I'm your only friend
I'm not your only friend
But I'm a little glowing friend
But really I'm not actually your friend
But I am

Blue canary in the outlet by the light switch
Who watches over you?
Make a little birdhouse in your soul
Not to put too fine a point on it
Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet
Make a little birdhouse in your soul

I have a secret to tell
From my electrical well
It's a simple message and I'm leaving out the whistles and bells
So the room must listen to me
Filibuster vigilantly
My name is blue canary, one note spelled L-I-T-E
My story's infinite
Like the Longines Symphonette, it doesn't rest

Blue canary in the outlet by the light switch
Who watches over you?
Make a little birdhouse in your soul
Not to put too fine a point on it
Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet
Make a little birdhouse in your soul

I'm your only friend
I'm not your only friend
But I'm a little glowing friend
But really I'm not actually your friend
But I am

There's a picture opposite me
Of my primitive ancestry
Which stood on rocky shores and kept the beaches shipwreck free
Though I respect that a lot
I'd be fired if that were my job
After killing Jason off and countless screaming Argonauts
Bluebird of friendliness
Like guardian angels it's always near

Blue canary in the outlet by the light switch
Who watches over you?
Make a little birdhouse in your soul
Not to put too fine a point on it
Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet
Make a little birdhouse in your soul

While you're at it
Keep the nightlight on inside
The birdhouse in your soul

Not to put too fine a point on it
Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet
Make a little birdhouse in your soul

Blue canary in the outlet by the light switch (and while you're at it)
Who watches over you? (keep the nightlight on inside the)
Make a little birdhouse in your soul (birdhouse in your soul)

Not to put too fine a point on it
Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet
Make a little birdhouse in your soul

Blue canary in the outlet by the light switch (and while you're at it)
Who watches over you? (keep the nightlight on inside the)
Make a little birdhouse in your soul (birdhouse in your soul)

Not to put too fine a point on it
Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet
Make a little birdhouse in your soul


Lyrics submitted by Irrational

Birdhouse In Your Soul Lyrics as written by John S. Linnell John C. Flansburgh

Lyrics © Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Birdhouse in Your Soul song meanings
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100 Comments

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  • +11
    General Comment

    Wow, some of you people are really reading way too far into this song, especially the religious interpretations. I wonder how you live your lives trying to force your own beliefs down the throat of every piece of art - especially under the guise of "openmindedness." The only reason Jason and Argonauts are mentioned is because of the "primitive ancestry" (lighthouse), and their death was just showing what would have happened if this little nite lite tried to do the job of its ancestors. This has nothing to do with Greek mythology or pagan gods and goddesses. This song has nothing to do with Jesus. I wouldn't say that they just thew together a bunch of lines, because it takes skill to write a song this catchy with lyrics that coincide so well... Rather, I say TMBG is a very talented band that does not take itself too seriously. And if they want to write a song about a stupid-ass nite lite, then so be it. Just enjoy it as is.

    chlimoujon May 17, 2006   Link
  • +9
    General Comment

    The Longiness Symphonette was a popular musical act/performance from the '50s or '60s. An orchestra would play short versions of well-known classical music pieces, launching from one piece to another without stopping. You'd hear 2-3 minutes of Bach, then some Tchaichowsky, then a little bit of Mozart, one after the other. That's where the lyric "...it doesn't rest," comes from. It wasn't a full-fledged symphony, but an easy-on-the-ears "symphonette." You can guess that the serious critics hated it, since it was basically the K-Tel of its day, but it was a big hit with Joe Average. Clever stuff.

    Spruceon April 14, 2002   Link
  • +8
    General Comment

    "Tho I respect that a lot, I'd be fired if that were my job after killing Jason off and countless screaming Argonauts."

    In other words, I have a lot of admiration for the work that the lighthouse does, but I'm just a little night-light, my light isn't powerful enough for that task. If it had been me on that shore when Jason and the Argonauts arrived, they would have crashed and died because of my shortcomings, and I would have beem fired as a result.

    Is that clear enough?

    UglinessManon January 10, 2005   Link
  • +8
    General Comment

    Greatest. Song. Ever.

    This song could cure cancer, the common cold, and that sticky thing growing on your genitals. Contrary to popular belief, the universe revolves around this song.

    superkrautdogon December 05, 2005   Link
  • +7
    General Comment

    ok basically, this is sung from the perspective of a night light, in the shape of a blue canary, to whoever is in the room. i'm not too sure about the logines symphonette part though. the best verse in this song is the last one, it's really quite funny

    davewoodyon February 07, 2002   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    This song does make sense about God watching over us. But there are two things that prove the songs is written about a light, The first being, My name is blue canary one-word spelled l-i-t-e" It spells it out there "LITE" Of course it's spelled wrong, but it flows which is probably why it's spelled that way. The other part, "There's a picture opposite me, of my primitive ancestry, which stood on rocky shores and, Kept the beaches shipwreck free" He is refering to a lighthouse. Well thats my opinion on the song.

    scandoron July 17, 2002   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    Really, TMBG did say this song was about a nightlight. It was on their website, although it is true that a lot of their songs have no meaning at all, such as Particle Man. I remember them saying it was kind of funny how many peole try to find the deeply hidden meaning in that song, and many of their others.

    togatoraon November 07, 2004   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    The Johns have actually admited this one's about a night light so that takes some of the mystery away. Accross the room from the night light is a picture of a lighthouse which would be his primitive ancestry.

    doortodooron May 31, 2002   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    no.

    scheisseon June 13, 2003   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    I heard this song on the radio a few times and tried to find it for a while but couldn't. I just got into TMBG thanks to "experimental film" and finally found this song! So cool how they wrote a song from the perspective of a night-light, which was like a guardian angel to me and i'm sure is right now to thousands of kids who fear the dark. "glowing friend" Teehee!

    mrguy753on May 21, 2006   Link

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