That second verse where he says he's indistinguishable from his brother, the bird, because they are both trapped is genius. Like, they could be any two things, both brids, both fish. Doesn't matter till they leave the cage
I cried when I heard the line "You gave me more than I could ask for, indistinguishability." To be trapped, having to rely solely on the words of another, never to see the world for yourself is a dark reality, but even then, he has his brother, the bird, who is also confined to both the cage and his imagination.
@@FishinaBirdcage Hello! First of all, I _adore_ the song. The unique style it has (Klezmer-ish?) is so powerful and unique and feels like a statue built out of scraps of driftwood and I know that doesn't make much sense but it's so beautiful. I've been listening to it for a while now, and every time I come back to it I'm always amazed by the lyrics and the musical style. Second... I hope you're doing all right. You've brought so much to the world, both with your music and from just being such a wonderful person. I know I've never met you, but just reading your comments, I can tell that you're a genuinely amazing human who deserves so much happiness. I hope you and your family are okay, and I hope you know how important you are. Stay safe
gonna be honest here. took me at least a week to finish this song because of that last line. I danced a dance of joy when i finally found the words to finish it 😁 6 years later I'm still stoked on that. happy you took notice in it! an 8 syllable word is not an easy thing to fit into a song.. but it really worked out. that last line said exactly what I was hoping for it to say when i started writing it. Thanks for listening!
When I first heard this song my mind instantly thought of something more grim. Fish in a birdcage, at least for me, just sounds like not fitting in or being forced to a setting where you don’t belong. The supportive bird that tells sweet lies of the outside world, creating a dream that is impossible to fulfill. The flight of a fish that imagines wings. Ones freedom doesn’t necessarily mean the same freedom to someone else What use are fins in the sky, and wings in the sea
Oooo that’s a dark take but I like it! 😁 haven’t heard this perspective on it before but it’s really Intriguing. “Ones freedom doesn’t necessarily mean the same freedom to someone else”
This video has the type of art style that would terrify me as a little kid, but that I can now admire and dissect as a more experienced artist. Absolutely gorgeous, the music and visuals fit eachother perfectly.
I can relate to this as well... I used to be freaked out by those old timey renditions of moons and suns with faces. If you know if there's a term for this art style/movement/period and the era it originated from please tell me
There is something so eerie yet comforting about this song that I can't quite put my finger on but I love the lyrics and the delivery THIS SONG IS SPECTACULAR
PHEHE IVE BEEN SCROLLING FOR LIKE 5 MINUTES TO FIND THIS COMMENT- I REPLY AND LIKE TO BRING YOUR COMMENT TO BE BROUGHT UPON THE OTHERS IN A GAZE OF GLORY!
If you're giving them what they need to flourish, space, nourishment and interaction, it sets you apart from those who keep them in tiny insufficient bowls and parameters.
I’ve been listening to this song a lot and I realized that this has some heavy parallels with Plato’s allegory of the cave. The fish is limited by his incarceration and has to rely on the perception of others to understand the world beyond his perception. Truly a genius piece of art
Part of what makes this song beautiful is the fact it could be about nearly anything - disability, queerness, abuse, etc. It shows you whatever you need to see. What I see in this song is my experiences with being neurodivergent. I'm trapped in a birdcage - a world where I don't have the tools to succeed, and there's not much that can change that. A birdcage can't be filled with water unless you flood the city. As long as the fish is alive in there, it's doing just fine for itself - why change a thing?
literally my first time ever hearing this song - and i immediately got the impression that it's a song about disability. feeling literally like a fish out of water, counting on others to be our "wings and eyes", and dreaming of being able to fly free - and the hope that, with the support of others, you can learn to fly despite what's holding you back. it could apply to physical or mental conditions, too - i'm autistic, and it really resonated with me. "indistinguishability" is an absolutely gorgeous word and will be joining my vocabulary from now on. i'm not sure if this was the intended meaning of the song, but it made me emotional. the animation is also stunning. thank you for this, i'll be listening to your spotify discography soon 💙
It’s absolutely related to that. There’s multiple ways to interpret the words and I’m glad the song found you. All I can say is that what I’ve found to escape the cage I found myself in, was getting out of my comfort zone and moving to my own rhythm. You got this. I spent a week trying to find the right word/words to fit that last line. I danced when I finally found it 😁 hope you enjoy the discography many years and much time has gone into our four albums. Much love to ya. 💛
That’s such an interesting perspective, I didn’t think about it like that. For me, it’s more about being stuck in an abusive family or an oppressive country, and you have a long-distance friend who comforts you during your darkest moments, and and tells you about how different things are outside of your limited world
I took it more literally, as I have aphantasia or simply I don't have an imagination I can't imagine things the way other people can I don't have that random smell you get thats alongside memories, or picture the lakeside cabin by the woods, so I've had to rely on stories told by other people and because of that I can relate to this song.
I'm a fish inside a birdcage My brother always sings me songs With his beak he tries to soothe me He makes me feel that I belong He has a wild imagination And tells me things That must be true Like there's a world where I can take flight Where i can freely move So carry me from these walls Brother of mine Show me the world outside It has to be true I'm counting on you To be my wings and my eyes As I breathe into our silence There's a voice that comforts me It's a voice of understanding It's the voice of empathy Wings of feathers, tails and fin tips We feel it works so differently You gave me more than I could ask for Indistinguishability So carry me from these walls Brother of mine Show me the world outside It has to be true I'm counting on you To be my wings and my eyes So carry me from these walls Brother of mine Show me the world outside It has to be true I'm counting on you To be my wings and my eyes
I interpret this song as the bird trying to make the fish feel better with a reality that he will never be able to achieve. Even though they are both in the same situation.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the song 😁 these days I try to leave the interpretation vague because it's amazing how many interpretations there are of the lyrics and I love that. ❤️ thanks for listening :3 glad you like it!
To me, the bird feels like mental disability and the fish feels like physical disability Both trapped in different ways, both wanting to fly but unable too due to their environments and nature. And as someone with autism that hits. This song is amazing, thank you for making it. Also the fact the image from the fish's eyes in a man in a wheelchair. God damn that's so good.
yeah Iris really did such an incredible job with the visuals. I'm excited that I just hired another amazing animator for another video thats gonna take a couple months to complete but like this one.. It's gonna be so worth it! thanks for listenin!
As a violinist I absolutely dream of having the ability to articulate a melody as elegant as the one in this song. I am gonna have to start picking that darn thing up again
Check out Fred Frith, specifically Hands of the Juggler, A Career In Real Estate. Art Bears - The Dance. He's surely the best at this violin aesthetic.
"I am a fish inside a birdcage" is a very strong line for me. I have ADHD and I often feel alienated, even in my own family. My siblings and I had basically the same upbringing and the same tools, and we do belong together as siblings, but I wont be able to fly the same way as them. Being the oldest, it can be really hard to come to terms with the idea that my siblings will probably have an easier time being successful than me.
Well thanks, I'm teary-eyed now. Got sent this song by my younger sibling, who does not have ADHD like me, but of course, they have their own share of traumas and issues to deal with. I don't think I've quite processed the full impact of what it means for them to have sent me this just yet, but among the many complicated feelings this song gives me, one of them is a form of happiness. After all, even if I'm still deeply scarred by living over two decades without knowing why I felt different from everyone else, why I failed at things everyone else did okay or even great at, even if knowing it now isn't quite enough to undo all the damage not knowing has done... when my sibling sent me this song, I felt like I've succeeded, at least, in giving them the support and understanding I wish I'd gotten before. It's kind of funny that my sibling associated the brother bird with me, though, because I certainly don't feel like I've figured out how the fuck to fly yet lol.
@@zkassai.audio.2Well, if that's the case, maybe you do know how to fly, in a way. At the very least, enough for your brother to think so. You just haven't realised it. ...I have no idea if this is actually comforting or not. If a stranger told me that, I'd probably tell them that I'm the worst bird to ever exist then. But hey, just felt like saying it anyway, on the off-chance it is.
What I get out of this song is the same feeling I’ve felt going through 12 years of school and 3 years of college, 1 cut short as I finally dropped out. I’ve always felt like everyone else defined “success” differently than me, in a much more mundane and indistinguishable way. And so when I say that I’m burnt out or that I hate what I’m doing or that I don’t feel good enough, I’m given well-meaning but inapplicable platitudes and advice, much like that which a bird would give a fish. I don’t belong in the birdcage, I belong in a fish bowl. And beyond that I belong in a river or the ocean, a world that a bird wouldn’t understand or really want to. Just like how a fish doesn’t understand or have any desire to understand the sky.
I hear ya, I wrote this song because I felt like an alien in my environment for the longest time, and although my environment has changed I still relate to the image. I hope we can see a world someday that optimises human potential.
it's strange to see but from your comment we are in the exact same situation? although i'm still at the stage where i still try to grasp at those platitudes and make myself into who people expected me to be
This song hits me in a very neurodivergent way and I appreciate it. It’s nice to feel heard. To feel real. Thank you. It’s like the “don’t judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree” thing, yea? And the cage oppresses both the bird and the fish, making them indistinguishable because they’re both trapped. Honestly genuinely genius writing.
Hey you are so welcome Mary. 🙏 I'm so happy these words have reached so many people that resonate with the idea. It's an idea that's bigger then myself and I love that. Thanks for listening and enjoying our work. 🙂 cheers
There's an anime called "the world of colors" that I think you'll love it's one of the most beautiful animes I've ever seen and i think you'll relate to it
Everyone is sharing their interpretations, all of which I can either understand or resonate with well! Both the musician and people coming together and making up their own stories and happily accepting and agreeing with each and every different view is a breath of fresh air for me, so I feel comfortable to share my first thoughts: Being stuck in an environment you cannot find yourself comfortable in, one that doesn’t suit you yet you cannot escape it. The fish in a birdcage, doesn’t seem to be the best enclosure for a marine creature, yet they accept their fate nonetheless. The brother? Of course I saw them in a better light at first, but with intrusive thoughts they can turn the most jovial things into something sick and twisted. Both are trapped together, dependent on each other, and the bird may just want to keep it that way. This brother in flight excels in things that the fish cannot, seeing as all those abilities they are visibly better at, the fish will always look to their talented, feathered friend for comfort, advice, and hope of freedom. The bird can easily just keep the fish within that birdcage by feeding the wrong things to them, and the latter would be none the wiser. Not that they have any other individual to rely on anyways. To be in a situation like the fish, where you can only rely on the insight of one person, is a terrifying thought to me. Especially if you’re in no position to argue against their skewed views if you yourself cannot trust your own at all. The feeling of helplessness, incompetence and lack of control, is something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.
Wow I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on this! Some super interesting Ideas I've never heard before within this comment. So interesting. thank you for sharing :)
This song has quite a peculiar style that makes me feel like I just discovered something I sorely needed. And discovering that there are visuals to accompany it makes it even better. Spectacular work! I hope to find more like this and to see what else you come up with!
😁😁 thank you so much! We have another 5 albums worth of material yet to record. Gotta catch up to whats been written before we move on to the next chapter
this song reminds me of my big brother. he is older and is managing to leave our horrible household before i can. the line “i’m counting on you, to be my wings and my eyes” is so agonizingly good. i adore this song in a way i don’t think i could feel about anything else
I finally left home, at 23, some years ago, and while it's been incredibly stressful I am finding my place in the world and things are coming together in ways I could never imagine (I just got my OWN place???) and I knew I had to do it because my little bro, many years younger than me, needs me to figure all this shit out so when he hits the age 18 his life doesn't come apart at the seems like mine did. I'm the pioneer into this world, finding out which berries are poisonous through trial and error, so when he goes to grab one I can smack it out of his hand. 2 more years and he'll be an adult and probably be living with me where I live now unless a big opportunity falls into his lap, which may as he is very goal oriented towards his career path, but I am glad to have this role. It keeps me grounded.
This song makes me cry everytime I listen to it. It hits very close to home. My twin brother has epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and can't see very well. Words can't describe how hard it is to see other sets of twins, or even siblings in general, because I know life will never be like that for him. I'm crying just writing this. He'll never be able to walk correctly. He was walking so well for almost a year. Then it went downhill... again. He has had more surgeries than I can count, and yet nothing seems to work. Even if he does better, those disabilities will always be there. "I'm counting on you, to be my wings and my eyes"... god it hurts me to think about. He's always wanted to drive, always loved cars. I don't have the heart to tell him he can't. It breaks my heart and there's nothing I can do to change it. I love him so much and if anything were to happen to him I don't know what I would do. It's so hard to include him because he can't go to the bathroom without some form of help, he can't walk long distances, and he loses interest quickly. I was born first, by 30 seconds. Every day I live with the guilt of that. Maybe if things were different. Maybe if it were him first. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. But it's not the case. It never will be. Even if it's not my fault, I hate myself for it. I'd give an arm and a leg if it meant he'd be cured. I'd give *anything* for him to be able to live a normal life; for him to be able to walk; for his mind to be healed; anything. Anything at all. This song reminds me to keep going. To stay strong. If nothing else..do it for him.
Wow that's such a crazy situation to find yourself in. That poor fella. I hope things can improve in both of your lives as soon as it possibly can. Being a human is certainly not an easy road, with some having a harder time then others. Although I don't know you, I believe in you. You got this.
@@FishinaBirdcage Thank you so much. That truly means a lot to me. I don't know you either, but know that if anything is going on in your life, you 𝙘𝙖𝙣 get through it. Nothing is impossible. ❤️
It's ok friend. I mean it; have faith and expect what god decided, the rain the helps platns growing and the storms who destroyes everything are the same thing, both were meant to happen and happend and what we can do in both situations is to pull ourselves up and live thankfully for things we got, just take 2 minutes now, only 2 minutes and look around and think of all things that are simple ( food, clean water, peacefull sleep nights with no bomps... ) but they're actually a dream to others Life isn't hell nor heaven, it's a test for us, what are we going to do and how we live and treat people, so let's all do our best with it sorry if it made you feel worse or so, i meant to write something good but if it wasn't tell me to delete it
I have a particular brand of emotional trauma that doesn't let me register most of my emotions. This song reminded me of those couple special people in my life that help teach me how to live life and have helped me feel more 'human' for lack of a better term. This song has hit my journey with them and how grateful I am for them in a way nothing else has. Thank you
I don’t think this was the intended meaning, but this song sounds like it’s about grieving a lost loved one. The singer is a fish, but their sibling is a bird. The singer is stuck inside a birdcage. These two things, I interpret as meaning a few different things. 1. The singer’s nature/state of being is significantly different from that of their sibling. Hence, being a completely different species. 2. The singer is somewhere they don’t belong, somewhere they don’t fit into. A fish should be in an aquarium, or in a body of water, not a cage. What I find interesting is the animals chosen to represent the characters. Fish and birds, evolutionarily speaking, are rather similar. Feathers are like scales, wings are like fins. The one of the big differences is the environment they’ve adapted to survive in. I think, by representing the singer as a fish, the song is indicating the singer is not meant to exist in the world outside- it is not the environment the fish belongs in. The world outside is for the birds, not the fish. For me, I interpret this as meaning the singer is actually dead. Perhaps he was once a bird, like his brother. And for some reason, he is unable to move on. However, there is no place for him in the living world. Unable to make it to the sea (the afterlife), unable to live in the world outside (the world of the birds), the singer is stuck. A spirit stuck on the mortal coil- a fish inside a birdcage. Now, the brother. The brother is trying to console the spirit of his passed sibling. He regales the sibling with tales of the world. These stories, the singer feels they must be true, but the singer has a hard time accepting that. As if the idea the singer belonged in the world outside, and could move freely, is a concept the singer finds hard to believe. Specifically, I want to highlight this verse: “So carry me from these walls Brother of mine Show me the world outside It has to be true I'm counting on you To be my wings and my eyes” As a spirit, the singer cannot access the living world. In this verse, I feel as though the singer is imploring their sibling to live on. To honor their memory, and carry the singer with them as they continue to live. The brother is trying hard to console the sibling, comforting them, telling them they belong. Perhaps the brother even feels some guilt at his sibling’s passing, and that’s why he can’t let his sibling go. Maybe this is the singer’s way of telling them to put themselves first, that they don’t need to be consoled anymore. That the best thing the brother could do for his sibling is to live on, and enjoy the world outside in his sibling’s place. A “hey, you don’t need to worry about me anymore. Live on, in my memory. I want you to enjoy all the wonderful things out there that I didn’t get to see. Don’t feel guilty-live for the both of us.” I’m probably way off base, but this was a fun exercise anyways.
That was a super interesting interpretation!! Very cool. I've heard a lot of different interpretations of how people see the lyrics for this song and this is very unique and a cool way of looking at it. Thanks so much for sharing
I have severe agoraphobia, I've barely left my house or bedroom for the last 4 years. It used to be the opposite problem, you'd never get me to stay at home! Nights out, museums, galleries, castles. And even though I'm currently receiving help, freedom is a long way off. This song genuinely means so much to me, I can't describe it. I rely so much on pictures from friends and videos on the internet to remain connected to the outside world. I truly believe what's outside isn't the unimaginable terror my body feels. I believe it is fields and art and connection and one day I'm going to take it for myself.
It’s not easy being a human, it’s totally understandable. I can feel the same way at times, especially after the lockdown. Just know you’re not alone in that. Glad to hear us fish can connect 😁
Being a "fish inside a birdcage" perfectly describes what it's like to be neurodivergent while surrounded by people who aren't (or at least in my experience)
I'm in love with this song. The vivid picture of being stuck somewhere you don't belong and relying on a second hand account to live vicariously is something a lot of people can relate to and find meaning in. It also sounds like what would happen if you mixed Steam Powered Giraffe with Amanda Palmer which is pretty neato.
As a disabled/mentally ill person with disabled/mentally ill family members this song hits home. We're constantly reassuring each other that things will get better and that the world is still beautiful, even if we don't believe it ourselves or haven't experienced those things because of social barriers (class, health, etc).
Here's another fun fact: My brother saw this video playing in my room, and asked: "Okay, would you hunt that animal for sport? I certaintly would" which honestly, he's got a point.
It kind of makes me think of enemies that realize how similar they are, and so they put aside their differences and become each other's found family (with how birds usually eat fish)
I found this song from an Owl House animatic and I am absolutely mesmerized by the song's style and the official video's style as well!!! This totally speaks to me, I love different styles such as this that remind me of styles from older eras. I'm not sure what the song's message is, but I enjoy the poetic-sounding lyrics. Love this ❤
Thanks for connecting alpha! 🙂 hope you enjoy the rest of our work on spotify as well. And the meaning is being caged by your environment or circumstances. Being able bodied but in the wrong situation for who you are, which is an image I've resonated with for many years
As much as I love the animation and the lyrics, what I really love about this song is the instrumentals. There's just something about it that's so unique that communicates the meaning of the song so well. Whenever the opening notes comes on, I just know I'm gonna have a good time
god yes. The way the entire band follows the little vocal flourish after "outside" at 1:01, it just hnnnnnnnggggghh. fuck. GOD DAMN. It's the kind of little arrangement thing I'd be proud of for a YEAR after thinking of. Let alone performing and recording it.
And now, a year later, I'm back... Then there were 600 views here, I'm glad this masterpiece got more attention! The ending always makes me so sad. The fish has seen so many wonders, but all it can display is just one tricycle. The realization that sometimes you can't break out of your perception, no matter how hard you try, really hits.
I know I am probably in the minority but the first time I heard this song I thought it was incredibly grim. Birds frequently eat fish, and I just thought of this fish trapped alongside a predator who's beak is in reach, and is the only source of information and knowledge.
A cool detail I want to point out is how the violin/viola is present throughout the song, It starts and ends the song, and is the main focus during the instrumentals. It makes me think that the violin/viola represents the brother with his wild imagination and empty promises, constantly influencing the narrator’s perspective and never really going away. Where else is there to go, after all? They are confined to their cages; the violin/viola is confined to this song.
This, is absolutely a lore song. Storyline, catchy beat, good lines to scream in the car, lyrics stuck in your head for three weeks straight and you can’t find the song and it drives you insane. It’s amazing, I love this song.
This song has been very important to me and my sister. I've found this a long time ago and my interpretation of it is that the bird really does want to help the fish out, both of them stuck in their own problems and issues. It reminded of how much my sister supported me throughout my social transition from female to male and how much she has been there for me. I suggested to her that we get matching tattoos about the concept of this song and she liked the idea... Thank you so much for making this song. Now I can finally share a connection with my sister that'll follow us even when we're appart.
This song means alot to me since I've been struggling to get by living as a disabled person. I always interpreted it as the fish being born disabled- while the bird became disabled later in life.
Can’t see anybody else with the same anxiety about the bird possibly lying to the fish so that the bird can eat him. Carry me from these walls brother of mine.
I started crying as soon as I first heard this song. It resonated with me SO hard, it's the perfect feeling of hopelessness mixed with quiet acceptance that seems to describe my experiences with my own neurodivergence now that I've reached a point in my life where I don't know if I'll actually be able to accomplish anything because of it. Since a lot of people are sharing their own personal interpretations, I figured I'd toss in mine too, I didn't see many people interpreting it the same way. Before watching the music video, I hadn't even thought of the brother also being in a bird cage, to me I like the angle of a free bird coming to visit this fish in a bird cage, completely benevolent and a brother not due to circumstance, but due to the bond they developed. He knows the fish won't be able to leave and he can't help with that, so he does his best to make the fish feel understood and like a natural part of his life despite their differences.
I think alot of people on neurodivergent spectrum, burnt out kids, kids with broken families and queer folks relate to this. I believe it's for people with invisible struggles and marginalised groups.
I’ve always had a hard time finding the specific kind of music that resonates me. This song was what introduced me to the artists work and every piece is beautiful and resonates deeply. It also keeps me inspired with the stories I’ve struggled to write/draw. I hope to one day make a visual that illustrates the inspiration I’ve felt from this song! (With permission of course)
Oh, very interesting! I hadn't seen the video before so I interpreted the song quite differently! I always imagined the brother to be a free bird who would come and visit and tell about these crazy worlds of freedom which would seem like a wild imagination to the fish. That angle brings a completely different dynamic between them which is desperate, codependent and almost toxic but in a very human way. The desperate, almost commanding "it has to be true, I'm counting on you" fits eerily well in that context. Then again, this is the beauty of art. The beholder's mind connects to its interpretation of the piece and finds what it is looking for. In that sense, art is a mirror of our own souls.
