Andrew Bird - Scythian Empire

[BEYADEHVATAN]

Why does this guy sing about Ancient Iranic empires hahah

[aymansays]

@BEYADEHVATAN it's about more than that - it's about the impermanence of our "great civilizations". at the end of the day we're all humans and we must accept the mortality of our society because we are imperfect. this song is not sad - rather, it's an answer to those who are bursting with pride at the greatness of any society in the world. "exiting empires" , as if they're all just taking their turn to exit the freeway. look at how great the scythian empire was and look at them now.

[Cropduster777]

Lol this song is about how the US lost the Iraq War

[fuentcent]

Dude why can I not just find the original version to this song does anybody know what I'm talking about? It is where he is whistling in the intro and stuff, please for the love of god where can I find the original I'm not saying this version of the song is bad but just tell me where the ORIGINAL IS!!!!!!!

[fromtoronto2guelph]

@fuentcent perfected scythian empires is the one i think is the one you are talking about

[04211992April]

This is seriously my favorite Andrew Bird song. I don't understand why it's not more popular.

[FloatingAnvil]

I think I may have just found THE perfect song.

[masonmhite]

That's no moon, it's a space station.

[YesWallisisagirlname]

@masonmhite Hahahaha YES!

[masonmhite]

@YesWallisisagirlname Wallis isn't a girl name.

[wrighjac]

that's not an owl...it's a parakeet.

[iambored1121]

stare at the owl and it starts to look like its moving or 3-D. crazy shi t

[xuki2090]

PERFECTION.

[xXChingon2480Xx]

is andrew bird an owl?

[Aggieboy83]

Listening to Andrew Bird at work, my spirits are lifted. How can you possibly have a bad day when you listen to his music, impossible!

[orrin1136]

This song is the best song ever!!!! When I first listened I was stuck to it!

[mike759759759]

4 people can't hear

[onthewaterr]

This song makes my journey through life just that much better.

[falang78]

Officially my favourite song of all time. Yup, I said it. It means little to most, but I said it. And meant it. Listen.

[PeteOnRunescape]

I love the Andrew Bird community on YouTube... a lovely escape from people seeking publicity that really gives nothing but a few "thumbs up if.."... Everyone on these videos posts comments that are their feelings, and just to enjoy the great music put here on Earth by this man.

[genovesachx]

@PeteOnRunescape

Except that you're getting thumbs up by deriding those same people. Love AB, just saying.

[Feygeass]

Oh,do I love the album cover

[sneltekenaarHugo]

Great song!

[clemdarlingmusic]

I've been modeling most of my music around the sounds Andrew Bird masterfully created on this album. What he does is amazing.

If any of you have a moment, I'd be nterested to hear what others think of my music. Let me know what you think. I have a video on my channel. 

[dysenterygary69]

1:59

[deshorty504]

he sounds exactly like mark kozelek in this....

[lunasspecto]

If I study abroad, I think I'll give an Andrew Bird CD to my host family and say, "THIS is American music!"

[shiroshini]

i will scotch-guard your macintosh!

[erikopan]

en este dia perdi mi amor, el que queria para siempre, esta cancion te la dedico enrique herrera, y espero que seas feliz.....te amo

[arrivederciliebe32]

This song I like very much. It's sort of soothing.

[AviatorAndyK]

for some reason this stuff reminds me A LOT of penguin cafe orchestra, anyone else??

[BlckComb]

tbh I don't love his voice, no subtlety. Kinda think it damages this heavenly song.

[eoipa]

How the fuck are there comments about Nickleback on a Andrew Bird song, good god.

[LittleBrotherofWar]

@eoipa RIGHT?? fucking ridiculous.

[aqua1993]

@eoipa Irony: yours is the only I see.

[lowmazda626]

I think of strolling hills covered in pine, horses galloping, ancient meteor showers when I hear this song.

[samstrobe]

i love gay men

[Sarah2egn]

I love him. I love him. I love him.

