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.
The Ticonderoga
Bowerbirds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Im the cape that came to crush and snag you on my sands.
Below the ocean, and from my point of view,
You were always drinking, and drunk well before noon,
And dreaming on my pillow of high tide.
But Id allow you.
Old friend, give me back my hands.
Those claws will get you; those teeth will take your life,
But you wont know whats missing.
This gift aint giving. This wolf aint worth the fight
In Bowerbirds' song "The Ticonderoga," the singer asks two different entities, an old ship and an old friend, to give them back their hands. In the first verse, the singer is addressing an old ship, asking for their hands while simultaneously revealing themselves to be the "cape that came to crush and snag you on my sands." The ship is intoxicated, and the singer imagines them dreaming on their pillow of high tide. The singer seems to have some sort of power over the ship, as they say "I'd allow you," indicating that they could have prevented the ship's demise but chose not to.
In the second verse, the singer is addressing an old friend, requesting their hands back while implying that they are the "crutch that's missing." The friend is a "crippled little lamb" who is unaware of what they're missing despite the imminent danger they face by trusting "those claws" and "those teeth." The gift the friend has given the singer is not worth the fight.
Overall, the song seems to be about the power dynamics inherent in relationships and how a sense of control can be distorted by fear and an over-reliance on others.
Line by Line Meaning
Old ship, give me your hands.
I, the unforgiving nature, request that you surrender to my power.
Im the cape that came to crush and snag you on my sands.
I am the physical barrier that destroyed and trapped you in my terrain.
Below the ocean, and from my point of view,
As the ocean floor, I have observed your actions from a position of superiority.
You were always drinking, and drunk well before noon,
You consumed alcohol frequently, even when it was early in the day.
And dreaming on my pillow of high tide.
You fantasized about being submerged in my powerful waves.
But Id allow you.
Despite my destruction, I offer you the opportunity to exist in my midst.
Old friend, give me back my hands.
I, the predator, demand that you release your hold on me.
Im the crutch thats missing, and youre the crippled little lamb.
I represent a missing support system while you are the helpless victim.
Those claws will get you; those teeth will take your life,
My natural weapons will inevitably cause significant harm, possibly resulting in death.
But you wont know whats missing.
You are unaware of what you truly need until it is absent.
This gift aint giving.
Although bestowed upon you, this offering is not truly beneficial.
This wolf aint worth the fight
The struggle to maintain this relationship with me is not worth the effort.
Contributed by Ian H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.