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.
You Ain't No Picasso
Bishop Allen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wait in line for the elevator
Shaking hands
Got a smile like an alligator
Hey chief,
How do you do?
(Yeah.)
And they're only getting eviler
Like to stop the lockjaw
Feeding on the feebler
I carry it downtown
With a pillar in my pocket
Rocket
I would like you better if you had a job
I would like you better if you had a job
Ooh, that's right
Son of gun
Son of gun
Son of a gun
Thats quite an attitude
Could you get that notorized?
Tape (tape deck) dictation
Everybody's funny
But they ain't getting funnier
My god damn clothes
Couldn't waste the money-er
Did you-
Did you have fun at the par-tay?
At the office party.
I would like you better if you had a job
Ooh, ooh
I would like you better if you had a job
Aah-woo
Say it again
My friend
But you could've been, could've been, could've been
Ready for idle hands, idle hands
i dont know
I would like you better if you had a job
'Cause you ain't no Picasso
I would like you better if you had a job
Ooh that's right
I would like you better if you had a job
'Cause you ain't no Picasso
I would like you better if you had a job
Ooh that's right
I would like you better if you had a job
'Cause you ain't no Picasso
The lyrics of Bishop Allen's song "You Ain't No Picasso" depicts the struggle of those who chase the demeaning expectations of society. The opening verse portrays a scene of a character dressed well, waiting in line for an elevator, and faking smiles regardless of their true feelings towards the authoritativeness of their surroundings. The lyrics "Nice pants, wait in line for the elevator, shaking hands, got a smile like an alligator, Hey chief, how do you do?" engrave a lifeless existence of the modern world where the need to fulfill certain societal protocol suppresses one's true expression.
The following lines "Everybody's evil and they're only getting eviler like to stop the lockjaw, feeding on the feebler" further reiterate a world of competition and survival where people exploit the vulnerable ones for their benefit. The lyrics "I carry it downtown with a pillar in my pocket, rocket" signify the character's readiness to face the constant challenges of the urban system.
The chorus lyrics "I would like you better if you had a job. 'Cause you ain't no Picasso" is a comparison to Pablo Picasso, a famous Spanish artist known for his unique style and creativity, challenging people's perspective on art. Thus, the lyrics infer that if someone does not have a job, they are not worth respect or recognition as these intangible qualities are considered meaningless in the modern world.
Line by Line Meaning
Nice pants
Commenting on someone's clothing
Wait in line for the elevator
Waiting for something mundane and unexciting
Shaking hands
Meeting someone for the first time
Got a smile like an alligator
Fake and untrustworthy smile
Hey chief, How do you do?
Casual greeting
Everybody's evil
Distrustful of others
And they're only getting eviler
Believing that others are becoming worse over time
Like to stop the lockjaw
Desire to prevent negative gossip or criticism about oneself
Feeding on the feebler
Taking advantage of weaker or vulnerable individuals
I carry it downtown
Taking responsibility for a problem or situation
With a pillar in my pocket
Having a plan or solution in mind
Rocket
Ready and determined to take action
I would like you better if you had a job
Valuing someone based on their employment status
Son of gun
Surprised or frustrated expression
Son of a gun
Expression of annoyance or disbelief
Thats quite an attitude
Commenting on someone's negative demeanor
Could you get that notorized?
Skeptical or doubtful request for proof
Tape (tape deck) dictation
Recording an important conversation or memo
Everybody's funny
Finding the humor in people's behavior or situations
But they ain't getting funnier
People are repeating the same jokes or behaviors that are becoming stale
My god damn clothes
Frustration with the cost of clothing
Couldn't waste the money-er
Avoiding unnecessary expenses
Did you-
Asking a question about someone's experience
Did you have fun at the par-tay?
Asking about someone's enjoyment at a social event
At the office party.
Clarifying the specific event
Say it again
Asking for repetition
My friend
Friendly address
But you could've been, could've been, could've been
Reflecting on missed opportunities
Ready for idle hands, idle hands
Bored and unproductive
I dont know
Uncertainty or confusion
'Cause you ain't no Picasso
Criticism of someone's artistic or creative abilities
Ooh, ooh
Expressing frustration or disappointment
Aah-woo
Exclamation of frustration or disappointment
Contributed by Samantha N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Osmond Wen
Legendary first line
Rossco Ross
not the song i was looking for but its quite catchy =D
BlinksAwakening
Wasn't this from an unreleased lost album? I remember seeing someone in their forums years ago after the first album released, before the 12 eps talking about the new album leak, and posting this song.
Bornunlucky08
i wish music this good was actually popular, but instead we get to listen to shitty music that means nothing on the radio. =[ sad face..