[lklnd97]

Brilliant lyrics by Andrew Bird

Five day forecasts bring black tar rains and hellfire

While handpicked handler's kid gloves tear at the inseams

Their Halliburton attaché cases are useless

While Scotch-Guard Macintoshes shall be carbonized

Now they're offering views of exiting empires

Such breathtaking views of Scythian empires

[jetaimevogue]

Andrew Bird never seizes to amaze me! Every time I hear his music I feel as if I'm laying in a field with no cares and worries, He is a great emotional performer.

[csycica]

One of my brothers favorite bands, I think I'll have to buy the album and play it at his memorial. My brother died last week.

[jsmyth259]

@csycica really? or are you trolling?

[bambar02]

so sorry for you loss :(

[flannery98]

Love this end of the world.

[ANeonTiger]

This song is awesome

[peace4allyo]

2:00. Reminds me of the Breakfast Club when they're all whistling a tune together:]

[spooninspoon]

I don't smoke weed but when I listen to this I feel high =)

[iSodaa]

this is weird.. but i think of a huge empty waterpark right in the middle of a clear, aqua, and refulgent ocean on a sunny day when listening to this song

[redemptionredeemed]

I just love it when at 1:44 the music goes down and at 1:52, a faint rhythm starts at the background (a sort of a metallic sound), right before the whistling starts.. Wow, awesome..!!!

[misstickly]

really love this!

[Cy86]

love them

[sawthewaves]

ive only recently started listening to him. can you believe it took me 17 years?! absolutely brilliant. i will be seeing live soon :D

[360burner]

one of those songs i wouldnt like anymore if they played it on radio too often

[handicappeddoilookok]

just felt like sharing it. I was sitting down listening to this album.

[JitskeNL]

Probably one of the most brilliant intro's. ever. But then again, this is a brilliant song.

[mollysthename]

andrew bird plays the most beautiful music i've ever heard.

[gableto]

i hadn't heard this version before and do have to say Iove both versions equally.

[Alleneagle88]

beautiful song. Makes me yearn for the past so much.

[Twycross]

What's the song about?

[jophus82]

The beauty of our plastic culture clearly destroying itself. It's about humanity's arrogance, beauty, and general simple nature. Despite the fact that we think we're indestructible we're fragile and the victims of our own behavior: We're temporary.

[rouleduke86]

Great song writer, just wish he didn't use the dictionary as a dartboard.

[jophus82]

It's a failure on your part to not be able to string together ideas, understand history, or missing the symbology he presents. You're saying he is just picking random words, I would argue that there is surgical accuracy in his precision. What is it that you think is random or doesn't fit in this song? I can help you out, if you need it.

[LadyDancer55]

Just came back from Bird's concert at the Esplanade Singapore!!! SMASHING!!!! This was one of the songs!!!

[awesome87]

God, this is bugging the hell out of me.

Does anybody know which Australian ad uses the 'whistle' chorus from this song?

[yaidan]

@awesome87

it's the Seek ad

[gloomyoutlook]

@awesome87

FUCK, i knew i'd heard this somewhere

[ParkerPennsylvania]

amazing

[Mattprole]

This music has a little playful soul in it. Hooray for reminding us we are alive instead of hypnotizing us, Andrew Bird!

[BirdieButter]

At 1:04 when those higher notes start, my brain starts to get ecstatic. Audiophile orgasms *shiver* until the end, and then I play it all over again.

I'd almost feel dirty if I didn't know any better. ;)

[Bubbadude329]

What about the bass at 2:30? That's what gives me the mindgasms

[Volume1216]

@Bubbadude329 its all ridiculously awesome! :-)

[Volume1216]

@BirdieButter same here bro, same here, great music!

[Cucu1]

@BirdieButter damn, same here :O

[AmApOiA]

@BirdieButter wow your mind is sxy i only smile with this song but i think it´s beautiful

[speeches]

@BirdieButter huh man relax

[BirdieButter]

@speeches Do you mean woman, relax? Go relax yourself.

