For someone who thinks it’s difficult to describe music in general it’s even more difficult to describe the soundscapes of Birds of Passage. The influences of Alicia Merz - the girl behind Birds of Passage - are her memories, breathless-inspiring cold winds, the smell and atmosphere of a spring day, smoking cigarettes, sunshine and shadows. As a mixture of all these elements and a minimalistic experimental instrumentation You could describe her music as follows : sometimes shy, sometimes more energetic (Fantastic Frown) but always intensely and extremly private. Listening to her debut record Without the World is like sharing one long day with Alicia and her thoughts in the diverse landscapes of her home country New Zealand.
Alicia doesn't need the bombastic spectacle of a band to evoke emotions - with the help of different instruments, used in a minimalsitic way and combined with field recordings she doesn't create specific songs - she builds up a mood. You maybe can describe Birds of Passage as a singer-songwriter for people who don't like singer-songwriter music. There's no typical song structure, there's no melody to chase after - but there's a development which absorbs You and which makes You start to think about elements You block out in Your everyday life.
http://flavors.me/birdsofpassage#_
Hollow
Birds Of Passage Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Will Solomon say
you're wise
Don't tell me, I'll know
When your eyes become hollow
As mine, as mine
Today was the day
Green eyes, green eyes
You took me by surprise...
...They became hollow
As mine, as mine
And crumbling away
Would Solomon say
You're wise
"Birds Of Passage" is an enigmatic and talented artist that creates beautiful music that speaks directly to the listener's soul. "Hollow" is one of her most famous songs that delves into a theme of emptiness and disillusionment. In the opening verse, the artist talks about crumbling away and the words that the wise Solomon would say to those who have lost their footing in life. Solomon is considered to be one of the wisest men who ever lived, and his words of wisdom are highly regarded by many. However, the artist is not convinced that Solomon's words can provide the solace that is required when one's world is falling apart.
The main chorus of "Hollow" is very powerful and poignant as it speaks of the emptiness that can engulf one's soul when faced with difficult situations in life. The artist paints a picture of someone's eyes becoming hollow, which is indicative of a vast nothingness or hollowness that has taken over the person's soul. The last verse talks about how someone took the artist by surprise with their green eyes, but eventually, their eyes also became hollow.
Line by Line Meaning
And crumbling away
As things start falling apart and disintegrating
Will Solomon say
Solomon, known for his wisdom - what advice would he give?
you're wise
Will he consider you wise?
Don't tell me, I'll know
I can sense it without you having to verbalize it
When your eyes become hollow
When you are devoid of emotions, drained and empty
As mine, as mine
Just like the singer's eyes
So today was the day
This was the day the singer remembers
Green eyes, green eyes
The person's eyes are green and captivating
You took me by surprise...
The person caught the artist off guard
...They became hollow
But as time went on, the person's eyes also lost their vibrancy
As mine, as mine
Mirroring the emptiness that the singer had been feeling
And crumbling away
The world around continues to disintegrate into nothingness
Would Solomon say
What sort of sage advice would Solomon give in the midst of such chaos?
You're wise
Would he still consider anyone wise in the face of such destruction?
Contributed by Mateo B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.