Tunng are a London, England, neo-folk / folktronica band, formed in 2003. … Read Full Bio ↴Tunng are a London, England, neo-folk / folktronica band, formed in 2003. The band consists of Mike Lindsay (vocals, guitar), Becky Jacobs (vocals, percussion, synths), Ashley Bates (banjo, guitar), Phil Winter (electronics, sampling, keyboards), Martin Smith (percussion, keyboards/piano) and Simon Glenister (drums). Their latest album is "Songs You Make at Night" (Aug 2018, Full Time Hobby).

Former members include co-founder Sam Genders (vocals, guitar), who left the band before the release of "...And Then We Saw Land" (Mar 2010, Full Time Hobby).

Tunng started after Genders and Lindsay met, in the latter's Soho basement studio (below a clothes shop). Genders was a singer-songwriter and Lindsay had the studio (making electronica and living through advertising music production). They found that Lindsay's distinctive way with twinkling sounds, and tight production, significantly enhanced the folky songs they were writing - A signature sound developed.

Tunng's first album was "Mother's Daughter And Other Songs" (Jan 2005, Static Caravan) - However, since Genders made at first the choice not to play live, Lindsay found Jacobs and Bates. to help with live shows. Over time, Winter and Smith became part of the band and have all contributed more to recordings, first on "Comments Of The Inner Chorus" (May 2006, Full Time Hobby), then more so on "Good Arrows" (Aug 2007, Full Time Hobby).

The 2010 album, "...And Then We Saw Land", has been the most successful to date and was recorded in the semi-legendary Play Industries Studio, Shoreditch, with access to its vast collection of vintage synthesizers helping develop a more delicate and inter-woven production style. Glenister added live drums to the gigs, from 2009, for a heavier sound, a long way from the seated studio project Tunng once was.

On "Turbines": "...often beloved for its bucolic oddness and modernist gleam, Tunng's polyphonic future folk blossoms with enchanting melodies, simmering grooves, and found sound that has propelled the band into a paradise of exceeded expectations" (Absolute Punk).

The wind up bird
Tunng Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

These books were alive they spoke to me
The books have nothing to say

Inside ahead, it was a flood of white noise
Aside the chair, it shut down for four days
Green and brown are growing sweet a now aside
You run the bar in through a picture of your time

The wind-up bird was her new muse
The wind-up bird was her new muse
The wind-up bird was her new muse
She made the frontpage bad news

Tell me a story inside
Lie if you like but make the details true in my mind
We need to feel absolutely wrapped in your glove
Lie back and listen
As I read you, my love

The low mower side, sharpened his blades
And we all told you that it's good to be scared
I turned the page and start laughing at my friends
I looked into her eyes, so that we could pretend

The wind-up bird was her new muse
She made the frontpage bad news
The wind-up bird was her new muse
She made the frontpage bad news

What is that over there?
That? That's a rocket chair

We need to feel absolutely wrapped in your glove
Lie back and listen
As I read you, my love
Tell me a story inside
Lie if you like but make the details true in my mind
We need to feel absolutely wrapped in your glove

Lie back and listen
As I read you, my love

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Tunng's "The Wind-Up Bird" are cryptic and mysterious, leaving the listener to unravel their meaning. The opening lines speak of books that "were alive" and spoke to the singer, yet paradoxically "have nothing to say." This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the idea that the stories we read and tell ourselves are ultimately meaningless or that they can come to life and shape our reality. The following lines describe a flood of white noise and a chair that shuts down for four days, creating an atmosphere of stillness and isolation.

The chorus of the song repeats the line "The wind-up bird was her new muse" several times, suggesting that a new source of inspiration has entered the singer's life. This muse is juxtaposed with the idea of "frontpage bad news," hinting at a darker side to this newfound inspiration. The second verse continues the theme of storytelling, with the singer asking to be wrapped in the details of a story and encouraging their lover to read to them. The lines about a "low mower side" and sharpened blades introduce an element of danger or violence, while the rocket chair mentioned later on adds to the surreal and fantastical atmosphere of the song.

Overall, "The Wind-Up Bird" is a brooding and introspective track that invites the listener to delve deep into its enigmatic lyrics and try to decipher their true meaning.

Line by Line Meaning

These books were alive they spoke to me
Although the books had no voice or message, the singer felt connected and heard something in them.

Inside ahead, it was a flood of white noise
The inside space felt overwhelming due to an excessive amount of background, meaningless sound.

Aside the chair, it shut down for four days
The equipment beside the chair, could not work or perform for a significant amount of time.

Green and brown are growing sweet a now aside
Plants that are green and brown, usually pleasant to look at, are being grown and cared for nearby.

You run the bar in through a picture of your time
The artist has a nostalgic connection to a past image or scene that they try to recreate through drinking.

The wind-up bird was her new muse
Something new had caught her imagination and inspired her creatively.

She made the frontpage bad news
Her work or actions received negative attention on a public platform.

Tell me a story inside
The artist is requesting emotional engagement from the story being told.

Lie if you like but make the details true in my mind
The artist is indifferent about the honesty of the story as long as it can form an intense mental image.

We need to feel absolutely wrapped in your glove
The listeners require the storyteller's full attention and immersion into the story to feel engaged and held captive.

Lie back and listen As I read you, my love
The singer wants their partner to relax and enjoy being told a story with affectionate nicknames.

The low mower side, sharpened his blades
A lawn mower's blade is being sharpened from its previously low quality.

And we all told you that it's good to be scared
Fear can be a helpful motivator for courage or growth.

I turned the page and start laughing at my friends
The book being read caused a humorous reaction towards their natural demeanors.

I looked into her eyes, so that we could pretend
Both people way acted out or imagined a different scenario while making eye contact.

What is that over there?
Curiosity is being expressed over an object or thing in the distance.

That? That's a rocket chair
The object being looked at resembles a chair but has features that give it a spaceship-like quality.

Contributed by Cole K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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