Jones had begun writing songs and recording home demos as part of an experimental theatre group in Sheffield. A collection of these demos (I Was Born a Man) was released in the summer of 1995, under the name Baby Bird. Following a warm critical reception for this record, he recruited a band made up of Huw Chadbourne (keyboards), Robert Gregory (drums), John Pedder (bass) and Luke Scott (guitar), in order to tour and promote his work.
During 1995, two further albums of demo recordings were released under the name Baby Bird (Bad Shave and Fatherhood) and two in 1996 (The Happiest Man Alive and Dying Happy).
By the end of the year, a decent public following had been built up, as well as quite considerable excitment within the press and music industry. Babybird were signed to Echo Records (a division of the Chrysalis Group), and the first "proper" single, a full-band recording of "Goodnight", which had appeared in demo form on Fatherhood, was eventually released in the summer of 1996, becoming a minor chart hit in the UK.
"You're Gorgeous"
The second single, You're Gorgeous, reached number 3 in the UK in October 1996, and was also one of the biggest selling singles of the year, going on to chart around the world. This remains the song for which Stephen Jones and Babybird are best known.
However, it presented a much more commercial face to the public in comparison to Jones' previous work. The early demo albums won Jones great credibility with those who heard them, but had not reached a wide audience (each one being a one-off pressing). Arguably, the commercial sound and success of "You're Gorgeous", which received massive exposure by comparison, made it hard for many to take Jones seriously as an indie artist. Essentially, what he was best at was no longer what he was best known for.
After "You're Gorgeous"
The album Ugly Beautiful was released to a warm reception, but was not the unmitigated critical triumph that some had anticipated from Babybird's first studio-recorded album. The album produced two more hit singles, Candy Girl and Cornershop.
Babybird returned, minus keyboardist Huw Chadbourne, in 1998 with There's Something Going On, preceded by a single, Bad Old Man. The album was a modest success and was followed by further minor hits, If You'll Be Mine and Back Together.
In 2000, a line-up of Babybird comprising Stephen Jones, Luke Scott and Matt Hay created a third album. Bugged, which was well-received critically (it might be suggested that it is an album of the right quality, but four years later than expected). However, sales were poor and the two singles from it, The F-Word (later the theme tune to a UK TV cookery show of the same name) and Out of Sight barely dented the charts. Babybird were dropped by their record label soon after. A third single from the album Fireflies was released on Animal Noise records, but sold few copies. The band subsequently split.
Stephen Jones went on to write fiction, release solo work and score a film, Blessed, in 2004.
In October 2005, a posting on the official Babybird website announced that the band had reformed as a three-piece featuring Stephen, Luke Scott and Robert Gregory, and would be releasing new material in 2006.
The last CD, called "Between My Ears There's Nothing But Music", was released in autumn 2006 and didn't seem to have encountered a big success.
Stephen Jones has also released Solo material, not to be confused with the american artist of the same name.
In September 2009, Stephen Jones launched an online Babybird community, on which he regularly posts.
A brief tour of the UK was undertaken in November 2009 with the lineup of Stephen Jones, Luke Scott and Robert Gregory. This tour was to promote the new album, Ex-Maniac, due for release in February 2010. Johnny Depp, a long time fan, appears on the album Ex-Maniac, as guitarist in the first single off the album, Unloveable.
Bad Shave
Babybird Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Jesus come back, you're a liar
I've covered the church in fish wire
I'll know you're here, like hellfire
Hell fire
If we hear a trip in the aisle
Turn on the lights with a big smile
There's no beautiful child
Tealeaves with the roof tiles
We go on home with the radio on
Tune into paradise on the long wave
For a millionth time a born again song
Rings out like a bad shave
The lyrics in Babybird's song "Bad Shave 2" hold a multitude of possible interpretations, making it a true work of art. The opening lines of the song depict a confrontation between the singer and a religious figure, referring to them as 'Jesus' and calling them a liar. The ambiguity of the lyrics allow us to speculate on what the singer is trying to convey; it could be faith-driven disillusionment or a rebellion against oppressive religious teachings. The following lines, "I've covered the church in fish wire, I'll know you're here, like hellfire" seem to suggest an attempt to ward off some kind of threatening presence. The sharp, hard-hitting words "fish wire" and "hellfire" create a sense of tension, and the use of the pronoun "I" in the first line makes it clear that the singer is in control.
In the next verse, we get the sense that something has gone wrong. The line "there's no beautiful child" could refer to a missing child, or to something else entirely. The following line "It's tealeaves with the roof tiles" is entirely absurd, causing us to question whether the singer is simply delusional. The song then moves on to the idea of escapism - "We fall on home with the radio on, Tune into paradise on the long wave", and the feeling of being born again. The final line, "Rings out like a bad shave" feels cryptic, perhaps suggesting a sudden realization or awakening, which could be painful like a bad shave. The song is incredibly open to interpretation, but it is clear that the lyrics are steeped in allegory and symbolism.
Line by Line Meaning
It's time to come down from your spire
It's time for you to lower your self-importance and come back to reality
Jesus come back, you're a liar
Jesus, if he existed, should come back and admit that the stories about him are fabricated lies
I've covered the church in fish wire
I've set up traps in the church to catch anyone who tries to lie or manipulate others
I'll know you're here, like hellfire
I'll know that you have been caught and exposed, just like the way hellfire is certain punishment
Hell fire
The intense anger and fury that accompanies being deceived or manipulated
If we hear a trip in the aisle
If we notice someone trying to sneak past us without being truthful
Turn on the lights with a big smile
Expose the deceit and deception with joy and pride
There's no beautiful child
There's no pure or innocent aspect to the lies and manipulation
It's tealeaves with the roof tiles
It's a desperate and futile attempt to hide the truth under flimsy, transparent cover
We go on home with the radio on
We go through the motions of daily life even though we know everything is a sham
Tune into paradise on the long wave
Retreat into comforting fantasies and daydreams to escape the harsh reality
For a millionth time a born again song
Yet another attempt to convert ourselves to a false sense of hope and faith
Rings out like a bad shave
Feels embarrassing, unpleasant, and uncomfortable just like a bad shave
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: STEVEN MICHAEL JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ulysses Tussock
one of the best album releaases in 1995, and that was a good year ! Love it
Nighty
Top track, love it. 'Tea leafs with the roof tiles...'
Britpop Brony
Most, Most excellent. :D
sg2massive
i think the slower version of this tune is much better
stopbotheringmegoogle
Dark