Her voice is comparable to Ms Newsom and Björk; but she is better compared with Anohni, (formerly Anthony Heggarty).
The Bird
Kathryn Joseph Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
will bones you have thrown
me and blood ive spilled it
will be better i do not know
you bring me dead birds and
then you go you and don't
want me make me and might
oats you have sown me at
ter i do not know you bring
me dead birds and then you
go and it sounds like all our
lives and it sounds like you
do not know me and never
will bones you have thrown
me and blood i've spilled.
In Kathryn Joseph's hauntingly beautiful song "The Bird," the singer seems to be narrating the tragic story of a relationship gone wrong. The lyrics are open to interpretation, but there are some clear themes that emerge. The first line, "you do not know me and never will," sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer feels unheard and unseen, as though they are invisible to the person they are addressing. The next line, "bones you have thrown me and blood I've spilled," depicts a violent encounter, in which the singer has been hurt by this person. It is unclear whether this violence was physical or emotional, but it has left a lasting impact on the singer.
The chorus is particularly poignant, as it repeats the line "you bring me dead birds and then you go." This imagery suggests a cycle of abuse, in which the person alternates between acts of kindness (bringing the singer dead birds) and acts of violence or neglect (leaving immediately after). The repetition of this line emphasizes how stuck the singer feels in this cycle, unable to break free. The final lines, "and it sounds like all our lives and it sounds like you do not know me and never will," suggest that this story is not just about one relationship, but about a larger pattern of violence and power imbalances that the singer has experienced throughout their life.
Line by Line Meaning
you do not know me and never will
The singer feels misunderstood and disconnected from the person they are addressing, and doubts that this will ever change.
bones you have thrown me and blood I've spilled
The person being addressed has treated the singer poorly and caused them pain (at a metaphorical level).
it will be better I do not know
The singer acknowledges that they do not know what the future holds, but believes it will be better than the present.
you bring me dead birds and then you go
The person being addressed does something toxic or harmful to the artist, and then leaves them to deal with the consequences alone.
you don't want me make me and might oats you have sown me at needle point
The artist feels like the person they are addressing does not actually care about them or their well-being, but is using them for their own purposes.
it sounds like all our lives and it sounds like you
The situation described in the song is not unique to the singer, but a common experience that others may relate to as well. The person being addressed seems representative of a larger group of people who treat others poorly.
Contributed by Carter A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@edwardedgely6365
you do not know me and never
will bones you have thrown
me and blood ive spilled it
will be better i do not know
you bring me dead birds and
then you go you and don't
want me make me and might
oats you have sown me at
needle point it will be bet-
ter i do not know you bring
me dead birds and then you
go and it sounds like all our
lives and it sounds like you
do not know me and never
will bones you have thrown
me and blood i've spilled.
@svetlichok5966
You do not know me and never will
Bones you have thrown me and blood I've spilled
It will be better, I do not know
You bring me dead birds and then you go
You and don't want me make me and might
Oats you have sown me at needle point
It will be better, I do not know
You bring me dead birds and then you go
And it sounds like all our lives
And it sounds like all our lives
And it sounds like all our lives
And it sounds like
You do not know me and never will
Bones you have thrown me and blood I've spilled
It will be better, I do not know
You bring me dead birds and then you go
@manuelcabral1625
you do not know me and never
will bones you have thrown
me and blood ive spilled it
will be better i do not know
you bring me dead birds and
then you go you and don't
want me make me and might
oats you have sown me at
needle point it will be bet-
ter i do not know you bring
me dead birds and then you
go and it sounds like all our
lives and it sounds like you
do not know me and never
will bones you have thrown
me and blood i've spilled.
@HeldByTrees
Flawless. I am weeping for the beauty of this song and performance.
@sarahmacdonald5768
I’ve just found this beauty. I instantly know I’m going to be obsessed!
@jimminniehan2548
Thank you Kathryn Joseph, your voice, your music is a gift to my soul with all it's pain and happiness.
@laurawilson2145
Her voice stirs so deeply in my soul.
@NatureXKPT
Staggering beauty
@railwaystationmaster
This is unmistakably Very Special , You can't get much better than brilliant so whoever presses the star making buttons take note and PRESS !
@robmcwilliam6790
Saw her at the Blue Lamp in Aberdeen a couple of years back. Mesmerising. Love her naturalness....
@unbelievable123truth
She is one talented lass!
@johnmatthews1095
Right up there with the most beautiful things I've ever heard or felt
@jameswright5799
Found my way to Kathryn`s music via Grey Dogs "Land O The Leal" from the soundtrack of Netfix film of Robert The Bruce, Outlaw King.
Am kicking myself for having missed out previously on this highly talented lady, with the most haunting voice.