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Birdhouse in Your Soul Lyrics

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-word
spelled l-i-t-e
My story's infinite
like the Longiness Symphonette
It doesn't rest

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 its
always near
(and while your at it
leave the nite lite on inside the
birdhouse in your soul)
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Cover art for Birdhouse in Your Soul lyrics by They Might Be Giants

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.

@chlimouj “erm actually you aren’t allowed to find your own meanings in people’s art☝️🤓 art is meant to be understood at face value without interpretation🤓”

@chlimouj I'm not saying this song is about religion. But one does not need to be a music major to recognize what TMBG is doing musically with the synthesizers and organs--referencing cathedral organ music of the 1700s.

@chlimouj so how do you REALLY feel?

Cover art for Birdhouse in Your Soul lyrics by They Might Be Giants

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.

@Spruce "Launching from one piece to another without stopping" sounds like "Fingertips."

Cover art for Birdhouse in Your Soul lyrics by They Might Be Giants

"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?

Cover art for Birdhouse in Your Soul lyrics by They Might Be Giants

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.

Cover art for Birdhouse in Your Soul lyrics by They Might Be Giants

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

@davewoody I never really thought about the last line of the song on its own, without context. You make a good point.

Cover art for Birdhouse in Your Soul lyrics by They Might Be Giants

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.

@scandor He always of course says he's plugged into an outlet.

I like to think he misspells "light" because he's a nightlight so of course he doesn't know how to spell very well.

@scandor It’s spelled “l-i-t-e” because commercial products frequently misspell words (think “froot loops”), and “lite” is a pretty common one.

Here’s a link to a set of nightlights with that misspelling: https://www.amazon.com/Westek-NiteLite-Automatic-Incandescent-Plugin/dp/B0026SP4GO?keywords=nitelite

@scandor I agree that the blue canary nigh light was referring to lighthouses being its' "primitive ancestry." I've though thought of it beling anything else.

Cover art for Birdhouse in Your Soul lyrics by They Might Be Giants

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.

@togatora "I love humans. Always seeing patterns in things that aren't there." The Eighth Doctor, "Doctor Who."

Cover art for Birdhouse in Your Soul lyrics by They Might Be Giants

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.

Cover art for Birdhouse in Your Soul lyrics by They Might Be Giants

no.

Cover art for Birdhouse in Your Soul lyrics by They Might Be Giants

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!