[speeches]

@BirdieButter All im saying Birdie this song sucks..It makes me feel like my appointment with my dentist has prolonged itself way to fucking long... Its dull sweetheart..

[thisisrlynotmyname]

@BirdieButter audiophile? youtube? lol.

[ProfessorCrow]

After seeing him at the Ryman in Nashville this song has grown on me SO much.

It was in his finale, and it was SO epic. The lower tone(bass) part of the song thrumped through the floors of the Auditorium as the crowd danced :D

[bastiat2450]

my favorite song from this album. And that's saying something. For some reason, I don't think Nickelback when I listen to Andrew Bird.

[99jimmycat]

This is my favorite song!

His songs are emotional...

[peace4allyo]

i'm gonna marry this guy:)

[qdiddylishish]

This song is awesome!!

[manatyson]

YOU SIR ARE NOT JUST SILENCED BUT DIS AGREED WITH!

To:superframus

[manatyson]

Lol it wasn't just my opinion ur comment was blocked... And im not the one that did it... it was the 7 people that disagree with you :p

[lifesart1]

why are people talking about nickleback on a andrew bird song? i really like this singer.

[anegela]

CARLOS TE AMO

[PACKSrock331]

i always get chills at 2:33

[KopfSchm3rz]

@PACKSrock331 omg you're so right

[megdondero]

This was the first Andrew Bird song I ever heard. I think it's still my favorite.

[hippityhop05]

It's one of my favorites too. I actually tried to whistle along with him when he performed this song at the Radio City concert in NYC and encouraged the audience members to whistle along during the middle whistle hook.

[radiohigh]

I totally meant to give a thumbs up on this one. EEP!

Anyway, *THUMBS UP* for getting a crowd to whistle :)

[hippityhop05]

That's OK. =)

I wonder how many audience members actually whistled along. I didn't pay attention.

[xXxXTigerManXxXx]

The Khazars were Scythians:

watch?v=2r9A0PGNJ2A

[angelbe88]

Tell us more.

[pinug79]

"their Halliburton attache cases are useless"

sadly most people will never be able to understand/ appreciate how amazingly talented this guy is.... what with nickleback being shoved down everyones throats and all

[nubbs]

most people don't know what a halliburton attache case is

if i hadn't seen the first season of lost, i wouldnt have known what it was either

[nubbs]

and if you're stupid enough to listen to some generic rock radio station or watch mtv you deserve to have crap like nickelback shoved down you're throat.

[ikbenarne]

... :D

[bizarrefruit]

Nickelback are a very talented band, just as Andrew Bird is a talented musician, you may not like their style, but trust me, they are no crap at what they do. It's ok not to like it, I don't like Frank Zappa much but he is still an excellent musician.

[nubbs]

fair enough. if nickelback does it for you, who am i to judge.

[yebhx]

Nickleback has no talent they keep releasing the same song over and over

[juliadrum]

@yebhx

OMG YES!

[enewmister]

@yebhx You can literally post this as a comment to any music video and people will vote it to one of the top comments.

[ADarkerBreed]

@yebhx actually they changed it up, now they're releasing motley crue songs over and over.

[Jose5k]

@yebhx this is true, but what does it have to do with this song? O.o

[yebhx]

@Jose5k they were brought up in the comments a year ago when I watched this the first time

[cheeseUout]

@yebhx while you're ridiculing them for their unoriginality, they're laughing all the way to the bank

[yebhx]

@cheeseUout Yup, laughing at their fans.

[olavtrygve]

you just compared frank zappa to nickleback.

[bizarrefruit]

No. learn to read, I didn't compare Zappa to Nickelback, I was saying that just because someones music isn't to your taste DOESN'T make that person a bad musician. I have listened and enjoyed lots of Zappa, but he often goes too far with his accidentals for my taste.

[silverlament]

@bizarrefruit Yeah, but . . . all of nickelback is an accident . . .