One of the things I like most about the TOH fandom is that they have great taste. I discovered this song by an animatic, it really is beautiful and splendid. I hope it gets the recognition it deserves, excellent work 👍🏼
I love this song bc it feels like how a disabled sibling is with their non-disabled sibling, like with any type of disability and it feels like how we see the world is so different, he can see the world in he's view, its beautiful and nice while the disabled sibling is seeing only a part of it because of their limitations. But their non-disabled sibling still cares for them, they don't resent them, they're just living both their lives and their happy, they both still love each other even with the disabled sibling's limitations
Heard this song once in an Instagram reel and immediately fell in love with it. Here's my take: The song is a big metaphore for perspective and how important it is to always be hopeful. The fish and the bird are both in a cage, but it's a birdcage, so the fish doesn't feel like it "belongs" like its brother does. The bird, on the other hand, is still trapped in a cage and cannot fly as good as it's supposed to, but despite this the bird is still hopeful and positive. It imagines worlds unknown to them that they can maybe one day get to see, and even imagines a world where its brother, the fish, can "fly" like itself. We, as the outside listeners, who are not in a cage, know that that world exists. It's the sea, a world where fish "fly". It's not a delusional take like the fish thinks, but the fish doesn't know of the existance of it so it's much harder to believe in it. The song makes us also understand how hard it is to live to the fullest in a place or situation you feel trapped into. It's hard to find the strength to believe it'll ever get better. Wonderful wonderful song, I have more to say but I figured not many want to hear how it perfectly fits my two twins OCs in their fictional universe lmao
I love this take and so much of this is dead on in terms of the things I was thinking about when I wrote it. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! 🙂🙏
I imagine this song to be about an outsider in the family. Its a fish in a birdcage. No matter how hard the fish tries, fish cannot survive in birdcages. And the person cannot survive in the family
This song makes me want to cry until I start vomiting. That being said, this is one of the best things I've ever heard. Also after the line "you gave me more than I could ask for, indistinguishablility" when I hear "it has to be true, I'm counting on you to be my wings and my eyes", I always think of my older brother. He's technically an adult who could leave at any time, but we're trapped in this house all the same. But I so desperately want him to leave so he can live his life and tell me what it feels like to have true freedom. And then with one being a fish and the other being a bird just also reminds me of how despite everything, we're both outcasts in this house, just different kinds. We're different but the same. We're trapped but for different reasons. We're discarded and rejected for different reasons. I could probably sit here for hours talking about how much I relate to this song.
Hello Raina. It's bittersweet to hear how people relate to this song at times. Because if you relate that means you feel trapped in your situation. The sweet part of all of this though is that you are not alone in your feeling this way. It does not sound like an easy situation that you find yourself in, and the great thing is, is if you can survive this chapter, life will get better if you can find your ocean. It might take work to find it, but I have faith you will do that. Good luck out there on your journey and thanks for listening 🙂
This artwork makes my heart so happy. And the music is so good! It's so fun to watch my son dance and sing along with his new favorite song. Thanks, Dusty and crew!
The relationship with the fish and his bird brothers really sweet to me. I like how much his bird brother does his best to comfort him and how the fish appreciates him for everything he does. Despite being different, they also get each other so much at the same time💖💖💖
This song makes me feel so good. I've grown up Autistic with other disabilities like Sturge-Weber Syndrome, Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome, ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, and Scoliosis. I've had to rely on others to help me do things others could. The idea of being a fish inside a birdcage really resonates with how I feel in a world not made to help those that don't fit in.
"a world not made to help those that don't fit in" is 100% how I've seen the world ever since my ADHD diagnosis. There are so many skills, concepts, etc. we never get taught because everyone else just seems to know it all instinctively, so it never occurs to anyone that someone might need help learning it.
This song is beautiful to me. Both the narrator and his brother are lost in their own ways. But they still have each other to rely and count on. As brothers they help each other feel less trapped in their cages. Truly amazing.
Right?? As I've grown with this song.. I've realized that. And I love that. It makes me so happy that it can mean so much to me in the way that I relate, and it can mean just as much with a different relation to the content and I just love that we can all connect in that way. It's amazing and I'm so pleased it has worked out in the way that it has for this song to exist. Thank you for listening Nati!
One thing I love about this song is the bird is right. There is a place where the fish can freely move, but It’s so far from anything he has experience with that he can’t imagine what a world suited to him looks like he can only imagine him being suited to the world. That’s something a lot of disabled people experience they genuinely can’t imagine a world suited to them but they can imagine themselves being suited to the world
There are so many things that this could apply to. One of the least painful interpretations that I think of is two children in a home with a narcissistic family structure - the scape goat and golden child. Even though the bird may have more movement and comfort in the confines of it's cage-and an appearance of more power. Ultimately he is still trapped. Unable to help himself or his little brother, except to tell him stories of what life will be like someday when they are free. I like to think of it this way because it is a version where I imagine that they will both be free someday.
Lyrics: I'm a fish inside a birdcage My brother always sings me songs With his beak he tries to sooth me He makes me feel that I belong He has a wild imagination And tells me things that must be true Like there's a world where I can take flight Where I can freely move So carry me from these walls Brother of mine Show me the world outside It has to be true I'm counting on you To be my wings and my eyes As I breathe into our silence There's a voice that comforts me It's a voice of understanding It's the voice of empathy Wings of feathers, tails and fin tips We feel it works so differently You gave me more than I could ask for Indistinguishability So carry me from these walls Brother of mine Show me the world outside It has to be true I'm counting on you To be my wings and my eyes So carry me from these walls Brother of mine Show me the world outside It has to be true I'm counting on you To be my wings and my eyes
this got recommended to me on spotify and i thought it had a cool vibe, so i put it on a couple playlists. i sometimes have trouble paying attention to lyrics, so that's what i tend to notice first about a song. but today i was walking down the street and suddenly i heard it all so clearly, and like holy shit it's maybe one of the best songs i've ever heard
I cried while watching this clip. I don't really know why, it's surprise me but, I think, i cried for its beauty. The voice, the violin, the visual and the lyrics, everything is of a subtle and delicate beauty. I can’t get enough of this song, it haunts my heart
It was done by Iris Moore over the span of 6 months. she did an absolutely incredible job. It took me a couple summers of busking to pay her back 😁 worth it though! love this video every bit as much as the day I got to see it for the first time. Thanks so much!
This hit me so hard because its so real and intentional. It reminds me of my relationship to my younger brother he has autism and his world is such an amazing thing to be a part of and I relate really hard to this song ,it's very beautifully written.
Haha over here! doin the thing! Happy it reached you 😁 been foaming the walls today to get ready to record my fifth album. thanks for checking out our work!
I really like one small detail in this video - the flying fishes. It shows how heavily the fish from the birdcage relies on their brother's stories and how little it knows about real world. Their brother moves by flapping his wings, so in fish's imagination other fishes have to as well. It also shows that we tend to tell and interpret things through what we already know to be able to understand them. It's sad, but beautifully constructed.
As someone who didn't get diagnosed with ADHD until I turned 18 and was basically done with school, this really speaks to me on a deep level. Just constantly being told what do to, and how it should be done, but just being UNABLE to break free of your self imposed cage, and be yourself just...this song is beautiful to say the least.
There's so much meaning to this it's insane. The lyrics, the music, the way it gives you a sense of nostalgia. It gives you a thought of sadness, yet you feel a kind of calm feeling- is amazing... This is the most amazing song, and I will continue to play it on loop for the next 48 hours straight.
I always find myself from time to time listening this song, its a shame i didn't left a comment here sonner expressing how much i really loved it and how inspirational it was, im such a fan of the work!
Guys. I just realized something about all the 'rule' songs. They're all from the point of veiw from the dead. Hints rules/lessons they ither learned/experienced or are warning the listener too. This fits for all thw songs from rule 1 Magic (a revolutionary who died via the lyrics 'can't kill an idea'), Rule 2 moonlight - an astronaut who died in space longing for his wife. Rule 3- an office worker who only learned to experience beautiy and nature after they died Rule 4 James Picard- (title is a ship capitains name/ the song has litteral cannon fire in it etc. Fish in a bird cage is litterally about the freedom a terminally ill/disabled person is experiencing in death. This follows all of their songs and my head is exploding.
