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.
Bishop Allen
Bishop Allen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In a bright sundress
She was prettier than May
But she liked me best
I don't know why, but she couldn't stand still
The radio was playing, it was time to kill
We were throwing furniture off the roof
Singing: La la la la la la la la la la
There was fever in her hair
And a beauty in her brain
And she showed me 'round town
Quiet as a hurricane
Well, the mischief in her eyes
Gave me something to believe
And while I knew she couldn't stay
I guess I never heard her leave
The lyrics to Bishop Allen's song "Bishop Allen" paints the picture of a fleeting romance that burns brightly and fades just as quickly. The singer of the song finds himself enamored of a woman in a "bright sundress' who is beautiful and lively. She seems to return his affections, but is restless, unable to stand still, and always moving. The two engage in a wild and reckless act of throwing furniture off a roof, watching it shatter on the ground below as they sing "La la la la la la la la la la."
Despite the intensity of their time together, the singer knows that the relationship is not meant to last. Even as he is drawn to her "fever in her hair and beauty in her brain," he recognizes her as a "quiet hurricane." Ultimately, he senses that she will not stay, and "never heard her leave."
The lyrics offer a poignant portrayal of a romantic encounter that is intense while it lasts but ultimately transient. It serves as a reminder that some experiences in life are meant to be fleeting, and their value lies in their ephemeral nature.
Line by Line Meaning
I found myself a queen
I met a woman who made me feel like a king
In a bright sundress
She was dressed in a colorful, cheerful outfit
She was prettier than May
She was stunningly beautiful
But she liked me best
She showed a particular interest in me
I don't know why, but she couldn't stand still
She was restless and couldn't stay in one place for too long
The radio was playing, it was time to kill
The music was energizing us and we were ready to have some fun
We were throwing furniture off the roof
We were being reckless and careless with our actions
We'd watch it shatter on the ground below
We were enjoying the destruction we were causing
Singing: La la la la la la la la la la
We were carefree and enjoying the moment
There was fever in her hair
She had a passionate, wild energy about her
And a beauty in her brain
She was not only physically attractive, but also intellectually stimulating
And she showed me 'round town
She took me on an adventure, showing me new sights and experiences
Quiet as a hurricane
Despite her inner intensity, she was calm and poised on the surface
Well, the mischief in her eyes
She had a mischievous spirit and enjoyed causing trouble
Gave me something to believe
Her spirit and energy gave me hope and inspiration
And while I knew she couldn't stay
I was aware that our time together was temporary
I guess I never heard her leave
Our time together ended abruptly and I did not see it coming
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Christian Rudder, Justin Rice
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind