Comprising Philip Moore (vocals, guitar), Beth Tacular (accordion, vocals) and Mark Paulson (violin, vocals), their début album, Hymns for a Dark Horse (2007), was released on Burly Time Records, followed by their second album, Upper Air in July 2009 and album number three, The Clearing in March 2012.
Whereas the first two albums were recorded on the quick and the cheap, the songs sounding like "old, familiar campfire anthems sung by a couple clinging to very deep love". For the recording of The Clearing they had more time and better resources, making it a bigger sounding record, with bolder sounds, a broader scope, and more complicated songs. It was more than a third record for Bowerbirds. Between 2009 and 2012, Beth Tacular nearly died after a mysterious illness that put her in the hospital.
Beth and Phil even ended their long relationship but began it again after realizing that, despite their own shortcomings, they didn’t want to be with anyone else. Mostly, though, they returned to their cabin in the woods of North Carolina to nest—to make soup and walk dogs, to make art and write songs, to realize that this was their life and find contentment in it.
From 2012 to 2020, they did not release anything until the release of a string of digital singles in 2020 (they were compiled on Endless Chase: 20 Singles) and a long overdue new studio album, becalmyounglovers, in 2021.
House of Diamonds
Bowerbirds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You are shackled to your bed
And bound and gagged
Oh my, what a predicament
And further, further on
The day grows long
And your sister marries a nice young man
But the sun is snuffed by the curtains
Can someone come untie you?
But there is too much work to do
Yes, they all admire you
You are free
You are already free
You are already free
You are free from the greed of your culture
You are free from the lust for the luster
Of the diamond houses in the city's cluster
From your own ego, from your own blunder
Yes, you own the stars, you own the thunder
But you have to share it all
Yes, you own the stars, you own the thunder
But you have to share
You are free
You are already free
You are already free
The song "House of Diamonds" by Bowerbirds is a complex commentary on freedom, autonomy, and the seductive lure of material possessions. The lyrics depict a protagonist who is initially physically constrained, unable to move or speak freely. As the song progresses, it becomes clear that this person is also a prisoner of their own desires and the expectations of their culture. They watch as their sister's life takes a conventional path, complete with marriage and the construction of a lavish home. In the face of this conformity, the singer realizes that true freedom can only come from abandoning the superficial trappings of wealth and status. The repetition of the phrase "you are already free" underscores the idea that this sense of liberation is always present within us, waiting to be claimed.
The imagery of the song is rich and evocative, using metaphors such as diamonds and thunder to represent both human ambition and the vastness of the natural world. The line "you own the stars, you own the thunder / but you have to share it all" speaks to the idea that while we might possess material and personal power, it means nothing if we aren't using it to connect with others and make the world a better place. Ultimately, "House of Diamonds" is a powerful call to arms, urging listeners to reject societal expectations and embrace their own inner strength and authenticity.
Line by Line Meaning
One morning you wake to find
You suddenly realize that you are trapped in your own bed
You are shackled to your bed
You feel trapped and confined to your own situation
And bound and gagged
Your freedom of speech and expression is being suppressed
Oh my, what a predicament
You are in a difficult and unpleasant situation that you need to overcome
And further, further on
As time goes by, things only get more complicated and challenging
The day grows long
Time seems to pass slowly due to the difficulties you are facing
And your sister marries a nice young man
Others around you are progressing and moving forward in their lives
And they build a house of diamonds
Some people value material possessions and wealth above all else
But the sun is snuffed by the curtains
Obstacles are blocking out the light and hope in your life
Can someone come untie you?
You need help and support to break free from your situation
But there is too much work to do
The solution is not simple and requires effort and dedication to achieve
Yes, they all admire you
Despite your struggles, people recognize your strength and resilience
You are free
You have the power to break free from your situation and overcome your challenges
You are already free
You possess the strength and resilience to overcome obstacles and achieve your goals
You are free from the greed of your culture
You reject the materialistic and selfish values of society
You are free from the lust for the luster
You don't pursue wealth and extravagance for its own sake
Of the diamond houses in the city's cluster
You see through the illusion that material possessions will bring true happiness
From your own ego, from your own blunder
You acknowledge past mistakes and learn from them to become a better person
Yes, you own the stars, you own the thunder
You have a powerful and unique perspective on the world
But you have to share it all
You realize that your talents and strengths are meant to be shared with others
Contributed by Gavin T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
jonny
such a good song :)
Philip Clark-Lowes
I like the idea that they use an old blues piano for this, it has a feeling of making you consider your previous thoughts and how to be adorned to being blessed with life rather than stagnant to decay and neglect, its great with the violin 1:59 part
Bryan Foote Brass Vocals Music
Blues piano? What do you mean?
Braxton Benge
I could've sworn this was sung by Andrew Bird at first. Now I see.
legion4it
awesome lyrics
DemonicCow9852
I love you.
Philip Clark-Lowes
good looking bunch too
predictablyrandomist
:)
greenparty07
parenthood
Nick Park
Butts are one of the most important substances on earth. All plants and animals must have booty to survive. If there was no booty there would be no life on earth. Apart from twerking it to survive, people have many other uses for butts.