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.
Goodnight
Babybird Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You push me away
I want forever you just want today
But I don't blame you
You're always right
I'm a bad day
You're a goodnight
Goodnight, a goodnight, a goodnight
Give me my fingers
Wash out your mouth
Bite off my tongue on this bloody couch
I hold you closely
You push me away
I want forever
You just want today
But I don't blame you
You're always right
I'm a bad day
You're a goodnight
Goodnight, a goodnight, a goodnight
I'm a bad day
Goodnight, a goodnight, a goodnight
I'm a bad day
All your hair in a fuse
You ask for a light
To blow away these blues
But I don't blame you (I don't blame you)
You're always right (always right)
I'm a bad day
You're a goodnight
Goodnight, a goodnight, a goodnight
I'm a bad day
But I don't blame you
But I don't blame you
But I don't blame you
But I don't blame you
I hold you close
You push me away
I want forever
You just want today
I hold you close
You push me away
I want forever
You just want today
On a good, on a good, on a goodnight
A goodnight (on a good), a goodnight, on a good goodnight
Goodnight sweetheart
The lyrics of Babybird’s “Goodnight” tell the tale of a tumultuous and toxic relationship between two individuals who are clearly not right for each other. The song begins with the singer holding their partner closely, but they push them away, setting the tone for the rest of the song. The singer wants a committed, long-lasting relationship while their partner only wants something temporary. The lines, “I want forever you just want today” emphasize this sense of disconnect.
Despite the obvious problems in the relationship, the singer continues to reach out to their partner, hoping for love and affection, even when they are met with hostility. The singer offers themselves up entirely, asking for their partner’s fingers and then biting off their own tongue on a bloody couch, as if to say they would go to any lengths for their partner’s love and approval.
However, in the end, the singer recognizes that they are only a bad day in their partner’s otherwise good life, and that they will never truly fit into their partner’s world. The final lines, “I’m like a bad day, on your good good night,” suggest a sense of resignation and acceptance, as the singer realizes that they will always be the outlier in their partner’s life.
Line by Line Meaning
I hold you closely you push me away
I try to be close to you, but you reject me
I want forever you just want today
I want a long-term commitment, but you only care about the present
Give me your fingers wash out your mouth
You should stop saying hurtful things and apologize
Bite off my tongue on this bloody couch
I would rather hurt myself than say something to upset you
But I don't blame you
I understand you have your reasons
You're always right
You think you're right, even when you're wrong
I'm like a bad day
I bring negativity and discomfort
On your good good night
Even on a night that should be happy, I bring negativity
I hear the tick of a bomb
I sense that our relationship is unstable and could end at any moment
All your hair in a fuse
You are feeling explosive and ready to blow up at any moment
You ask me for a light
You are looking for a way to relieve your stress
To blow away these blues
You want to forget your problems and feel better
Run me a bath, then plug me in
I need to be comforted and taken care of
I'm like a T.V. learning to swim
I am struggling and out of place
I hold you closely you push me away
I still want to be close to you, but you still reject me
I want forever you just want today
I still want a long-term commitment, but you still only care about the present
Give me your fingers wash out your mouth
I still want you to apologize for saying hurtful things
Bite off my tongue on this bloody couch
I am still willing to hurt myself to avoid upsetting you
But I don't blame you
I still understand that you have your reasons
You're always right
You are still convinced that you are right, even when you're wrong
I'm like a bad day
I am still bringing negativity and discomfort
On your good good good good night
Even now, on a night that should be happy, I bring negativity
Lyrics © DistroKid, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, SUBITO MUSIC PUBLISHING INC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: STEPHENIE NICOLE JONES, MIKE DALY, ANDREW CREIGHTON DODD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@god124812
I absolutely love this!! was on a compilation album i had years ago, so abit of nostalga...... 'you asked me for a light to blow away these blues'
@modsheff1
fuckin awesome!