Bird was apparently two years old when she got her first guitar. From age 11 she has been involved in diverse projects, musically and otherwise, having written soundtracks to and acted in short films and plays. Bird has been gigging on the Irish music circuit since the age of 17, playing a catalogue of gigs from tiny, smokie, dim-lit bars to big bright festivals; all building up her reputation as a confident performer with songs written in many styles ranging from folk to rock to jazz to contemporary.
At the age of 1, Bird had an accident which cut all her fingers from her left hand. From this, she then began to start over with her guitar playing at the age of 4, but this time she learned to do it the way she is noted for now...a right hand guitar played upside down: "Nobody ever showed me how to play the guitar properly! So I just kept going with it and developed my own style. I only have 4 fingers, but I feel like it is my special "mojo" so I'm very proud of it!"
She began to play with various bands and groups before going solo. Through music college in Ballyfermot "rock School" in Dublin, Ireland, she was given the chance to attend a European music workshop in 2005 that was to change her life: "When I got to Hammelburg in Germany, where the European music workshop was, I thought that it was going to be a week of drinking and maybe a little music, I never expected it to turn out the way it did!"
"I was assigned a band and we were thrown in at the deep end to get as many songs together as possible to perform a concert at the end of the week. So it was a total shock for me, I had never worked so hard and so intensely, but it made me open my eyes to the possibility of my music, I had never heard it being played that way, so I just knew that the feeling in my heart was right - I wanted to follow this band. I felt right from the start, so now I'm living together with the band in Germany to be close , and I have no regrets."
So far things have been going upwards, and the feeling is right which is evident in the music Wallis plays to this day, it is more mature, and sure of its direction. Definitely a sign that you should follow your heart, even if it means moving to a different country and leaving Ireland, the country she loves!!!
"I just got up and went, I knew I really like the guys, we instantly had a great connection and they felt strongly about the music, so I knew that I couldn't just let this chance pass, otherwise I would always be wondering ...but now I'm wondering "what next? It's the most exciting time of my life!"
Encore
Wallis Bird Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But you know you never get far
You could be running from yourself
You could be running to the next bar
You could be closer to the finish
Then you ever were before the start
But stop running stop running
Begin where you are
Carry it away from your heart
Carry it to me and I will take it
Take it apart, break it apart
Every little thing that comes between us
Doesn’t really matter anymore
So stop running, stop running
Begin where you are
Come back, oh Come back Oh Come back oh come Oh come Oh come
Come back, oh Come back Oh Come back oh come Oh come Oh come
Come back, oh Come back Oh Come back oh come C-c-c-c-come back
oh come back oh Encore Encore!
Trouble is a lover and I got to have it
Travel is forever at my feet
Come a little closer so that I can grab it
Give it to me, give it to me
Oh Every little sin that could divide us
Doesn’t really matter ‘cause I just don’t care
So stop running, stop running
Come in somewhere
Come back, oh Come back Oh Come back oh come Oh come Oh come
Come back, oh Come back Oh Come back oh come C-c-c-c-come back
Come back, oh Come back Oh Come back oh come C-c-c-c-come back
oh come back oh Encore Encore!
And you could be standing on the wrong side
And you could be living a living a holy lie, Yeah
You could be bending up the back just to see , woaaaah
Come back, oh Come back Oh Come back oh come Oh come Oh come
Come back, oh Come back Oh Come back oh come Oh come Oh come
Come back, oh Come back Oh Come back oh come C-c-c-c-come back
Oh Encore
Encore!
The lyrics of Wallis Bird's song 'Encore' speak to the idea of running away from oneself or one's problems, but realizing that this never leads to true resolution. The singer of the song acknowledges that they may be running away from something, but ultimately they cannot escape the pain that keeps them burning. They implore the listener to stop running and begin where they are, to confront the pain head on rather than trying to outrun it.
The lyrics also explore the idea that all the little things that may have caused division between people don't really matter anymore, and that the singer just wants the other person to come back to them. It appears that there may have been a falling out or separation of some kind, but the singer doesn't care about any past wrongs, they just want the other person to return to them. The repeated cry of "Encore" at the end of the song seems to indicate that the singer wants to relive a past moment with this person or to have a chance to start anew.
Overall, 'Encore' is a very poignant and relatable song about the human tendency to run from problems and the desire to go back to the past and fix things.