I love seeing peoples interpretations of this song, so I wanna talk about how I connected with it too! I was born into a really high demand religion, and being LGBTQ+, it was one I felt I didn't belong in. I was a fish in a cage meant for birds, but nevertheless, both the birds and I were trapped, hence "indistinguishability." The brother and dream of what it's like outside the cage represents two things for me. One, in the cage, I was told that one day I would be okay, because there was a heaven, and as long as I continued to hurt caged, when I died I could be free. Then comes the voice of empathy, who tells me leaving my religion means freedom.
i feel like this could be interpreted as 2 different sides of disability- the bird, who used to be "fine" but maybe he suddenly became disabled through an accident, or he was always disabled but he was able to manage until his disability got worse through time and he faced more restrictions. and the fish, who has been disabled all their life. The bird knew what a life without being strained down was like, and tells the fish how it was like, and the fish being like this their whole life, is fascinated, thinks of it as a fantasy. and then the second verse with the line "you gave me more than i could ask for; indistinguishablity". i saw someone point out how it could mean that it doesn't matter if they're birds or fish, they're the same so long as they're trapped in a cage. It doesn't matter if their disabilities and their experiences are different, they're still both restrained and trapped inside a metaphorical cage.
man..whatever my soul is made up of, this song, the lyrics, the voice and just..the art style..the way the art moves and the way it fits in with the voice, the placement of the scenes..it’s all cut from the same fabric, i can’t explain it, but my goddd am i so in love with it, this is the exact art style that i am going to get sooo many tattoos in
I'm a caregiver to facilities that are overstaffed, and all I can think about is how these people don't have limbs or lives.. yet I don't even have time to talk to them and give them outside veiwpoints. It makes me do happy when some of their relatives can be the bird in this video because I can't be and I wish I could
Something I find very interesting in the video is that the brother doesn't actually join him. If you interpret him flying away as being a fantasy and not literal it's odd that he doesn't picture his brother flying away, too.
That second verse where he says he's indistinguishable from his brother, the bird, because they are both trapped is genius. Like, they could be any two things, both brids, both fish. Doesn't matter till they leave the cage
😁 thank you. Proud of that Line 😁 took me a good week to finish the song cause of that line. I did a dance when I found it.
😭🥺 yo i didnt get the meaning until i saw this comment, im in tears rn
How’re they both trapped?
@@defd2826 babes. They are in a bird cage
@@vilydahis house is a birdcage?
Edit: OHH
It's kinda neat that the bird's cage is shaped like a fishbowl, while the fish has a more traditional birdcage. Just something I noticed
Therapist: Front facing fish isn't real, it cannot hurt you.
Front facing fish: 1:03
Winged banana
@@swaenwall tbh i though it was a moon 🌜
2:03-2:05 too
cackling
At least it wasn't Front Facing Phineas
I cried when I heard the line "You gave me more than I could ask for, indistinguishability." To be trapped, having to rely solely on the words of another, never to see the world for yourself is a dark reality, but even then, he has his brother, the bird, who is also confined to both the cage and his imagination.
I just went through/still going through something really heavy with my family. And this comment was huge for me. Thank you for listening.
@@FishinaBirdcage
Thank you for putting your feelings out there to be listened to. I wish you only the best in all that you're working through 🙏
@@FishinaBirdcage Hello!
First of all, I _adore_ the song. The unique style it has (Klezmer-ish?) is so powerful and unique and feels like a statue built out of scraps of driftwood and I know that doesn't make much sense but it's so beautiful. I've been listening to it for a while now, and every time I come back to it I'm always amazed by the lyrics and the musical style.
Second... I hope you're doing all right. You've brought so much to the world, both with your music and from just being such a wonderful person. I know I've never met you, but just reading your comments, I can tell that you're a genuinely amazing human who deserves so much happiness. I hope you and your family are okay, and I hope you know how important you are.
Stay safe
@@FishinaBirdcageque sera sera ..
@@FishinaBirdcage I hope things are going better for you know but If not don't worry, bad things don't last forever
The line “indistinguishablity” is really well written.
gonna be honest here. took me at least a week to finish this song because of that last line. I danced a dance of joy when i finally found the words to finish it 😁 6 years later I'm still stoked on that. happy you took notice in it! an 8 syllable word is not an easy thing to fit into a song.. but it really worked out. that last line said exactly what I was hoping for it to say when i started writing it. Thanks for listening!
@@FishinaBirdcage WAIT HOW OLD IS THIS SONG???
@@lobbertlob its from 2014!
@@breadonpuppies7376 WHAT woah somehow I find that cool 😂
@@breadonpuppies7376 no way
When I first heard this song my mind instantly thought of something more grim. Fish in a birdcage, at least for me, just sounds like not fitting in or being forced to a setting where you don’t belong. The supportive bird that tells sweet lies of the outside world, creating a dream that is impossible to fulfill. The flight of a fish that imagines wings. Ones freedom doesn’t necessarily mean the same freedom to someone else
What use are fins in the sky, and wings in the sea
Oooo that’s a dark take but I like it! 😁 haven’t heard this perspective on it before but it’s really Intriguing. “Ones freedom doesn’t necessarily mean the same freedom to someone else”
This is what I thought too!
I first interpreted it like this, too.
I’ve loved this song for a while, and I always thought of the story like that
I love how poetic this
This video has the type of art style that would terrify me as a little kid, but that I can now admire and dissect as a more experienced artist. Absolutely gorgeous, the music and visuals fit eachother perfectly.
You might like the willow maid and there’s another one with a French girl in a tower I forget the name
@@taylormarie297I think you are thinking of Mademoiselle Nior I believe ^-^
I can relate to this as well... I used to be freaked out by those old timey renditions of moons and suns with faces. If you know if there's a term for this art style/movement/period and the era it originated from please tell me
It reminds me of the comfort I get from the Beatles yellow submarine movie
This artsyle reminds me of 2000's to 2010's steampunk
There is something so eerie yet comforting about this song that I can't quite put my finger on but I love the lyrics and the delivery THIS SONG IS SPECTACULAR
Thank you for the kind words, glad you like it!
an eerie sort of comfort
It somehow has a bit sorrow in it to
Now I feel bad for having pet fish
PHEHE IVE BEEN SCROLLING FOR LIKE 5 MINUTES TO FIND THIS COMMENT-
I REPLY AND LIKE TO BRING YOUR COMMENT TO BE BROUGHT UPON THE OTHERS IN A GAZE OF GLORY!
If you're giving them what they need to flourish, space, nourishment and interaction, it sets you apart from those who keep them in tiny insufficient bowls and parameters.
@@Its_Asteriamm
have you never watched nemo ?
I’ve been listening to this song a lot and I realized that this has some heavy parallels with Plato’s allegory of the cave. The fish is limited by his incarceration and has to rely on the perception of others to understand the world beyond his perception. Truly a genius piece of art
Randomly stumbling across an artist that you immediately fall in love with is magical. This video and song is incredible!
Thank you so much! Really appreciate you taking an interest in our work 🙂
So I’m not the only one lol
@@Username.com39393 😁😁 cheers!
@@Username.com39393 let me guess, let me guess- you came from the toh animatic?
@@emilymonahan5232 you know it
Part of what makes this song beautiful is the fact it could be about nearly anything - disability, queerness, abuse, etc. It shows you whatever you need to see. What I see in this song is my experiences with being neurodivergent. I'm trapped in a birdcage - a world where I don't have the tools to succeed, and there's not much that can change that. A birdcage can't be filled with water unless you flood the city. As long as the fish is alive in there, it's doing just fine for itself - why change a thing?
Truhe
I thought the point was to dream of a place where the fish can freely be. I thought he was gonna get carried to the ocean.
@@avivastudios2311 interesting analogi
@@ninasnow6201Apparently this means chest.
@@trilobite3120 please elaborate
literally my first time ever hearing this song - and i immediately got the impression that it's a song about disability. feeling literally like a fish out of water, counting on others to be our "wings and eyes", and dreaming of being able to fly free - and the hope that, with the support of others, you can learn to fly despite what's holding you back. it could apply to physical or mental conditions, too - i'm autistic, and it really resonated with me. "indistinguishability" is an absolutely gorgeous word and will be joining my vocabulary from now on.
i'm not sure if this was the intended meaning of the song, but it made me emotional. the animation is also stunning. thank you for this, i'll be listening to your spotify discography soon 💙
It’s absolutely related to that. There’s multiple ways to interpret the words and I’m glad the song found you. All I can say is that what I’ve found to escape the cage I found myself in, was getting out of my comfort zone and moving to my own rhythm. You got this.
