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 Magpie
Bishop Allen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
High school ring,
Who would have guessed it was a homicidal thing.
Crying crying crying on your front porch swing.
Eyes swollen up like a yellowjacket sting.
Call him a thief, call him a crook,
Youll never get back what the magpie took.
Youll never get back what the magpie took.
Your boyfriend's mean,
Your boyfriend's mean,
I swear, I swear, I swear I didnt say anything.
Your grandmothers silver,
You kept it so clean.
And those dark glasses, can you see what I mean.
Call him a thief, call him a crook,
Youll never get back what the magpie took.
Call him a raven, call him a rook,
Youll never get back what the magpie took.
"The Magpie" by Bishop Allen is a song with dark and cryptic lyrics about a thief who steals sentimental items from the singer and their loved ones. The first verse describes the theft of a high school ring, which the singer didn't think was worth anything until the thief took it. The thief's actions are described as "homicidal," highlighting the emotional weight that the stolen item held for the victim. The second verse describes the theft of a grandmother's silver, which the thief took despite the singer's protestations of innocence. The lyrics offer no resolution or justice for the singer, as they proclaim that "you'll never get back what the magpie took."
The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the sense of loss and futility in the situation. The thief is compared to both a raven and a rook, both of which are commonly associated with death and destruction. The magpie, too, is a bird associated with thievery and mischief. These comparisons suggest that the thief is not only stealing physical items, but also stealing something intangible- the singer's sense of security, trust, and faith in the world.
Overall, "The Magpie" is a haunting and melancholy song about the emotional toll of theft and loss. The lyrics are poetic and impressionistic, painting a vivid picture of the singer's pain and confusion.
Line by Line Meaning
High school ring,
A symbolic piece of jewelry from one's high school days.
High school ring,
Repeated for emphasis.
Who would have guessed it was a homicidal thing.
Surprise that something as innocuous as a high school ring could be associated with violence.
Crying crying crying on your front porch swing.
An individual who is heartbroken and weeping on a porch swing.
Eyes swollen up like a yellowjacket sting.
The individual's eyes are puffy and swollen, similar to the effect of a yellowjacket sting.
Call him a thief, call him a crook,
Referring to the magpie as a dishonest person who steals things.
Youll never get back what the magpie took.
The stolen item(s) will never be returned or recovered.
Call him a raven, call him a rook,
Using other species of birds to describe the magpie in a negative light.
Your boyfriend's mean,
The individual's boyfriend is cruel or unkind.
Your boyfriend's mean,
Repeated for emphasis.
I swear, I swear, I swear I didnt say anything.
A repeated declaration of innocence regarding something the boyfriend may be accusing the individual of.
Your grandmothers silver,
Referring to a valuable item that has sentimental significance - belonging to the individual's grandmother.
You kept it so clean.
Commenting on the individual's care and maintenance of the silver.
And those dark glasses, can you see what I mean.
Asking if the boyfriend is able to understand the insinuation or accusation the singer is making regarding the silver.
Contributed by Madison V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.