[olleywoodstudios]

Yeah this guy rocks, but thats no reason 2 feel such disdain for Nickleback or in "nubbs" case MTV. Is Andrew a more talented musician than Nickleback? Maybe. But that doesn't mean that anything that comes from them or Mtv is automatically rubbish (although, I admit, a crap load of it is). Don't generalise and don't hate, because it will destroy your heart. And if you appriciate this music as much as you do, then urs is a heart worth keepin in good repair :)

check out "Whitley - Lost In Time"

[LifesOutcastOfDeath]

@olleywoodstudios

There is something about your comment that makes me want to think of it as the best comment I've ever read even though it consists of a variation of the same phrases over and over. You just add something special to it.

That's a compliment, by the way.

[strawberrygirlxD16]

thank you! I totally agree

[PoundItGandhi]

love the rhythm and bounce

[iluvjumblies]

looks like somebody love teh cawk

[Sovay83]

my favourite andrew bird song. its so magical!

[TheManWithaSmile]

@ cal2jack and cakeisamadeupdrug i think its: "Armchair Apocrypha"

[Frenchieflowers]

I love his voice...its like lying on the floor and looking up at the sky..and watching the clouds slowly move by...with a smile on your face

[polo1233]

Woop Woop too right  xD hehe

[Sassafrasican]

@Frenchieflowers that is EXACTLY spot on!

[utnewireSam]

lol like alot of u i was looknig for this cos of the film 4 advert, great song! :P

[Soraandkiritogether]

anyone know what key this is in?

[jsmyth259]

D# i think lol

[cartographersband]

Makes a lot more sense to think of it as Eflat. The reason: if it's in D# you would have to spell your tonic chord as D# F double # and A #.

[MCRmYlifeSAVER]

Amazing song! so peaceful and relaxing, something i need after a long day at college! :D:D

[cakeisamadeupdrug]

Finally found this song after hearing it on a Film Four advertisement. What a fantastic song.

Can anyone recommend an album?

[cal2jack]

heh you know ditto on that, good song is good.

[catbellzzz]

the meaning is so good. One day we will be the past. So true. Not something commonly thought about.

[Kagomewolf]

It's not something uncommonly thought about.

[cal2jack]

so its the middle ground then, thought about, but not really heavily though on.

[cakeisamadeupdrug]

lol :)

[alchemistsgarden]

i think about it more than i should, we will all be archaic/the past some day but we can't grow old/cold. andrew's music is totally relevant to this spirit.. plasticities? :)

[tomvdveer]

Can anybody give me the defenition

of 'scythian empire'? perhaps i'm

from the Netherlands but i've never

heard about 'scythian'..?

thanks a lot

[ehdagio]

They were an empire north of the middle east that existed in various forms (three kingdoms, and domination by other empires at certain points)around the seventh century BC until the first century AD. The song pretty much describes everything about them... lol

They were reknown horsemen. They suffered defeats, in about the fourth and third century BC I think, at the hands of the Macedonians, Thracians, Celts, and Sarmatians, ultimately combining in a collapse of the Second Scythian Kingdom.

[stabbedintheface]

they also made wicked badass (bronze?) sculptures of animals with parts from other animals which corresponded to wicked badass metaphors.

[stabbedintheface]

not that that has any relevance to the song, or really to the scythians. but still, they were a wicked badass peoples.

[alchemistsgarden]

lol, right on man.

[RedCurrantRaceme]

How is the whole album?

[kourieneki42]

It`s a great album. A couple of reviewers had it in their top ten of 2007 and NPR`s listener survey (composed of thousands of people) for best albums of 2007 put `Armchair Apocrypha`at #10. (Radiohead won with `In Rainbows.`)

If you like this, then check out `Armchair` and `Plasticities` from the same album. In my opinion, the album`s pretty solid throughout, remains creative and thought-provoking, with one exception (turns out that that exception was written not by Bird but by his drummer.)

[RedCurrantRaceme]

Just found the link for the SXSW 2007 performnce on NPR archives...thanks for the review!

[sufjandorado]

This is such a great song.