Two Birds

I can't help but think that the old Regina would have ended the song with: "Two birds on a wire One tries to fly away and the other (Spoken) Won't move from that same f*cking wire..."

I don't think this song is so much about a relationship, but just normal Regina observations of people. How some people will try new things, and others won't. How people miss out, stick to what they know, stay with people because it is safe, etc.

Although this song has such a happy beat, I get a negative feel from it. I imagine someone in a bad relationship, where the partner is controlling it. {I'll just use "he" as the controller and "she" as the other person to make it easier.} She always tells him stuff like, "C'mon! Let's go do something," and he always has some excuse like, "I wish I could, but I'm busy." Near the end of the song, she tries to get out of the relationship, but he makes her feel guilty.

"Two birds on a wire One tries to fly away and the other Watches him close from that wire He says he wants to as well, but he is a liar"

I get a "Don't leave me; I'll change!" vibe from those lines.

I think it's also inspired by this song by Leonard Cohen, Bird on A Wire..

Like a bird on the wire, like a drunk in a midnight choir I have tried in my way to be free. Like a worm on a hook, like a knight from some old fashioned book I have saved all my ribbons for thee. If I, if I have been unkind, I hope that you can just let it go by. If I, if I have been untrue I hope you know it was never to you. Like a baby, stillborn, like a beast with his horn I have torn everyone who reached out for me. But I swear by this song and by all that I have done wrong I will make it all up to thee. I saw a beggar leaning on his wooden crutch, he said to me, "You must not ask for so much." And a pretty woman leaning in her darkened door, she cried to me, "Hey, why not ask for more?"

Oh like a bird on the wire, like a drunk in a midnight choir I have tried in my way to be free.

I like this song. But I think it may not be about a couple or even a husband and wife. It also might not be as negative as everyone's thinking. Really, the birds could be anyone. Regina wrote it vague leaving it up to interpretation. That's what makes her songs so easy to relate to. So, it could just be about a parent unable to let go of their child, or two friends becoming themselves, and so going seperate ways.

Old friends, the kind that are so close they're attached at the hip - practically inseperable, who planned to stay together; go to the same schools, live close to one another, keep in touch. Some people are content staying where they are in life, never aspiring to be more. I think the "lying" bird is one of those people. Especially with its "One more or one less / Nobody's worried" attitude. The other is looking for adventure, and seems to believe that their "lying" friend still wants the same things as they do, which holds them back. There's no conflict between them, but a difference in personalities and life goals that has grown apparent, and so these birds are stuck.

I think the song is about a gay couple. Regina has been a vocal supporter of LGBT issues politically, but this is social look at some of the community's "issues". The song sounds so happy, but it's actually pretty sad- there's a population of people that don't seem to understand that it is HARD to be homosexual in America still in these times; there's a perception that they gays are just happy go lucky people when it can be hard for their relationships to exist publicly or for them to be treated right when they are out***.

"Watches <b>him</b> close from that wire <b>He</b> says he wants to as well" He watches Him.

One is in the closet, and the other is in the process of coming out.

"I'll believe it all There's nothing I won't understand/ I won't let go of your hand" The other understands how it's hard to do, and will continue to do so.

"But he is a liar" He is a coward. The other will "believe it all", and keeps telling himself eventually that when the sky isn't overcast*** (when it's safe) they both can leave/ have their relationship move from where it has been sitting. Right now it's stagnant and not going anywhere.

I also like how, even though for the majority of the song, despite how in different verses the names of "one" and "the other" are reassigned to each of them- the listener know which one is being addressed. The one line I think is ambiguous is "One says c'mon and the other says 'I'm tired'". One could be the man in the closet, as in c'mon stay here and understand how it's hard for me - the other is "tired" of being locked up (insert caged bird pun). OR one says c'mon, as in it's not so scary out here you can come out - and the other is 'tired' of that conversation, not strong enough to make that move to label himself to the world as in a homosexual relationship.

At the end, one abandons the relationship and flies away. But before that happens, I like the image of one "trying to fly away", but still staying there at the wire. It's a hovering motion, between two worlds (the wire and the sky, the closet and the freedom of being able to acknowledge publicly how good it is to be with who you love.)

Also... telephone wires. This is a conversation. Appropriate setting!

When I first heard this song, I was in shock. I felt like the bird that wouldn't let go of the wire. Me and my brother are very close, and he is graduating next year and wants to go out and do something big. He wants to join the coast guard or the army and fly away from our little wire. I want him to live his life and dreams but I don't know what will happen after he flies away.

I hear it as an homage to childhood best friends, separated in adolescence by differing perspectives, ambitions, and interests.

Specifically, I like to think that it's about to two main characters in Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes.

I imagine this song being about two men or two women in a closeted relationship. One is ready to tell everyone about their relationship, but the other is too afraid of what people will think. No matter what though, the one that wants to tell everyone is willing to wait until the other is ready and comfortable.

But that's just what I think :)

In all honesty, this is probably going to be long, but here's my understand of the song:

In general: It's about two people, one being good at taking risks, and the other is very scared. Whether they be in a relationship, or they're just good friends, I haven't a clue.

The long version: Well, for starters, she uses terms that suggest they are both male in the relationship with the first verse. Just to get THAT out of the way.

One of the men is brave and he wants to do something daring. Maybe he wants to travel somewhere with his best friend, or maybe they've been hiding their relationship and he finally wants tell the world. But the other is apprehensive. Going with the friendship one, maybe it's simple like being afraid to leave home, or maybe he doesn't want to lose his friend to the people they'll meet. Going with the relationship, its perfectly reasonable to assume he is afraid of those who will judge their love.

"I'll believe it all, there's nothing I won't understand. I'll believe it all, I won't let go of your hand." Maybe he's saying he loves him, and will help it get through his fears, but he still wants to coax him to get out of his comfort zone.

Well, that's all I've got for my own interpretation. Could be wrong, but maybe not?

I love the simplicity of this song. Honestly when I listen to it I think of the two birds, not a couple or friends or any person. One bird likes the adventure of life, one bird likes the simple comforts of things he are used to.

It means don't get stuck in the everyday. Do something that is out of the ordinary, adventurous, and just have some fun.