They were named after a bay in Alaska featuring a now-abandoned cannery on Kodiak Island where founder member Van Pierszalowski's parents met. They started out as a folk music duo of Cambria Goodwin and Van Pierszalowski while Cambria was living in Cambria, California and Van was living in Oakland. After Cambria moved closer to Oakland they added a rhythm section composed of Caleb Nichols and Joshua Barnhart.
The band toured nationally with artists such as Nada Surf, Bright Eyes and The Cave Singers and toured Europe with Modest Mouse, as well as receiving favourable reviews from Pitchfork Media, Allmusic, and The Times. M. Ward named Port O'Brien his "favorite new band".
The band released three albums; a compilation of self-recorded and early tracks called The Wind and the Swell on American Dust Records and a studio-recorded album All We Could Do Was Sing on City Slang Records, and their latest studio album Threadbare on TBD Records.
I Woke Up Today from the album All We Could Do Was Sing was recently used as the backing music for several Dulux Paints television advertisement in Australia. The band toured Australia in February 2009 as part of the St Jerome's Laneway Festival.
In May 2011 Port O'Brien announced they'd split.
A Bird Flies By
Port O'Brien Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's damp and rainy
I've been dreaming a song
That song is you
And I've been thinking of love
Moulded up with clay
And I made a joke about you
When I'm old
I'll rest my bones
A midnight sky, a bird flies by
I waded all through the tall grass
With eyes wide open
And I took a swim with grandpa
In hopes that you would find me
And I stole your fishing boots
And replace them with diamonds(gold)
That way when you are gone
I am not forgotten
And out through the chimney
And in to the sky
The clouds they are empty
And a bird flies by
(Repeat)
The lyrics of "A Bird Flies By" by Port O'Brien, depict a sense of longing for a loved one. The singer, who has been sleeping outside, is dreaming of the person they miss. The opening line reveals their current state of isolation and vulnerability, being exposed to the elements outside. In this state, the singer dreams of a song, which is a metaphor for their love, that they associate with the person they miss. The song has become a constant reminder of their longing.
The following lines reveal that the singer has been thinking about love and something they have created that is "moulded up with clay". The metaphor of clay implies that love, like pottery, can be molded and shaped. The singer feels like they have made a joke about the person they miss, which has come back to haunt them. This regret creates a sense of unease for the singer, hinting at a possible past mistake or miscommunication between the two.
The last lines of the verse reveal the melancholic thoughts that come with old age, with the singer suggesting that they will rest their bones soon. The darkness of the midnight sky is juxtaposed with a bird flying by, symbolizing the idea of freedom and motion.
Overall, "A Bird Flies By" is a song of longing, regret, and hope. It captures the complexity of human emotions that come with missing someone, and the dreams and memories that surround that longing.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been sleeping outside
I've chosen to sleep outside, even in damp and rainy weather
It's damp and rainy
The weather outside is wet and humid
I've been dreaming a song
In my sleep, I've been imagining a melody
That song is you
The subject of my song is about you
And I've been thinking of love
I've been contemplating on the concept of love
Moulded up with clay
Comparing love to the process of molding an object in clay
And I made a joke about you
I made a humorous comment about you
Came back to haunt me
The consequence of my joke is now causing me trouble
When I'm old
Referring to the future when I have aged
I'll rest my bones
I will eventually relax and retire
A midnight sky, a bird flies by
Describing a serene night, with a bird passing by in the sky
I waded all through the tall grass
I have walked through high blades of green
With eyes wide open
My vision was not obstructed during this experience
And I took a swim with grandpa
I went for a swim with my grandfather
In hopes that you would find me
Hoping that you would come across me
And I stole your fishing boots
I took your fishing boots without permission
And replace them with diamonds(gold)
I swapped them for diamonds(gold), which are more valuable
That way when you are gone
If you ever leave, I will still have the valuable item
I am not forgotten
I will still be remembered due to my possession of the valuable item
And out through the chimney
Leaving the house through the chimney
And in to the sky
Moved upward into the sky
The clouds they are empty
The sky has no clouds
And a bird flies by (repeat)
A bird is seen flying by several times
Contributed by Elijah N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.