1901 by Birdy Lyrics Meaning – Decoding the Timeless Echoes of Nostalgia and Change
Lyrics
Past and present they don’t matter
Now the future’s sorted out
Watch her moving in elliptical patterns
Think it’s not what you say
What you say is way too complicated
For a minute though I couldn’t tell how to fall out
It’s twenty seconds till the last call
You’re going hey hey hey hey hey hey
Lie down you know it’s easy
Like we did it over summer long
And I’ll be anything you ask and more
You’re going hey hey hey hey hey hey hey
It’s not a miracle we needed
No I wouldn’t let you think so
Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold it
Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold it
Girlfriend, oh your girlfriend is drifting away
Past and present 1855-1901
Watch them built up a material tower
Think it’s not gonna stay anyway
I think it’s overrated
For a minute though I couldn’t tell how to fall out
It’s twenty seconds till the last call
You’re going hey hey hey hey hey hey
Lie down you know it’s easy
Like we did it over summer long
And I’ll be anything you ask and more
You’re going hey hey hey hey hey hey hey
It’s not a miracle we needed
No I wouldn’t let you think so
Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold it
Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold it
Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold it
Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold it
Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold it
Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold it
A haunting melody interwoven with introspective lyrics, Birdy’s rendition of ‘1901’ opens a door into a realm where reality and reflection collide. Originally performed by French alternative band Phoenix, this song, in the delicate voice of Birdy, acquires a new life – instilling a sense of reverie that transcends the bounds of time.
Though packaged within a seemingly simple structure, ‘1901’ unravels layers of interpretative depth, challenging listeners to parse through the emotive synergy of rhythm and prose. The song’s grasp lingers, inviting us to unlock its most intimate ruminations.
Dancing Through Time: The Evocative Power of Nostalgia
The song’s chorus, ‘Counting all different ideas drifting away / Past and present they don’t matter,’ speaks to the transient nature of thoughts, time, and relationships. Birdy encapsulates the experience of witnessing life’s ephemeral moments slip through the fingers of our understanding, like sand through the hourglass.
‘Past and present 1855-1901’ – these dates not so subtly reference an era of intense change and progress. Just as modernity was dawning on society, Birdy emphasizes the impermanence of human constructs, such as the ‘material tower’ whose endurance we overrate.
Elliptical Patterns: Love’s Orbit and the Path to Letting Go
Birdy summons the imagery of orbital movement, ‘Watch her moving in elliptical patterns,’ indicating the cyclic and often predictable patterns of relationships and life itself. This phrase may also allude to the inability to break free from the gravitational pull of memories and former lovers.
Through the repetition of ‘fold it,’ we are left to ponder the coping mechanisms one adopts to deal with the fallout of a relationship, or perhaps even larger existential dilemmas – do we fold in on ourselves, or do we attempt to shape our destiny by folding, bending, and redirecting our paths?
The Countdown to Finality: A Reflection on Mortality
‘It’s twenty seconds till the last call’ highlights the urgency and inescapability of an ending – be it the closing of a bar or the metaphorical conclusion of a life stage. Coupled with the nonchalant ‘hey hey hey,’ Birdy paints a scene of resigned acceptance in the face of the inevitable.
By inviting us to ‘lie down’ and embrace the simplicity of the moment, the song suggests the importance of surrender to the larger currents of time, encouraging a peace of mind that often only retrospect can afford.
Unearthing the Hidden Meaning: A Bittersweet Homage
Gifted with the ability to distill profound sentiments into her seemingly Spartan lyrics, Birdy’s ‘1901’ is at its core a homage. It is a fond, if not plaintive, nod to a bygone era and the simplicity of youthful summers – an innocence that once was, but may never be again.
As the song folds into its conclusion, there is an undercurrent of wisdom – a whisper that exhorts us to appreciate the transient beauty of our lives, relationships, and zeitgeists, before they too drift away into the annals of history.
The Echo of Memorable Lines: Resonance with the Listener
Perhaps the most compelling facet of ‘1901’ is Birdy’s ability to capture the listener with deceptively simple phrases that resonate deeply. ‘And I’ll be anything you ask and more’ serves as a powerful testament to the lengths we go for love and connection, while ‘It’s not a miracle we needed’ brings us back to the grounded reality that what we seek might already be within reach.
Birdy’s ‘1901’ is more than just a cover; it’s a reinterpretation that hits the soul with its honesty and melancholy. It reminds us that music is not just about the notes played, but the spaces between them – the unspoken, the feelings evoked, and the memories invoked.
