In 2002, Halstead released his debut solo album, Sleeping on Roads. A second solo album, Oh! Mighty Engine was released on July 29, 2008. Halstead's third solo album, 'Palindrome Hunches', was released on September 11, 2012.
Little Twig
Neil Halstead Lyrics
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Little twig, you are a figment of me
Or is it you?
Your bicycle makes trouble for us all
You got no brakes, yeah, you got the shakes
And little boys, well, they drop their toys
When you fly past, yes, they do
The art of living well is not just choice
It?s down to luck and who you trust
Oh little twig, you do trust well
Yeah, you do trust well
Yeah, you do trust well
Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do
Do, do, do, do, do, do, do
Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do
Do, do, do, do, do, do, do
Seagulls on the roof have kept me wide
Awake and pale in case I fail
To sleep again, to dream of you
To take my turn on some thing new
Mudguard in a flap and chain is slack
Oh little twig, you rattle past
Like a can of nails on an angel's tail
Yes, you do, yes, you do
Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do
Do, do, do, do, do, do, do
Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do
Do, do, do, do, do, do, do
Sunday morning papers say you failed
To make it through, oh little twig
Can this be true? Can this be true?
Can this be true? Can this be true?
Neil Halstead's song "Little Twig" is a beautiful ode to something/someone precious that is fragile and fleeting. The title itself "Little Twig" refers to a small, young branch that hasn't quite matured enough to hold its own. In the beginning, Halstead sings "I'm counting all the steps right back to you" which signifies how precious this little thing is and how Halstead is willing to traverse through hurdles to get back to it. However, he then reveals that "Little twig, you are a figment of me, or is it you?" which could represent how this beautiful little thing is not real but rather a creation of Halstead's mind or how he is unable to tell whether it is truly a separate entity from him.
Halstead then sings about how this fragile entity - represented by a bicycle that has no brakes and shakes - causes trouble not just for him but for others as well. As he sees the little twig flying past toy-dropping little boys, he muses on how luck and trust affect the art of living well. He then repeats the line "Yeah, you do trust well" indicating how the little twig is something to be trusted implicitly despite its fragility.
The last two verses are about Halstead's struggle with sleep while worrying about this precious entity represented by the sound of a rickety bicycle. In the end, we hear that the "Sunday morning papers say you failed to make it through, oh little twig. Can this be true?" which could be interpreted as a metaphorical death of this fragility. Overall, the song conveys an intense longing for something precious and fragile that may be lost, despite its inherent beauty.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm counting all the steps right back to you
I am retracing every step that led me back to you
Little twig, you are a figment of me
You, tiny and insignificant, are a part of me and my life story
Or is it you?
Perhaps you are more than just a figment, but a real part of my life
Your bicycle makes trouble for us all
Your presence and actions cause problems for everyone around you
You got no brakes, yeah, you got the shakes
You are reckless and unstable, with no regard for your own safety or others' well-being
And little boys, well, they drop their toys / When you fly past, yes, they do
Your recklessness and speed are disrupting the play of innocent children
The art of living well is not just choice / It?s down to luck and who you trust
Living well is not simply a matter of making choices, but also depends on luck and the reliability of those around us
Oh little twig, you do trust well / Yeah, you do trust well / Yeah, you do trust well
Despite your recklessness, you have a trusting nature
Seagulls on the roof have kept me wide / Awake and pale in case I fail / To sleep again, to dream of you / To take my turn on some thing new
I am kept awake by the sound of seagulls, and my insomnia is related to my desire to take risks and embrace new experiences (such as those represented by the little twig)
Mudguard in a flap and chain is slack / Oh little twig, you rattle past / Like a can of nails on an angel's tail / Yes, you do, yes, you do
You, little twig, are noisy and disruptive, making your presence felt in a profound (though perhaps not always appreciated) way
Sunday morning papers say you failed / To make it through, oh little twig / Can this be true? Can this be true? / Can this be true? Can this be true?
News reports indicate that you, little twig, did not survive (perhaps due to your recklessness or the risks you took)
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: NEIL HALSTEAD
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