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.
Getaway
Babybird Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You have the power
To turn the rain off
Leave the shower
Start the plane
Stop your brain
Like a flowerGet away with you
Get away from me
Get away with you
Get away with me
Get away with all of it across the seaWhen you get there
Don’t let your brain tease
Just let the suncream
Burn your knees
Feel the sunshine
Empty your mind
Drift it all out on the breeze
Chorus
The lyrics of "Getaway" by Babybird convey a sense of escape and release from the stresses and pressures of everyday life. The opening lines convey the idea that the listener has the power to take control of their own mood and surroundings, to "turn the rain off" and "leave the shower" if they so choose. The subsequent lines suggest a more psychological escape, as the listener is encouraged to "stop your brain" and let go of their worries, just as a flower might relax and open itself up to the sun.
The chorus reinforces the idea of escape by repeating the phrase "Get away" three times. The first line presents the listener with the option of getting away "with you," suggesting a partnership or shared journey. The second line shifts the focus to getting away "from me," implying a desire to distance oneself from negative thoughts or personal limitations. The third line broadens the scope to getting away "from all of it across the sea," suggesting a complete break from the known world and a chance to start fresh.
The second half of the song provides more concrete details on what this type of escape might look like. The listener is instructed to "let the suncream burn your knees" and "feel the sunshine" in order to fully immerse themselves in the moment. They are encouraged to "empty your mind" and "drift it all out on the breeze," hinting at a meditative, free-flowing state of mind. Overall, the lyrics of "Getaway" paint a picture of an idyllic, carefree existence that is just out of reach but still possible to attain.
Line by Line Meaning
Here you go
I am presenting this idea to you
You have the power
You have the ability to control your own life
To turn the rain off
You can change negative situations
Leave the shower
Step out of the comfort zone
Start the plane
Take action towards your dreams
Stop your brain
Silence your worries
Like a flower
Open up and embrace the world
Get away with you
Escape with someone special
Get away from me
Distance yourself from negativity
Get away from all of it across the sea
Leave behind all stresses and troubles
Get away with you
Find solace in someone's company
Get away with me
Escape together and find peace
Get away with all of it across the sea
Leave behind all worries and embark on a new adventure
When you get there
After you've escaped
Don’t let your brain tease
Don't let negative thoughts overwhelm you
Just let the suncream
Relax and enjoy the warmth
Burn your knees
Take in the heat and the moment
Feel the sunshine
Embrace the positivity around you
Empty your mind
Release all worries and stress
Drift it all out on the breeze
Let go of everything that makes you uneasy and let it fly away with the wind
Contributed by Andrew L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Naomi Murphy
the whole Bugged album is a rare gem...fantastic...amazing...alot of memories associated with this album...when all you had was a tape player in your car and life was better and the music was even better
That's So Kay Pop
i absolutely love this song!
David Clayton
AMAZING SONG. 💗💗💗 OUTSTANDING
Monkeynuttz
Epic tune!
Chesco
agreed, an unexpected gem!
Vintage Girl
Tune right there
Monkeynuttz
My neighbours must hate me when I play this, full blast and singing my head off!
sg2massive
2020 anyone ?