I spent a week trying to find the right word/words to fit that last line. I danced when I finally found it 😁 hope you enjoy the discography many years and much time has gone into our four albums. Much love to ya. 💛
U+6
this precisely!!
That’s such an interesting perspective, I didn’t think about it like that. For me, it’s more about being stuck in an abusive family or an oppressive country, and you have a long-distance friend who comforts you during your darkest moments, and and tells you about how different things are outside of your limited world
I took it more literally, as I have aphantasia or simply I don't have an imagination I can't imagine things the way other people can I don't have that random smell you get thats alongside memories, or picture the lakeside cabin by the woods, so I've had to rely on stories told by other people and because of that I can relate to this song.
“Be my wings and my eyes” gives me chills every time.
I'm a fish inside a birdcage
My brother always sings me songs
With his beak he tries to soothe me
He makes me feel that I belong
He has a wild imagination
And tells me things That must be true
Like there's a world where I can take flight
Where i can freely move
So carry me from these walls
Brother of mine
Show me the world outside
It has to be true
I'm counting on you
To be my wings and my eyes
As I breathe into our silence
There's a voice that comforts me
It's a voice of understanding
It's the voice of empathy
Wings of feathers, tails and fin tips
We feel it works so differently
You gave me more than I could ask for
Indistinguishability
So carry me from these walls
Brother of mine
Show me the world outside
It has to be true
I'm counting on you
To be my wings and my eyes
So carry me from these walls
Brother of mine
Show me the world outside
It has to be true
I'm counting on you
To be my wings and my eyes
Omg ty, finally I can sing this!
Ur pfp got me
🥰👍
THERE IS A RAT IN MY BIRBCAGE
Ngl your pfp tricked me 😭👍
I interpret this song as the bird trying to make the fish feel better with a reality that he will never be able to achieve. Even though they are both in the same situation.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the song 😁 these days I try to leave the interpretation vague because it's amazing how many interpretations there are of the lyrics and I love that. ❤️ thanks for listening :3 glad you like it!
To me, the bird feels like mental disability and the fish feels like physical disability
Both trapped in different ways, both wanting to fly but unable too due to their environments and nature. And as someone with autism that hits. This song is amazing, thank you for making it.
Also the fact the image from the fish's eyes in a man in a wheelchair. God damn that's so good.
yeah Iris really did such an incredible job with the visuals. I'm excited that I just hired another amazing animator for another video thats gonna take a couple months to complete but like this one.. It's gonna be so worth it! thanks for listenin!
Yeah the tales of EUROPEANS… they never end 😑
@@huelu982what?
@@huelu982you ok 😭
@@huelu982what?
As a violinist I absolutely dream of having the ability to articulate a melody as elegant as the one in this song. I am gonna have to start picking that darn thing up again
Check out Fred Frith, specifically Hands of the Juggler, A Career In Real Estate. Art Bears - The Dance. He's surely the best at this violin aesthetic.
SAME!
"I am a fish inside a birdcage" is a very strong line for me. I have ADHD and I often feel alienated, even in my own family. My siblings and I had basically the same upbringing and the same tools, and we do belong together as siblings, but I wont be able to fly the same way as them. Being the oldest, it can be really hard to come to terms with the idea that my siblings will probably have an easier time being successful than me.
As the songwriter I also have Adhd 😁 so I can totally relate with ya. Thanks for listening and diggin it Mikelle
Well thanks, I'm teary-eyed now.
Got sent this song by my younger sibling, who does not have ADHD like me, but of course, they have their own share of traumas and issues to deal with.
I don't think I've quite processed the full impact of what it means for them to have sent me this just yet, but among the many complicated feelings this song gives me, one of them is a form of happiness.
After all, even if I'm still deeply scarred by living over two decades without knowing why I felt different from everyone else, why I failed at things everyone else did okay or even great at, even if knowing it now isn't quite enough to undo all the damage not knowing has done... when my sibling sent me this song, I felt like I've succeeded, at least, in giving them the support and understanding I wish I'd gotten before.
It's kind of funny that my sibling associated the brother bird with me, though, because I certainly don't feel like I've figured out how the fuck to fly yet lol.
@@zkassai.audio.2Well, if that's the case, maybe you do know how to fly, in a way. At the very least, enough for your brother to think so. You just haven't realised it.
...I have no idea if this is actually comforting or not.
If a stranger told me that, I'd probably tell them that I'm the worst bird to ever exist then.
But hey, just felt like saying it anyway, on the off-chance it is.
Who’s cutting onions…
What I get out of this song is the same feeling I’ve felt going through 12 years of school and 3 years of college, 1 cut short as I finally dropped out. I’ve always felt like everyone else defined “success” differently than me, in a much more mundane and indistinguishable way. And so when I say that I’m burnt out or that I hate what I’m doing or that I don’t feel good enough, I’m given well-meaning but inapplicable platitudes and advice, much like that which a bird would give a fish. I don’t belong in the birdcage, I belong in a fish bowl. And beyond that I belong in a river or the ocean, a world that a bird wouldn’t understand or really want to. Just like how a fish doesn’t understand or have any desire to understand the sky.
I hear ya, I wrote this song because I felt like an alien in my environment for the longest time, and although my environment has changed I still relate to the image. I hope we can see a world someday that optimises human potential.
it's strange to see but from your comment we are in the exact same situation? although i'm still at the stage where i still try to grasp at those platitudes and make myself into who people expected me to be
True success is finishing that drawing of an extinct scorpion you started weeks ago.
Update: finished
@@trilobite3120um....thank you.
@@trilobite3120
What?😂
to all other fish inside of their own birdcages, i wish you all a future where you are able to grow your own wings and experience the world.
This song hits me in a very neurodivergent way and I appreciate it. It’s nice to feel heard. To feel real. Thank you.
It’s like the “don’t judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree” thing, yea? And the cage oppresses both the bird and the fish, making them indistinguishable because they’re both trapped. Honestly genuinely genius writing.
Hey you are so welcome Mary. 🙏 I'm so happy these words have reached so many people that resonate with the idea. It's an idea that's bigger then myself and I love that. Thanks for listening and enjoying our work. 🙂 cheers
As a writer who also has Synesthesia, this brings many vivid ideas and colors! I can't wait to explore all of them to this song!
Right onnnn. Always wish I could see what people with Synesthesia sees. :) so cool. Glad you're having a good experience through our work!
Oooo I would love to get song recommendations from you!
You too :)
There's an anime called "the world of colors" that I think you'll love it's one of the most beautiful animes I've ever seen and i think you'll relate to it
Everyone is sharing their interpretations, all of which I can either understand or resonate with well! Both the musician and people coming together and making up their own stories and happily accepting and agreeing with each and every different view is a breath of fresh air for me, so I feel comfortable to share my first thoughts:
Being stuck in an environment you cannot find yourself comfortable in, one that doesn’t suit you yet you cannot escape it. The fish in a birdcage, doesn’t seem to be the best enclosure for a marine creature, yet they accept their fate nonetheless.
The brother? Of course I saw them in a better light at first, but with intrusive thoughts they can turn the most jovial things into something sick and twisted.
Both are trapped together, dependent on each other, and the bird may just want to keep it that way. This brother in flight excels in things that the fish cannot, seeing as all those abilities they are visibly better at, the fish will always look to their talented, feathered friend for comfort, advice, and hope of freedom. The bird can easily just keep the fish within that birdcage by feeding the wrong things to them, and the latter would be none the wiser. Not that they have any other individual to rely on anyways.
To be in a situation like the fish, where you can only rely on the insight of one person, is a terrifying thought to me. Especially if you’re in no position to argue against their skewed views if you yourself cannot trust your own at all. The feeling of helplessness, incompetence and lack of control, is something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.
