Andrew Bird: “Greenland on My Mind”
The last timeAndrew Birdwas on Studio 360,he explained how being all alone on a farm, with no distractions, helped him find a new voice for his music. But rural Illinois does have the occasional passing pickup. If you want real isolation, try Greenland, the least densely populated country in the world.
In this new twist on a song he first recorded in 2001, Bird and his band, the Hands of Glory, imagine the mental health benefits of loneliness:
On the way to Greenland I shall find
All the disparate fragments of my mind
I shall return a different man
And, darling, do
All that I can.
Andrew Bird performs live at the Brooklyn Academy of Music with Alan Hampton (bass), Eric Heywood (pedal steel), Kevin O’Donnell (drums), and Tift Merritt (vocals).
(Originally aired July 20, 2014)
Bonus Track:More from Andrew Bird’s performance atthe Brooklyn Academy of Music
Andrew Bird, Tift Merritt, and the Hands of Glory perform “Near Death Experience Experience,” talk with Kurt Andersen, and close with “Don’t Be Scared.”
The article you just read is free because dedicated readers and listeners like you chose to support our nonprofit newsroom. Our team works tirelessly to ensure you hear the latest in international, human-centered reporting every weekday. But our work would not be possible without you. We need your help.
Make a gift today to help us reach our $25,000 goal and keep The World going strong. Every gift will get us one step closer.