Too Many Birds
Callahan Bill Lyrics
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Too many birds in one tree
And the sky is full of black and screaming leaves
The sky is full of black and screaming
And one more bird
Then one more bird
And one last bird
One last black bird without a place to land
One last black bird without a place to be
Turns around in hopes to find
The place it last knew rest
Oh black bird, over black rain burn
This is not where you last knew rest
You fly all night to sleep on stone
The heartless rest that in the morn, we'll be gone
You fly all night to sleep on stone
To return to the tree with too many birds
Too many birds
Too many birds
If
If you
If you could
If you could only
If you could only stop
If you could only stop your
If you could only stop your heart
If you could only stop your heart beat
If you could only stop your heart beat for
If you could only stop your heart beat for one heart
If you could only stop your heart beat for one heart beat
The song "Too Many Birds" by Callahan Bill appears to be a reflection on the idea of overpopulation and the lack of space and resources in the world. The opening lyrics "Too many birds in one tree, and the sky is full of black and screaming leaves" seem to be an allusion to the fact that when a tree becomes overcrowded with birds, the birds become agitated and start to make a lot of noise. The metaphor extends to our own world, where too many people can lead to chaos and unsustainable living conditions.
The lines "Turns around in hopes to find the place it last knew rest" suggest that the birds – and by extension, us as humans – are lost and searching for a place to belong. The black bird without a place to land symbolizes the struggles of those who do not have a place to call home, and the heartless rest that "we'll be gone" likely refers to the fact that we are all but fleeting objects on this earth.
The final verse shifts to a more personal tone, with the lines "If you could only stop your heart beat for one heart beat" appearing to be a plea for peace and stillness in a world full of chaos. Overall, "Too Many Birds" is a poignant reflection on the state of our world and the search for meaning and belonging amidst the chaos.
Line by Line Meaning
Too many birds in one tree
The tree is overcrowded with birds and there is no space for any more birds to settle.
And the sky is full of black and screaming leaves
The sky is full of noisy, black-colored leaves that are flying around.
Then one more bird
Another bird comes to the already overcrowded tree.
And one last bird
One final bird comes and there is no more space in the tree for it.
One last black bird without a place to land
The last bird that came doesn't have a place to settle in the overcrowded tree.
Turns around in hopes to find
The bird tries to find a new place to settle.
The place it last knew rest
The bird wants to find a place where it can rest peacefully.
Oh black bird, over black rain burn
The bird is flying over a dark and rainy landscape.
This is not where you last knew rest
The bird is unable to find a suitable place to rest.
You fly all night to sleep on stone
The bird flies all night to settle on a stone, which is not an ideal resting place.
The heartless rest that in the morn, we'll be gone
The resting place on the cold stone is temporary, and the bird will have to leave it in the morning.
If you could only stop your heart beat for one heart beat
The singer wishes to pause the bird's heartbeat for a moment to give it some rest.
To return to the tree with too many birds
The bird has to go back to the overcrowded tree where it does not have enough space to rest.
Too many birds
The tree has too many birds, and they are all competing for space.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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