Early 1990s
In the early 1990s, the band established a cult following through relentless touring with weekly stops at Virginia clubs known as Trax and Floodzone, an active taping community, and an independent LP, Remember Two Things. (Keyboardist Griesar left the band in 1993, shortly before the release of "Remember Two Things".) After signing to RCA Records, Dave Matthews Band, under the direction of producer Steve Lillywhite, released Under the Table and Dreaming in 1994, a critical and popular smash that firmly established the band's style of pop-rock with improvisational leanings. Under the Table and Dreaming would be the first of three albums released under Lillywhite's direction. This was followed by Crash (1996). For most of America, Crash was the record that put the Dave Matthews Band on the map. Featuring the hit single "Crash Into Me", as well as fan-favorites such as "Two Step", "Tripping Billies", and the Grammy-winning "So Much to Say", Crash would go on to be the band's best selling album.
The Mercy Songfacts reports that Lillywhite lent his skills to their 2012 album Away From The World. Lillywhite hadn't worked with the band since a series of unreleased recordings in 2000, which led to the leaked Lillywhite Sessions.
History
David John Matthews was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1967. Two years later, his family moved to Westchester County, NY. His father was a physicist and worked for IBM at the time. He has two sisters (Anne and Jane) and a brother (Peter). After living in New York, his family moved to Cambridge, England in the early '70s. The family returned to New York where his father died in 1977. In 1980, the family moved to South Africa where the young Matthews went to several schools and "got more wise about the evils of government, there and in general." He first played at a club in Charlottesville (Miller's) where he worked as a bartender. He admitted to Playboy magazine that he was really never that good at bartending, but loved getting customers...well..."drunk as hell!" He was first discovered in a demo tape that he recorded with a couple of current band members. This all came about when he decided to put together a demo tape and decided that he needed some musical accompaniment; which ended up as the Dave Matthews Band. In 1994, his sister Anne died in a domestic tragedy at her home in South Africa. The Grammy nominated album "Under The Table and Dreaming" is dedicated to her.
Community
Dave Matthews Band is highly involved in giving a helping hand. In 2003, the Band held a concert entitled, "The Central Park Concert" which was held in New York City's Central Park. The concert helped New York City Public Schools, the band is a big supporter of education.
The band also held a concert that helped victims of Katrina.
Sadly, Leroi Moore passed away in 2008. After being seriously injured in an ATV accident in Virginia, Moore succumbed to his injuries on August 19, 2008. He was replaced by Jeff Coffin, famous for his work with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones.
Excerpt taken from Wikipedia.org -- the rest of this article can be found at:
Wikipedia
Official site: www.dmband.com
Little Red Bird
Dave Matthews Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Waiting for the crumbs to fall
"Daddy said, 'Get a job'
But, don't you see, daddy, how good I am at catching crumbs?"
Guns and gods and little red birds
Guns and gods and little red birds
Overestimated his abilities to win
Sitting Bull turned the table on him
A comfort to count the battles won after the war is lost
Little red bird
Guns and gods and little red birds
Guns and gods and little red birds
A comfort to count the battles won after the war is lost
Comfort to count the battles won after the war is lost
Guns and gods and little red birds
Guns and gods and little red birds
Comfort to count the battles won after the war is lost
If there was a place hidden in the stars
Reflected on heaven's graces
If God had an honest face
A troubled expression would be watching the human race
Little red bird
The lyrics of Dave Matthews Band's song Little Red Bird speak to the idea of finding comfort in the small and simple things in life, even during times of turmoil or war. The imagery of the little red bird waiting for crumbs under a chair suggests humility and a willingness to accept what comes without complaint. The line "daddy said, 'get a job' but, don't you see daddy, how good I am at catching crumbs?" reflects the idea that one should appreciate the skills they possess, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem to others.
The second stanza brings in the idea of guns and gods, perhaps suggesting that these are the things that people typically turn to during times of war or conflict. The mention of General Custer and Sitting Bull is a historical reference to the Battle of Little Bighorn, where Custer famously overestimated his abilities to win and was defeated by Sitting Bull and his allies. The line "a comfort to count the battles won after the war is lost" suggests that focusing on small victories and finding comfort in simple things can help ease the pain of defeat.
The last stanza brings in the idea of heaven and God, and poses the question of whether God would be troubled by the state of humanity. The little red bird is mentioned again, perhaps serving as a symbol of hope and comfort in a world that can often seem bleak and uncertain.
Overall, the lyrics of Little Red Bird offer a message of finding joy in small things and appreciating the skills and abilities we possess.
Line by Line Meaning
Little red bird under a chair
A red bird is seen waiting underneath a chair for food crumbs to fall down
Waiting for the crumbs to fall
The bird is eagerly waiting and hoping for food, which is probably scarce or difficult to find
"Daddy said, 'Get a job'
But, don't you see, daddy, how good I am at catching crumbs?"
The bird is making a sarcastic remark that it is good at catching crumbs, which it implies as its job; this line may allegorically represent the situation of some human beings who think they are too skilled or talented to work for a living, or too comfortable in their status quo to change it
Guns and gods and little red birds
In a rhetorical manner, the interplay between guns (weapons used for violence), gods (supernatural beings worshipped by humans), and a little red bird (an innocent, helpless creature) is introduced. This line may aim to highlight the contrasts and contradictions between these concepts
General Custer, it's said
Overestimated his abilities to win
Sitting Bull turned the table on him
A historical event involving the conflict between General Custer (a military leader known for his defeat at the Battle of Little Bighorn) and Sitting Bull (a Native American chief who succeeded in defending his land) is portrayed. The lines suggest that Custer's arrogance led to his downfall, and that sometimes the underdog can prevail against expected odds
A comfort to count the battles won after the war is lost
Little red bird
It is often reassuring to look back at successful moments of history and gain some sense of closure or pride, despite past defeats or failures. The little red bird may symbolize a small reminder of positivity and hope amidst chaos and turmoil
If there was a place hidden in the stars
Reflected on heaven's graces
If God had an honest face
A troubled expression would be watching the human race
Little red bird
The lyrics contemplate the possibility of a divine entity observing humanity's actions and feeling disappointed or concerned by what it sees. The little red bird can be seen as a helpless, insignificant creature in this grand scheme, yet it is still present and serves to remind us of our duty to protect and care for all living beings
Contributed by Riley M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
hambissimo
10 years on guys...the most beautiful expression of Dave so far for me. Ten years on...
Larm2112
wow just saw this live. Dave came out and told us the story of this song and played it solo. It was really freakin cool.
drummer1364
Man another beautiful song. It's easy to forget how many great DMB songs that haven't made it to an album. Here's hoping this and Write a Song pop up live from time to time.
Eric John
mix "Blackbird" by the Beatles and "Going to California" by Led Zeppelin together and this brilliance is what you get
Haik Sahakian
Totally agree even the lyrics and daves vocals just remind me of the beatles
Cory W
this song grew on me SO much. i hated it at first. i can't get enough of it now.
Dan Allen
Another solo album Dave! Please!
Stan McMullen
And play it they did! I WISH I was at the LV shows. They must have been amazing.
518SReyell
Probably my favorite song currently.
ryan kunkel
id say it sounds more like goodbye blue sky by pink floyd but thats my opinion. no matter, still a great tune!