Baby Bird began as the alias of Stephen Jones, a prolific British singer/so… Read Full Bio ↴Baby Bird began as the alias of Stephen Jones, a prolific British singer/songwriter who initiated his performing career as a member of the Dogs in Honey "anti-theater" troupe. After buying a four-track machine, he began making his first lo-fi home recordings; over the next several years, he wrote some 400 eclectic pop songs, ranging in content from surreal, comic narratives to intensely personal meditations.

At the urging of friends, Jones sent out Baby Bird tapes to record companies, but his music was roundly rejected; however, Chrysalis Music did offer a publishing deal which Jones accepted, applying his earnings towards financing a series of independently-released, limited-edition collections. The first disc of material culled from the vast Baby Bird archives, I Was Born a Man, appeared in 1995; within the course of a year, three other acclaimed albums -- Bad Shave, Fatherhood, and The Happiest Man Alive -- followed, and won Jones a contract with Echo Records.

Upon making the leap to a major label, Baby Bird mutated from a one-man project into a full band, as Jones assembled a backing group comprised of guitarist Luke Scott, bassist John Pedder, keyboardist Hugh Chadbourne, and drummer Rob Gregory.

In this new incarnation, (now renamed Babybird) they debuted in late 1996 with the album Ugly Beautiful, a lush, sparkling collection of re-recordings of favorite songs from Jones' back catalogue, all selected by fans by means of postcard ballots included in the first four albums.

In 1997, the last in the series of Babybird albums, Dying Happy (Baby Bird 5) was assembled; issued in a limited pressing of 1000 copies, the disc compiled a number of previously unreleased songs that Jones had kicking around. It states on the back "This does not represent, and should not be confused with the work of BABYBIRD THE BAND. This is the sole work of Stephen Jones, who recorded these songs between 1988 & 1995 on a four track tape recorder."

A 2002 box-set of all the lo-fi recordings also included a new and previously unreleased LP entitled The Black Album, consisting of dreamy, falsetto-led pop, in a similar vein to Dying Happy.

Jones can currently be found lurking in the background as the brainchild of orchestral pop group Death Of The Neighbourhood.

Goodnight
Baby Bird Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I hold you closely you push me away
I want forever you just want today
Give me your fingers wash out your mouth
Bite off my tongue on this bloody couch
But I don't blame you
You're always right
I'm like a bad day
On your good good night

I hear the tick of a bomb
All your hair in a fuse
You ask me for a light
To blow away these blues
Run me a bath, then plug me in
I'm like a T.V. learning to swim
But I don't blame you
You're always right
I'm like a bad day
On your good good night
I hold you closely you push me away
I want forever you just want today
Give me your fingers wash out your mouth
Bite off my tongue on this bloody couch
But I don't blame you
You're always right

I'm like a bad day
On your good good good good night

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Baby Bird's song Goodnight are full of raw emotion and vulnerability. The song describes a tumultuous relationship that is characterized by a constant struggle for control and power. The singer in the song is deeply invested in the relationship and wants nothing more than to be with their partner forever. However, their partner seems to only be interested in the present moment, and is reluctant to commit to anything more long-term. This creates a significant sense of frustration and tension, which is reflected in the lyrics.

The opening lines of the song - "I hold you closely you push me away / I want forever you just want today" - capture the sense of push and pull that characterizes the relationship. It is as if the two individuals involved are engaged in a constant tug-of-war, each trying to gain the upper hand. The singer is desperate for their partner's love and attention, but their partner seems reluctant to give anything more than a fleeting moment of affection. This creates a sense of sadness and desperation that is palpable throughout the song.

As the song progresses, the tension between the two individuals only intensifies. The singer becomes increasingly frustrated with their partner's reluctance to commit, and begins to feel as though they are being taken for granted. The line "I'm like a bad day on your good good night" captures this sense of feeling unwanted and unappreciated. Despite these feelings, however, the singer is still deeply invested in the relationship, and seems willing to do almost anything to make it work.

Overall, the lyrics to Baby Bird's song Goodnight are a powerful and emotional meditation on the complexities of romantic relationships. Through its raw honesty and vulnerability, the song captures the sense of frustration, sadness, and desperation that can come with trying to make a relationship work when one partner is unwilling to fully commit.

Line by Line Meaning

I hold you closely you push me away
I try to get close to you but you reject me

I want forever you just want today
I want a long term relationship but you only want something short term

Give me your fingers wash out your mouth
Clean yourself up and be honest with me

Bite off my tongue on this bloody couch
I'm willing to sacrifice for you even if it hurts me

But I don't blame you
I don't hold you responsible for how I feel

You're always right
You have a way of always being in control of the situation

I'm like a bad day
I bring negativity and difficulty to your life

On your good good night
Even on your happiest moments, I still bring negativity

I hear the tick of a bomb
I feel the tension building up in our relationship

All your hair in a fuse
I can see that you're getting angry and impatient

You ask me for a light
You want me to help you let go of your negative emotions

To blow away these blues
To get rid of your sadness and frustration

Run me a bath, then plug me in
Take care of me and help me relax

I'm like a T.V. learning to swim
I'm out of my element and need your guidance