Wow I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on this! Some super interesting Ideas I've never heard before within this comment. So interesting. thank you for sharing :)
This song has quite a peculiar style that makes me feel like I just discovered something I sorely needed. And discovering that there are visuals to accompany it makes it even better. Spectacular work!
I hope to find more like this and to see what else you come up with!
😁😁 thank you so much! We have another 5 albums worth of material yet to record. Gotta catch up to whats been written before we move on to the next chapter
this song reminds me of my big brother. he is older and is managing to leave our horrible household before i can. the line “i’m counting on you, to be my wings and my eyes” is so agonizingly good. i adore this song in a way i don’t think i could feel about anything else
❤️ may you find your ocean soon. Good luck on your journey and thank you for listening. 🙂🙏
I finally left home, at 23, some years ago, and while it's been incredibly stressful I am finding my place in the world and things are coming together in ways I could never imagine (I just got my OWN place???) and I knew I had to do it because my little bro, many years younger than me, needs me to figure all this shit out so when he hits the age 18 his life doesn't come apart at the seems like mine did.
I'm the pioneer into this world, finding out which berries are poisonous through trial and error, so when he goes to grab one I can smack it out of his hand. 2 more years and he'll be an adult and probably be living with me where I live now unless a big opportunity falls into his lap, which may as he is very goal oriented towards his career path, but I am glad to have this role. It keeps me grounded.
This song makes me cry everytime I listen to it. It hits very close to home. My twin brother has epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and can't see very well. Words can't describe how hard it is to see other sets of twins, or even siblings in general, because I know life will never be like that for him. I'm crying just writing this. He'll never be able to walk correctly. He was walking so well for almost a year. Then it went downhill... again. He has had more surgeries than I can count, and yet nothing seems to work. Even if he does better, those disabilities will always be there. "I'm counting on you, to be my wings and my eyes"... god it hurts me to think about. He's always wanted to drive, always loved cars. I don't have the heart to tell him he can't. It breaks my heart and there's nothing I can do to change it. I love him so much and if anything were to happen to him I don't know what I would do. It's so hard to include him because he can't go to the bathroom without some form of help, he can't walk long distances, and he loses interest quickly. I was born first, by 30 seconds. Every day I live with the guilt of that. Maybe if things were different. Maybe if it were him first. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. But it's not the case. It never will be. Even if it's not my fault, I hate myself for it. I'd give an arm and a leg if it meant he'd be cured. I'd give *anything* for him to be able to live a normal life; for him to be able to walk; for his mind to be healed; anything. Anything at all. This song reminds me to keep going. To stay strong. If nothing else..do it for him.
Wow that's such a crazy situation to find yourself in. That poor fella. I hope things can improve in both of your lives as soon as it possibly can. Being a human is certainly not an easy road, with some having a harder time then others. Although I don't know you, I believe in you. You got this.
@@FishinaBirdcage Thank you so much. That truly means a lot to me. I don't know you either, but know that if anything is going on in your life, you 𝙘𝙖𝙣 get through it. Nothing is impossible. ❤️
It's ok friend. I mean it; have faith and expect what god decided, the rain the helps platns growing and the storms who destroyes everything are the same thing, both were meant to happen and happend and what we can do in both situations is to pull ourselves up and live thankfully for things we got, just take 2 minutes now, only 2 minutes and look around and think of all things that are simple ( food, clean water, peacefull sleep nights with no bomps... ) but they're actually a dream to others
Life isn't hell nor heaven, it's a test for us, what are we going to do and how we live and treat people, so let's all do our best with it
sorry if it made you feel worse or so, i meant to write something good but if it wasn't tell me to delete it
@@redron2350 Sorry for the late reply, I honestly forgot about this. I appreciate it; thank you for the kind message
I have those disabilities too so I really feel for this. Hope you and ur brother are doing well ❤❤
I have a particular brand of emotional trauma that doesn't let me register most of my emotions. This song reminded me of those couple special people in my life that help teach me how to live life and have helped me feel more 'human' for lack of a better term. This song has hit my journey with them and how grateful I am for them in a way nothing else has. Thank you
Wow that’s an incredible connection.. I’m really happy to hear it’s impacted you in such a beautiful way. Thanks for listening 🙂
I don’t think this was the intended meaning, but this song sounds like it’s about grieving a lost loved one.
The singer is a fish, but their sibling is a bird. The singer is stuck inside a birdcage. These two things, I interpret as meaning a few different things.
1. The singer’s nature/state of being is significantly different from that of their sibling. Hence, being a completely different species.
2. The singer is somewhere they don’t belong, somewhere they don’t fit into. A fish should be in an aquarium, or in a body of water, not a cage.
What I find interesting is the animals chosen to represent the characters. Fish and birds, evolutionarily speaking, are rather similar. Feathers are like scales, wings are like fins. The one of the big differences is the environment they’ve adapted to survive in.
I think, by representing the singer as a fish, the song is indicating the singer is not meant to exist in the world outside- it is not the environment the fish belongs in. The world outside is for the birds, not the fish.
For me, I interpret this as meaning the singer is actually dead. Perhaps he was once a bird, like his brother. And for some reason, he is unable to move on. However, there is no place for him in the living world. Unable to make it to the sea (the afterlife), unable to live in the world outside (the world of the birds), the singer is stuck. A spirit stuck on the mortal coil- a fish inside a birdcage.
Now, the brother. The brother is trying to console the spirit of his passed sibling. He regales the sibling with tales of the world. These stories, the singer feels they must be true, but the singer has a hard time accepting that. As if the idea the singer belonged in the world outside, and could move freely, is a concept the singer finds hard to believe.
Specifically, I want to highlight this verse:
“So carry me from these walls
Brother of mine
Show me the world outside
It has to be true
I'm counting on you
To be my wings and my eyes”
As a spirit, the singer cannot access the living world. In this verse, I feel as though the singer is imploring their sibling to live on. To honor their memory, and carry the singer with them as they continue to live.
The brother is trying hard to console the sibling, comforting them, telling them they belong. Perhaps the brother even feels some guilt at his sibling’s passing, and that’s why he can’t let his sibling go. Maybe this is the singer’s way of telling them to put themselves first, that they don’t need to be consoled anymore. That the best thing the brother could do for his sibling is to live on, and enjoy the world outside in his sibling’s place. A “hey, you don’t need to worry about me anymore. Live on, in my memory. I want you to enjoy all the wonderful things out there that I didn’t get to see. Don’t feel guilty-live for the both of us.”
I’m probably way off base, but this was a fun exercise anyways.
That was a super interesting interpretation!! Very cool. I've heard a lot of different interpretations of how people see the lyrics for this song and this is very unique and a cool way of looking at it. Thanks so much for sharing
I have severe agoraphobia, I've barely left my house or bedroom for the last 4 years. It used to be the opposite problem, you'd never get me to stay at home! Nights out, museums, galleries, castles. And even though I'm currently receiving help, freedom is a long way off.
This song genuinely means so much to me, I can't describe it. I rely so much on pictures from friends and videos on the internet to remain connected to the outside world. I truly believe what's outside isn't the unimaginable terror my body feels. I believe it is fields and art and connection and one day I'm going to take it for myself.
It’s not easy being a human, it’s totally understandable. I can feel the same way at times, especially after the lockdown. Just know you’re not alone in that. Glad to hear us fish can connect 😁
Being a "fish inside a birdcage" perfectly describes what it's like to be neurodivergent while surrounded by people who aren't (or at least in my experience)
I'm in love with this song. The vivid picture of being stuck somewhere you don't belong and relying on a second hand account to live vicariously is something a lot of people can relate to and find meaning in.
It also sounds like what would happen if you mixed Steam Powered Giraffe with Amanda Palmer which is pretty neato.
