The two families, the Watkinses and the Thiles, met after Sean Watkins and Chris Thile had mandolin lessons with the same music instructor, John Moore. Sara Watkins studied with Moore's bandmate, Dennis Caplinger. The band name came from a song by Byron Berline, who was Sara Watkins' fiddle instructor.
Nickel Creek's first performance was at That Pizza Place in Carlsbad, California in 1989 with Scott Thile, Chris's father, playing string bass. Sean Watkins was only twelve years old at the time. At the start Chris Thile played guitar and Sean Watkins played mandolin but later they decided to switch instruments. The band played many bluegrass festivals throughout the 1990s, and the band members were home-schooled to accommodate their tour schedule. Nickel Creek's first two albums were Little Cowpoke (1993) and Here to There (1997).
The group received two Grammy nominations: Best Bluegrass Album and Best Country Instrumental for the song "Ode to a Butterfly". The trio was nominated at the CMA Awards for Best Vocal Group and the Horizon Award and were named one of the "Five Music Innovators of the Millennium" by TIME Magazine in May 2000. Nickel Creek's "The Lighthouse's Tale" video was nominated for a CMT "Flameworthy Video Award" for Group/Duo Video of the Year.
In 2002 the band released their fourth album, This Side, produced by Alison Krauss. It was a departure from their previous releases which were purely bluegrass. Although the core influence of bluegrass remained, other genres such as indie rock and folk rock were present in their music included cover songs Spit on a Stranger by Pavement, and Should've Known Better by Carrie Newcomer.
In 2005 the band released their fifth album, Why Should the Fire Die? with more rock and pop influences. The album debuted and peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Billboard bluegrass chart.
In late summer 2006, via Billboard and their official website, Nickel Creek announced that at the end of the year they would no longer be recording as a group and their tour, scheduled through 2007, would be their last for an indefinite period of time so band members could expand their musical horizons.
The band had plans to record its final performance at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville in November 2007 but the idea was later "scrapped".
The band released a new album in the spring of 2014. They also played a handful of live shows and festival dates, including a concert at the Ryman Auditorium, the last venue the band played when it played its last show.
Natural Kind of Love
Nickel Creek Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Leaves fall from a tree
They're just some things in this whole world that happen naturally
Take the way the heavens glow
The stars that shine so bright
They wait up there in that sky all day
And light our face at night
And it will be the same for me
If I can find that natural kind of love
Consider how the flowers grow when everything's just right
They open up so beautiful I never question why
I think about how birds fly south
They follow nature's signs
When winter winds begin to howl they head out right on time
Oh there's something free and easy about those birds above
And it will be the same for me
Once I find that natural kind of love
I look at how the morning sun always knows the time
Years have come and years have gone and seen it rise and shine
And I can see how love can be like the sun above
It's going to be that great for me
If I can find that natural kind
If I can find that natural kind of love
In this song, Nickel Creek emphasizes on the purity of nature and how it reflects in love. The lyrics describe how some things in the world happen naturally such as the barking of dogs at the man with mail, the falling of leaves from trees, the glowing of heavens and the shining of stars. The lyrics suggest that these events occur without force or human intervention because they come naturally as a result of the world's order. These natural occurrences are compared to the pureness and simplicity of love that can also come naturally without any force or pressure.
The flowers opening up beautifully are also an example of how nature shows its beauty without any complications, and this simplicity can yet again be found in love. The lyrics discuss how birds naturally follow the signs of nature and migrate south exactly when winter winds start to howl, and this is compared to how love can flow naturally from within a person.
The morning sun, which rises and shines every day without fail, is also compared to how love may be consistent and everlasting. In summary, this song emphasizes the natural aspects of our world as something innate, beautiful and trustworthy, something humans can all learn from when it comes to love.
Line by Line Meaning
Dogs bark at the man with mail
Animals like dogs, bark at what they perceive as a stranger, even if he is just a mailman.
Leaves fall from a tree
The foliage on a tree falls as the seasons change and is part of the natural process of growth and decay.
They're just some things in this whole world that happen naturally
Many things in this world happen without any human intervention, guided only by the forces of nature.
Take the way the heavens glow
The sky and heavens have a certain luminosity and radiance, which is beyond human control.
The stars that shine so bright
The countless stars above us, twinkle brightly, without any effort on their part, adding to the natural beauty around us.
They wait up there in that sky all day
The stars remain hidden during the day, waiting patiently to bring light to the night sky.
And light our face at night
During the night, the stars illuminate the sky and cast light on our faces.
Oh there's something pure and simple about those stars above
The stars in the sky evoke a feeling of innocence, simplicity, and purity.
And it will be the same for me
The singer hopes to find and experience that same natural purity and simplicity in love.
If I can find that natural kind of love
The singer is searching for a love that is pure, simple, and true, like the natural phenomena around him.
Consider how the flowers grow when everything's just right
When the conditions are optimal, flowers grow beautifully and effortlessly.
They open up so beautiful I never question why
The beauty of flowers is so captivating that one does not need to question or analyze its existence.
I think about how birds fly south
Birds migrate to warmer places during winters, guided purely by their instincts and nature.
They follow nature's signs
Birds adapt to and follow the changing of seasons, and their internal cues guide their migration patterns.
When winter winds begin to howl they head out right on time
Birds sense the change in seasons and start migrating before the harsh winter sets in, to avoid the adverse weather conditions.
Oh there's something free and easy about those birds above
Birds' freedom to fly far and wide, without any restrictions or confinement, is both liberating and admirable.
Once I find that natural kind of love
The singer is optimistic that once he finds a pure and natural love, it will flow freely, without any shackles or constraints.
I look at how the morning sun always knows the time
The sun's routine of rising and setting at specific times of the day reminds us of the passage of time.
Years have come and years have gone and seen it rise and shine
The sun has consistently risen and set every day for millions of years, and we have been fortunate enough to witness this natural phenomenon.
And I can see how love can be like the sun above
Like the sun's consistent rise and set, love can also be steadfast and unchanging if it is natural and true.
It's going to be that great for me
The singer has faith that a natural and true love will be fulfilling and satisfying.
If I can find that natural kind
The singer is striving to find a love that is innate, unforced, and genuine.
If I can find that natural kind of love
The songstress reiterates that she hopes to find a love that is like the forces of nature – pure, honest, and natural.
Contributed by Alex V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Fiddle Fish
The audience is singing along! Its so sweet <3
poopybutt29
All this time later this song is still so wonderful.
What a great recording! Thank you for this.
Billy D
Your very welcome, I had no idea that I was gonna capture something so hauntingly beautiful. All the credit goes to those four on stage...was so damn lucky to have been there to witness it.
100manband
Love to see an entire concert like this. Nickel Creek + audience minus amplification.
Brave and beautiful. Thank you so much.
Sally Morris
WHEN SHE STARTS HER FIDDLE SOLO I GET CHILLS
Ruth Morgan
best song ever it says so mutch
Felix
♡♡♡
Mitch Galyon
Smoothing
Dave Mercado
this one cuts
Fiddle Fish
CHRIS THILE FOREVER