The band takes its name from Bishop Allen Drive in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where the two lived together after college and has released three albums, "Charm School" (2003), "The Broken String" (2007) and "Grrr..." (2009).
Charm School (2003)
Charm School was Bishop Allen's first record. Recorded in fits and starts over two years, it grew song-by-song as Rice and Rudder wrote and played in their spare time. They recorded all the instruments on the album's 13 songs themselves, using drum loops to hide the fact that neither is a drummer, and almost everything on the record was recorded one track at a time in an ordinary bedroom. Backing vocals by Bonnie Schiff-Glenn and Kate Dollenmayer and supplementary drums by Coll Anderson, all added in the album's final stages, completed the songs.
The EP Project (2006)
In 2006, Bishop Allen recorded and released an EP every month of the year. Each record was titled for the month of its release (January, February, and so on), and, with the exception of August, which was a 14-song live disc, each contained four new studio songs.
The Broken String (2007)
In November 2006, Bishop Allen signed to Dead Oceans, a new sister label to Secretly Canadian and Jagjaguwar, for a modest advance. They began recording a new record that January, at Blackwatch Studios in Norman, Oklahoma, and delivered it two months later. This is Bishop Allen's first true studio recording and was released by Dead Oceans on July 24, 2007.
Grrr.... (2009)
Released in March 2009, this doesn't stray from Bishop Allen's specific brand of lovely indie pop.
A Tiny Fold
Bishop Allen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The day is surely dead
And once again, I'm sleeping with the book I read
And colorfully and candidly, it points the way so childishly ahead
I guess I will make it through the day
To learn I've lost my way
And once again, my heavy heart is made of clay
To set my sails away
For distant shores, okay
I can't seem to fit where I belong
I tune myself a song
And even then, I can't quite figure out what's wrong
And will I end a broken man whose hands half-filled even though they once seemed strong?
I still have nothing to my name
So brightly burns the flame
And even then, I've spent my life so recklessly
The stories on the page I read, they make me seem so timid and afraid
So timid and afraid
A tiny fold away
And on and on and endlessly
The promises and the pageantry
...?
And those who live so fearlessly
If I could live so fearlessly
I mark my place, a tiny fold
And once again, I find myself alone
The song "A Tiny Fold" by Bishop Allen is a melancholic reflection on the struggles of life and the desire for something more. It opens with the singer lying in bed, unable to face the day. He finds solace in the book he reads, which offers him a childlike hope and direction. However, this is fleeting, and he soon realizes that he has lost his way once again. His heart is heavy and made of clay, and he hears the call of distant shores, beckoning him to set sail for a better life.
The singer feels that he doesn't belong and is constantly searching for something that will fit him. He tries to tune himself a song but still can't figure out what's wrong. He wonders whether he will end up a broken man whose hands are half-filled, even though they once seemed so strong. He still has nothing to his name, and although his flame burns brightly, he has spent his life recklessly. The stories he reads make him seem timid and afraid, and all he can do is mark his place in a tiny fold and find himself alone once again.
The lyrics of "A Tiny Fold" express the universal desire for something more, something beyond the mundane and ordinary. The singer's struggles to find his place and his purpose are relatable, and his wistful tone captures the bittersweet beauty of life's ups and downs.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know how long I stayed in bed
I woke up feeling disoriented and unsure of how long I had slept.
The day is surely dead
It feels like nothing eventful will happen today.
And once again, I'm sleeping with the book I read
I fell asleep with a book I was reading the night before.
And colorfully and candidly, it points the way so childishly ahead
The book I'm reading has colorful illustrations and straightforward language, making the path it outlines seem simple and easy.
I guess I will make it through the day
I feel like I can survive the day, even if it's not particularly exciting or fulfilling.
To learn I've lost my way
Eventually, I may realize that I don't feel like I'm moving forward in life.
And once again, my heavy heart is made of clay
I feel weighed down emotionally, like I can't escape my negative thoughts and feelings.
And distant shores unseen by men, they call to me to set my sails away
I feel a longing to travel to far-off, unexplored places to get away from my problems.
I can't seem to fit where I belong
I feel disconnected from the people and places around me.
I tune myself a song
I try to distract myself by creating music or humming to myself.
And even then, I can't quite figure out what's wrong
Despite trying to take my mind off things, I'm still struggling to understand my feelings and why I don't feel like I fit in.
And will I end a broken man whose hands half-filled even though they once seemed strong?
I worry that I will end up feeling unfulfilled and weak, despite having potential and opportunities in the past.
I still have nothing to my name
I don't have much material success or possessions.
So brightly burns the flame
Despite my lack of resources or accomplishments, I still have a sense of passion or drive.
And even then, I've spent my life so recklessly
Even though I've been passionate, I may have made reckless or impulsive decisions that didn't serve me.
The stories on the page I read, they make me seem so timid and afraid
Compared to the heroic or confident stories I read, I feel small and afraid of taking risks.
And on and on and endlessly, the promises and the pageantry...?
I feel stuck in patterns of hearing grand promises or seeing flashy shows, without real results or progress.
And those who live so fearlessly
I admire people who are able to take risks and live boldly, even if I struggle to do the same.
If I could live so fearlessly
I daydream about what life would be like if I had the courage to take risks and express myself fully.
I mark my place, a tiny fold
I create a small marker or reminder of where I am and how far I've come.
And once again, I find myself alone
Despite dreaming of connection and adventure, I still feel isolated and unsure of how to move forward.
Contributed by Ian N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.