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.
The Ancient Commonsense of Things
Bishop Allen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That long before this all began
A hammer hit the nail with great sympathy
A clothespin hanging on the line
The cork that bottles up your wine
Strings that bowed in concert, make a symphony
And oh oh, the ancient commonsense of things
There are those who know to look
Through all the crannies and the nooks
When I found you dear, what it meant to me
Book to shelf, and foot to shoe
And likewise I belong to you
My heart is pounding loud, just like a timpani
And oh oh, the ancient commonsense of things
And oh oh, the ancient commonsense of things
And oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh...
Oh oh, the ancient commonsense of things
And oh oh, the ancient commonsense of things
And oh oh, the ancient commonsense of things
And oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh...
Oh oh, the ancient commonsense of things
The lyrics of Bishop Allen's song "The Ancient Commonsense of Things" address the idea of the interconnectedness and universality of experiences through a poetic lens. The first verse speaks to the idea that everything is linked and has a history. Even seemingly insignificant items such as clothespins, corks, and strings can unite and create something greater than themselves.
The second verse shifts the focus towards human relationships. It suggests that the way we fit together is also part of the "ancient commonsense of things." The singer argues that finding each other is a perfect match that feels inevitable. They suggest that there was no coincidence in their union but part of the same process that allows clothespins to connect or a hammer to hit a nail.
The chorus, repeating twice in the song, repeats the notion of the "ancient commonsense of things" and celebrates the idea of interconnectedness through a musical allusion to a symphony.
Overall, the song suggests that there is a natural order to things, and what might seem chaotic or haphazard actually has meaning and purpose in the grand scheme of things.
Line by Line Meaning
There are those who understand
Some people grasp the essence of things
That long before this all began
Before the present, there was a beginning
A hammer hit the nail with great sympathy
During construction work, a skilled worker used a hammer with grace
A clothespin hanging on the line
A small item used to fasten clothes to a line to dry
The cork that bottles up your wine
Pliable material used to seal a wine bottle to prevent oxygen from entering
Strings that bowed in concert make a symphony
The harmonious sound produced by a group of musical instruments
There are those who know to look
Certain individuals are good at observing
Through all the crannies and the nooks
In every little corner and hole
When I found you dear, what it meant to me
To be with someone they love is very meaningful
Book to shelf, and foot to shoe
Books belong on shelves and shoes belong on feet
And likewise I belong to you
Just as things have a proper place, so do people in life
My heart is pounding loud, just like a timpani
Their heartbeat is like a drum
Oh oh, the ancient commonsense of things
The deep, timeless logic behind things
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh...
The beauty behind such knowledge is overwhelming
Contributed by Mila K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
americanidiot2921992
I've been looking for this song eight days...heard it on the radio and just remembered bishop allen...
AAATSCHE
still one of my favourite albums...
americanidiot2921992
I'm so glad I found it...5 *...i'd love to give you 500!
Kevin Puntschart
this post says everything!
VOLCANIA DREAD
Sweet:)
d0_op
@arvenwoosley I heard it on Triple J after they reviewed the movie Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist in which I first heard/saw Bishop Allen
youtube channel of a pplfbfblip
would anyone be kind/dope enough to tab this?
Ricardo Ramirez
Wow. This is my mouth right now --> :o
Nicole Haderlie
what radio station do you listen to? I've nenver heard bishop allen on the radio..
bradley logue
omg i love darbie's voice, she s so damn hot