Pulling from the influences of the blues, outlaw country, roots rock, early American folk, Gypsy and Eastern European music, Brown Bird offers harmonized voices, haunting lyrics and diverse rhythm and instrumentation, which surges in waves that often swell into high-spirited, foot-stomping madness.
Brown Bird began in 2003, as a solo project for David Lamb (guitar/vocals/banjo/percussion), formed in Seattle, Washington and was named after Lamb's dog, who was named "Bird" and was brown. After playing around solo for a few years and moving to Portland, Oregon, the band grew to include Jerusha Robinson (cello/vocals) and her husband, Jeremy Robinson (accordion/banjo), turning the once-solo act into a trio. With the Robinsons, Lamb would go on to record the first two albums: 2006's Tautology and 2007's Such Unrest.
On a solo tour in 2008, promoting The Bottom of the Sea Lamb met MorganEve Swain (fiddle/upright bass/violin/vocals) and Mike Samos (lap steel/dobro) and they were soon added to the lineup.
The Robinsons decided to depart in 2009, choosing to focus on their own project, South China, though they would be featured on some songs for 2009's The Devil Dancing. Samos stuck around for another year but would also depart in 2010, leaving the final lineup for Brown Bird as David Lamb and MorganEve Swain.
The band would tour extensively, as support for fellow folk/bluegrass acts, including Trampled By Turtles, The Devil Makes Three, Yonder Mountain String Band, and Horse Feathers. Lamb and Swain released two albums as a duo, 2011's The Sound of Ghosts EP and full length Salt for Salt and 2013's Fits of Reason.
In early 2013, David Lamb was diagnosed with leukemia, putting the band on hiatus during his recovery. After more than a year of successful recovery and an unfortunate relapse, David Lamb passed away on April 5, 2014.
Past members:
Jeremy Robinson (accordion, banjo)
Jerusha Robinson (cello, vocals)
Mike Samos (lap steel, dobro)
Special guest:
Micah Blue Smaldone (bass)
The Band has released seven albums and one EP to date:
‘Tautology’ (2006)
‘Such Unrest’ (2007)
'The Bottom of the Sea' (2008) (Peapod Recordings)
'The Devil Dancing' (2009) (Peapod Recordings)
'The Sound of Ghosts' (EP; 2011)
'Salt for Salt' (2011)
'Fits of Reason' (2013)
'Axis Mundi' (2015)
Their most recent albums are available for purchase on brownbird.net and Supply&Demand Music.
Nothing Left
Brown Bird Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
there’s nothing left of this town
our time has ceased with such sorrow
there’s no one left here to mourn
there’s nothing left of this day
outside there cry wolves in the night
dark with their howls all around
trying to pretend there’s no harm
it’s a cold twist confined
to the courage of a catalytic heart and mind
over God’s cry and goat’s god’s goodbye
and I am bloodying the garment
of a ghost inside
making damn sure the body doesn’t die
The first line of Brown Bird’s “Nothing Left” sets the tone: there’s nothing left of this day. The song is filled with loss, grief, and despair. The singer suggests that their time has ceased with such sorrow, and there’s no one left here to mourn. There’s nothing left of this day. The imagery in these lyrics is one of emptiness and desolation. The sense of loss is palpable, and the singer seems almost overwhelmed by their grief.
The second verse brings in the howling of wolves in the night, adding a layer of danger and threat to the sense of loss. The singer talks about how they’ll just lie there clothed in their sheepskin, trying to pretend there’s no harm. The wolves’ howls are dark and all around, a reminder that danger is always present.
The final verse is perhaps the most opaque. The singer talks about a cold twist confined to the courage of a catalytic heart and mind. There’s a reference to God’s cry and goat’s god’s goodbye, which is open to interpretation. Is the singer referring to animal sacrifice? It’s difficult to say. One thing is clear: the singer is “bloodying the garment of a ghost inside,” making sure the body doesn’t die. This line suggests a struggle to keep going, to stay alive in a world that has become almost unbearably painful.
Line by Line Meaning
there’s nothing left of this day
The day is over and there's nothing left, it has passed.
there’s nothing left of this town
The town is deserted and there's nothing left, it has been left behind.
our time has ceased with such sorrow
Our time has come to an end, and it's a sorrowful moment.
there’s no one left here to mourn
No one is present to grieve the loss, and there's no one here to feel saddened.
outside there cry wolves in the night
Wolves are howling outside in the dark of the night.
dark with their howls all around
The howls of the wolves are echoing in the darkness.
we’ll just lie here clothed in our sheepskin
We'll stay here and cover ourselves in wool, hoping to be safe and warm.
trying to pretend there’s no harm
Attempting to ignore the sense of danger and harm that exists outside.
it’s a cold twist confined
It's a sudden and unpleasant turn of events, which is restricted and compressed.
to the courage of a catalytic heart and mind
It requires bravery and innovation from someone's heart and mind to overcome this situation.
over God’s cry and goat’s god’s goodbye
Ignoring the cries of God and accepting the loss of a beloved goat.
and I am bloodying the garment
I am staining my clothes with blood.
of a ghost inside
A ghostly feeling within oneself.
making damn sure the body doesn’t die
Taking the necessary steps to keep oneself alive, despite the situation's grave nature.
Contributed by Makayla O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Stephanie Lane
on Bilgewater
I love this song I can't express the way it truly makes me feel.