "Waiting to Talk" is a commentary on communication and the difficulties that can arise when people are not actively engaging with one another. It highlights the importance of being present and listening to others, rather than just waiting for a chance to speak one's own mind.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody's talking
Everyone is speaking and making noise
Nobody's listening
No one is paying attention or truly hearing others
Everybody's sweating
Everyone is working hard or feeling anxious
Nobody's glistening
No one is shining or standing out
Nobody knows what he's thinking
Others are uncertain about what this person is thinking or feeling
Doesn't really step out even when he's drinking
This person doesn't become more outgoing or expressive even when consuming alcohol
Seems kind of creepy seems like the kind that stalks
This person gives off an unsettling or suspicious vibe suggesting they could be a stalker
Nobody knows when he's sinking
Others may not realize or be aware when this person is struggling or in a low point
Always looks pensive whether or not he's thinking
This person always appears deep in thought or contemplative, whether or not they are actively thinking about something
To him it seems to him it screams
To this person, it feels as though everyone is loudly waiting to talk and not truly listening
Everyone's waiting to talk, Lord
Everyone seems eager to speak and dominate the conversation
It's all so terribly awkward on the verandas in the front halls
Social interactions are uncomfortable and forced in these formal or public settings
In the bus station's bathroom stalls
Even in private or potentially embarrassing situations, people still seem to want to talk and be heard
What must he be thinking?
Others wonder about the thoughts and feelings of this person
Can we even guess?
It's difficult to accurately predict what this person is thinking
He's not really linking
This person isn't connecting or relating to others
Himself with the rest
This person doesn't see themselves as part of the larger group or community
Does he know our big secret?
Others are curious if this person is aware of something significant or unknown to the group
Has one of us confessed?
Others speculate if someone has shared a confession or secret with this person
Bout the wires circuits and motors
This secret may be related to something technological or mechanical
Buried in our chest
This secret is deeply hidden or suppressed
It's all just a pointless equation
The conversation and interaction feels meaningless or like a formula
This parabolic conversation
The conversation feels like it's following a curved trajectory, never really reaching a resolution or connection
Like two distinct lines
The two people speaking are not on the same wavelength or connecting
Never the twain shall meet
These two people will never come together or find common ground
Never? No never
There is little hope or chance for these two people to truly understand each other or connect
To him it seems to certain extremes
For this person, it feels like everyone is excessively waiting to talk and not truly listening
That everyone's waiting to talk
Everyone seems eager to speak and dominate the conversation
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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