Hello, friends! This is Megan doing a guest post for Kelly, partly because it's her birthday and she is busy doing fun birthday things and partly because I decided she shouldn't have to write her own birthday post and begged her to let me do it instead. So, before we begin: happy birthday, Kelly! I'd like to be the first to thank you today for running this blog and keeping us occupied during the long, dark days of our TMBG-less existence in 2011.
Normally the Song of the Day is generated randomly, but I've been planning this since yesterday afternoon (deviously, in the back of Kelly's car, while she drove me all around Boston because she's a good person) and honestly, there's only one song that's appropriate for the occasion.
Today's song is....
Birdhouse In Your Soul
Whenever anybody asks me my favorite TMBG song, I don't even bother saying "Birdhouse" because I feel like it's kind of a given. It almost feels like cheating, telling people that this is my favorite song, because of course it's my favorite song. It tells a beautiful story with beautiful lyrics and beautiful metaphors and a beautiful melody. I have a piece of it tattooed on my body. How could it be anything else?
No matter how many times I see Birdhouse live, those six little beats on the cymbal -- tsk tsk tsk, tsk tsk tsk -- still give me chills. I love how the audience goes crazy when Linnell starts in with "I'm your only friend..." and how the sound of everybody singing seems to swell on "who watches over you" during every round of the chorus. I cannot ever imagine getting tired of it.
It's impossible for me to pick a favorite Birdhouse memory because, really, they're all my favorites, but I do have an affinity for this particular performance on the Tonight Show in 1990. I love how happy the Johns look, especially during Doc's trumpet solo -- you can tell how ecstatic they are to be playing with the orchestra.
I could go on (and on, and on) but it just gets less coherent and more emotional from here, and I can't imagine there's anybody who has nothing to say about this song, so: go to it!
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happy birthday to kelly!
ReplyDeleteand also what an excellent song, I think I will go listen to it repeatedly.
Happy birthday Kelly, and good choice Megan!
ReplyDeleteI also don't list this among my favorites, however, it's undeniably a good song, and is usually a given. I'm pretty sure I've heard this at every show I've attended. That's sort of comforting.
I am fond of the live version that is segued from Asbury Park on Podcast... 32A I believe. Go give it another listen. It's great.
What a perfect song. And I love you writing and the way you describe it is just.... this. So much.
ReplyDeleteI, too, have a very emotional connection with this song. STD was my first album, and Birdhouse was pretty much what got my hooked. Even now, when I'm depressed it's such a comfort to put it on. It's like "it's ok" is oozing from my headphones...
And live! Man. Like, you know how in Gigantic there's that part where Gary Ray talks about how when the Johns would play at Darinka a warm wave just comes over your body and you feel at home? That's how I feel when they play Birdhouse at shows. I know this is probably corny, but it's like the band is saying "Music is going to make everything ok" through their music, and the audience is saying "we know, because you're here": through their singing and paying attention and enthusiasm. It's like all those strangers, everyone is connected through art to each other and to the band, and for a tiny bit they can forget about their problems and find some happiness in the world. If that feeling were a picture, it would be this picture: http://tmbw.net/wiki/images/thumb/f/f4/DewanBack.jpg/180px-DewanBack.jpg
I'm sorry it took me a while to respond to this post.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things I really like about Birdhouse is that even people who aren't THAT familiar with the band have often still heard that specific song, and always have positive things to say about it.
It personally is not one my *top* favorites either, but it IS a great song. And I fully agree on the statement that it's very comforting and feels like home, no matter where I am when I hear it. The audience at the live shows is always SO EXCITED when they start to play it! I love that so much.
It's a song with beautiful lyrics that really brings a crowd together and, to me, symbolizes friendship among other things. That's a big part of the reason I bought little birdhouse necklaces for several of my TMBG friends. :)
P.S. Another Happy Birthday wish for Kelly!