Line by Line Meaning
You could be running hide from something
You might be evading something, but the problem is still present and needs addressing.
But you know you never get far
Running away doesn't solve problems, as they catch up to you eventually.
You could be running from yourself
You might be running away from your own problems, but you cannot escape from yourself.
You could be running to the next bar
You might be seeking solace in alcohol, but it doesn't address the root of your issues.
You could be closer to the finish
You could be close to achieving your goals but don't stand back and enjoy the accomplishment.
Then you ever were before the start
You have progressed further than you did when you initially started.
But stop running stop running
It's time to stop avoiding your problems and confront them head-on.
Begin where you are
Start addressing your problems from where you currently stand.
Carry all the pain that keeps you burning
Hold on to the emotional pain and let it drive you to make necessary changes.
Carry it away from your heart
Try not to let the pain consume you, but don't forget the reason for the pain.
Carry it to me and I will take it
Bring your pain to me, and I will take it from you, freeing you from its burden.
Take it apart, break it apart
I will help you deconstruct the pain to find a solution.
Every little thing that comes between us
Any issues that might prevent positive change and resolution are trivial and insignificant.
Doesn’t really matter anymore
They are no longer significant enough to impede progress or resolution.
So stop running, stop running
It's time to face the issues and stop deflecting them.
Begin where you are
It's time to confront the issues where you stand.
Come back, oh Come back Oh Come back oh come Oh come Oh come
Return and face your problems before seeking distraction elsewhere.
C-c-c-c-come back oh come back oh Encore Encore!
Return and confront the problem for a final act, like an encore performance.
Trouble is a lover and I got to have it
Despite its difficulty, I am drawn to trouble and eager to challenge it.
Travel is forever at my feet
I'm always ready to embrace new challenges and eager to travel where the path may lead.
Come a little closer so that I can grab it
I'm willing to get close to my challenges to get a hold of them and try to solve them.
Give it to me, give it to me
I want to challenge trouble head-on and solve issues myself.
Every little sin that could divide us
Any small error that could cause issues and division is not important to me anymore.
Doesn’t really matter ‘cause I just don’t care
I've come to a point where I no longer care for these issues affecting progress.
So stop running, stop running
Stop deflecting issues and confront them head-on.
Come in somewhere
Instead of running, push forward and confront your problems wherever you are.
And you could be standing on the wrong side
You might be looking at the wrong side of the matters and failing to comprehend what is truly important.
And you could be living a holy lie, Yeah
You might be living under the pretense of a pure lie or acting as if everything is fine when you know that's not the case.
You could be bending up the back just to see , woaaaah
You might be going through great lengths just to gain a better understanding of the problems to solve them.
Come back, oh Come back Oh Come back oh come Oh come Oh come
Return and face your problems before seeking distraction elsewhere.
Come back, oh Come back Oh Come back oh come C-c-c-c-come back
Return and confront the problem for a final act, with a sense of urgency.
Oh Encore Encore!
The previous problem resolution was a great experience, and another one would be highly appreciated like an encore performance.
Contributed by Maya C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dasver
Wallis Bird is insanely talented
Samantha Delamere
Amazing , seen her at Rogrigo and wow did she get the crowd going !! Keep up the great work ..
Irecla Imalée
I've just seen her live without knowing her before and was soo amazed! I have nothing seen someone so hypnotizing before!
La Skira
Super geiles Lied, ich liebe es. ♥
HighBrowHobo
Over 1000 views in 5 days, that's what I like to see. Rock on Wallis Bird, you make my heart sing, and i don't care how corny that sounds. Encore, encore!!!
tanner1ie
Wallis is awesome, i've seen her twice, both times in Galway. The last time was in the Roisin Dubh which is intimate enough only holding 100 people at most but it still mustn't have been enough for her as she decided she wanted to stand on a table for her last song of the night :) . I got one of her guitar picks off her mic stand when she was finished :) .
Emergent Sounds
For sure one of the best singer song writers in the world :D
WALLIS BIRD
WOOHHOOO!! SPREAD THE WORD MY FRIENDS!
Charlie Lee
Goodness I love this woman :3
UseTheMage
EPIC!!!!!!!! GAAAH!!!! MY SOUL IS SPARKLING!!!!