They formed in 1979 after Vangelis had been rumoured to replace Rick Wakeman in Yes a few years before. Anderson had contributed to Vangelis' albums "Heaven and Hell", "See You Later" and "Opera Sauvage".
They released a total of four albums with Anderson writing the lyrics and Vangelis composing the music: "Short Stories" in 1980, "The Friends of Mr. Cairo" in 1981, "Private Collection" in 1983, and "Page of Life" in 1991, which got re-released in 1998 with some additional tracks of which Vangelis reportedly did not approve. There are also two compilations, called "The Best of Jon & Vangelis" (1984) and "Chronicles" (1994)
Bird Song
Jon & Vangelis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who can I see, in and around your hand
Looking to the top, as he feeds beside you
Humming bird, close to your hand.
It was for a reason I did not see before, it was;
Someone did give me eyes
That is nature sounding within
In the face of it
In the face of it there's nothing left to rhyme
And the more you try you'll understand
They'll be flying into your hand tomorrow.
The lyrics of Jon & Vangelis's "Bird Song" describe a peaceful walk through a garden, where the singer spots a hummingbird perched on someone's hand. The sight prompts the realization that nature's beauty is all around us, and sometimes it takes someone else's perspective to help us see it. The lines "Someone did give me eyes / That is nature sounding within" suggest that this moment of clarity came from an external source, but ultimately it is our own connection to nature that allows us to appreciate it fully.
The final lines of the song invite the listener to embrace this connection with nature and look forward to the possibilities it holds: "They'll be flying into your hand tomorrow." This could be interpreted literally as a promise that the hummingbirds and other creatures of the natural world will continue to visit us, but it could also be seen metaphorically as an encouragement to stay open and receptive to the wonder and beauty of the world around us.
Overall, "Bird Song" is a gentle and contemplative ode to the beauty of nature and the ways in which it can inspire and uplift us.
Line by Line Meaning
Took a little love, walked through a garden
I experienced a little bit of love and went for a stroll in a beautiful garden.
Who can I see, in and around your hand
I can see someone or something close to you and your hand.
Looking to the top, as he feeds beside you
Observing a creature feeding while being close to you and above us.
Humming bird, close to your hand.
A small bird with wings that move so fast they hum is near your hand.
It was for a reason I did not see before, it was;
There was a purpose to something that I hadn't noticed previously;
Someone did give me eyes
I received a gift to help me better see and experience the world around me.
That is nature sounding within
The gift allows me to feel more connected to the natural world around me.
In the face of it
Despite the challenges and difficulties,
In the face of it there's nothing left to rhyme
There's no more words or actions that can be taken to make things better.
And the more you try you'll understand
However, the more effort and time we invest, the more we will comprehend.
They'll be flying into your hand tomorrow.
There will be opportunities to appreciate and bask in the beauty of the natural world in the days ahead.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: EVANGELOS PAPATHANASSIOU
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jex plink
Such a beautiful song and such beautiful birds, thank you for posting :-)
ark1492
This song is actually a part 2 to the track called Each & Every Day,…listen to the full version to capitalize on the power of Jon’s Heaven sent voice….Jon & Vangelis are the best one two punch in all of music & there albums are disgustingly underrated in the music industry. Bird Song & another track of his called Inside Of This Outside Of That are two tracks of his that can make anyone tear up, Jon’s voice is one of the most powerful vocal instruments in Rock, Pop, Soul, Dance, Fusion & World music genre’s. Goosebump City😮👍
Lemontree23
I love it! Greatly done!
The Joshua Jordan Experience
Hummingbirds are extraordinary in my opinion, and Jon writes wonderful lyrics. What's not to love about this video?
Cheryl Turner
Such a beautiful song. Touches my heart deeply!
Lorenza Colman
Bellisimo video! Very beautiful video! Great shots, blessed voice of Jon and uncomparable music by Vangelis!
BILLY REIL
jon is relentless workaholic thank you for what to come and whats been done you are truly blessed thank you for so many years of great music and love your vision is endless
adkpeakboy
Amazing song from the Anderson / Vangelis album "Short Stories". Though this is now 27 years old, each time I play it - either vinyl or cd, it's refreshing and new again. Now it's on YouTube! Thanks for posting this treasure.
371gm
How the hell can people dislike this, its beautiful. People get a life
Sueli Silva
Beautiful! 💚