Love both of those musicians 😁 so thats absolutely great news! Thanks for listening
As a disabled/mentally ill person with disabled/mentally ill family members this song hits home. We're constantly reassuring each other that things will get better and that the world is still beautiful, even if we don't believe it ourselves or haven't experienced those things because of social barriers (class, health, etc).
I truly apologize, but if I saw a flock of fish-bird hybrids with human faces I'd be moving to a different universe.
Here's another fun fact: My brother saw this video playing in my room, and asked: "Okay, would you hunt that animal for sport? I certaintly would" which honestly, he's got a point.
It doesn't matter how often I hear this song, it's always getting better. The new art/video for it only made that even more true
It kind of makes me think of enemies that realize how similar they are, and so they put aside their differences and become each other's found family (with how birds usually eat fish)
The enemy of my enemy is a friend. The enemy being the wrong environment in this case. That's really interesting. Thanks for sharing!
I found this song from an Owl House animatic and I am absolutely mesmerized by the song's style and the official video's style as well!!! This totally speaks to me, I love different styles such as this that remind me of styles from older eras. I'm not sure what the song's message is, but I enjoy the poetic-sounding lyrics. Love this ❤
Thanks for connecting alpha! 🙂 hope you enjoy the rest of our work on spotify as well. And the meaning is being caged by your environment or circumstances. Being able bodied but in the wrong situation for who you are, which is an image I've resonated with for many years
@@FishinaBirdcage That makes much more sense now, I can totally see it. Thank you for connecting with me as well!
Same bro
Omg same
hey same here!
As much as I love the animation and the lyrics, what I really love about this song is the instrumentals. There's just something about it that's so unique that communicates the meaning of the song so well. Whenever the opening notes comes on, I just know I'm gonna have a good time
Thank you. 😁 Lotta love went into the instrumental of it all.
god yes. The way the entire band follows the little vocal flourish after "outside" at 1:01, it just hnnnnnnnggggghh. fuck. GOD DAMN. It's the kind of little arrangement thing I'd be proud of for a YEAR after thinking of. Let alone performing and recording it.
And now, a year later, I'm back... Then there were 600 views here, I'm glad this masterpiece got more attention!
The ending always makes me so sad. The fish has seen so many wonders, but all it can display is just one tricycle. The realization that sometimes you can't break out of your perception, no matter how hard you try, really hits.
Thanks for coming back to check it out again 😁😁
I know I am probably in the minority but the first time I heard this song I thought it was incredibly grim. Birds frequently eat fish, and I just thought of this fish trapped alongside a predator who's beak is in reach, and is the only source of information and knowledge.
A cool detail I want to point out is how the violin/viola is present throughout the song, It starts and ends the song, and is the main focus during the instrumentals. It makes me think that the violin/viola represents the brother with his wild imagination and empty promises, constantly influencing the narrator’s perspective and never really going away. Where else is there to go, after all? They are confined to their cages; the violin/viola is confined to this song.
This, is absolutely a lore song. Storyline, catchy beat, good lines to scream in the car, lyrics stuck in your head for three weeks straight and you can’t find the song and it drives you insane. It’s amazing, I love this song.
This song has been very important to me and my sister. I've found this a long time ago and my interpretation of it is that the bird really does want to help the fish out, both of them stuck in their own problems and issues. It reminded of how much my sister supported me throughout my social transition from female to male and how much she has been there for me. I suggested to her that we get matching tattoos about the concept of this song and she liked the idea... Thank you so much for making this song. Now I can finally share a connection with my sister that'll follow us even when we're appart.
This song means alot to me since I've been struggling to get by living as a disabled person.
I always interpreted it as the fish being born disabled- while the bird became disabled later in life.
Can’t see anybody else with the same anxiety about the bird possibly lying to the fish so that the bird can eat him. Carry me from these walls brother of mine.
I started crying as soon as I first heard this song. It resonated with me SO hard, it's the perfect feeling of hopelessness mixed with quiet acceptance that seems to describe my experiences with my own neurodivergence now that I've reached a point in my life where I don't know if I'll actually be able to accomplish anything because of it.
Since a lot of people are sharing their own personal interpretations, I figured I'd toss in mine too, I didn't see many people interpreting it the same way. Before watching the music video, I hadn't even thought of the brother also being in a bird cage, to me I like the angle of a free bird coming to visit this fish in a bird cage, completely benevolent and a brother not due to circumstance, but due to the bond they developed. He knows the fish won't be able to leave and he can't help with that, so he does his best to make the fish feel understood and like a natural part of his life despite their differences.
I think alot of people on neurodivergent spectrum, burnt out kids, kids with broken families and queer folks relate to this. I believe it's for people with invisible struggles and marginalised groups.
I’ve always had a hard time finding the specific kind of music that resonates me. This song was what introduced me to the artists work and every piece is beautiful and resonates deeply. It also keeps me inspired with the stories I’ve struggled to write/draw. I hope to one day make a visual that illustrates the inspiration I’ve felt from this song! (With permission of course)
Go for it! I’d love to see what you come up with 🙂🙂🙂
Can we appreciate the fact that the guy actually responds and interacts with his audience
Oh, very interesting! I hadn't seen the video before so I interpreted the song quite differently! I always imagined the brother to be a free bird who would come and visit and tell about these crazy worlds of freedom which would seem like a wild imagination to the fish. That angle brings a completely different dynamic between them which is desperate, codependent and almost toxic but in a very human way. The desperate, almost commanding "it has to be true, I'm counting on you" fits eerily well in that context. Then again, this is the beauty of art. The beholder's mind connects to its interpretation of the piece and finds what it is looking for. In that sense, art is a mirror of our own souls.
there was a quote that went like “here, no fish will be forced to fly and no bird will be forced to swim” this song reminds me of that.
Ooo Roko that's an awesome quote thanks for sharing that.
One of the things I like most about the TOH fandom is that they have great taste.
I discovered this song by an animatic, it really is beautiful and splendid.
I hope it gets the recognition it deserves, excellent work 👍🏼
Thank you Riley Claw 😌
Same
I love this song bc it feels like how a disabled sibling is with their non-disabled sibling, like with any type of disability and it feels like how we see the world is so different, he can see the world in he's view, its beautiful and nice while the disabled sibling is seeing only a part of it because of their limitations. But their non-disabled sibling still cares for them, they don't resent them, they're just living both their lives and their happy, they both still love each other even with the disabled sibling's limitations
0:05 are those minions!?
Silence
@@undertaleandminecraftfan9184wuh
Heard this song once in an Instagram reel and immediately fell in love with it. Here's my take:
The song is a big metaphore for perspective and how important it is to always be hopeful. The fish and the bird are both in a cage, but it's a birdcage, so the fish doesn't feel like it "belongs" like its brother does. The bird, on the other hand, is still trapped in a cage and cannot fly as good as it's supposed to, but despite this the bird is still hopeful and positive. It imagines worlds unknown to them that they can maybe one day get to see, and even imagines a world where its brother, the fish, can "fly" like itself. We, as the outside listeners, who are not in a cage, know that that world exists. It's the sea, a world where fish "fly". It's not a delusional take like the fish thinks, but the fish doesn't know of the existance of it so it's much harder to believe in it.
The song makes us also understand how hard it is to live to the fullest in a place or situation you feel trapped into. It's hard to find the strength to believe it'll ever get better. Wonderful wonderful song, I have more to say but I figured not many want to hear how it perfectly fits my two twins OCs in their fictional universe lmao
I love this take and so much of this is dead on in terms of the things I was thinking about when I wrote it. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! 🙂🙏
I imagine this song to be about an outsider in the family. Its a fish in a birdcage. No matter how hard the fish tries, fish cannot survive in birdcages. And the person cannot survive in the family
1:27 the world simply passes him by
This song makes me want to cry until I start vomiting. That being said, this is one of the best things I've ever heard.
Also after the line "you gave me more than I could ask for, indistinguishablility" when I hear "it has to be true, I'm counting on you to be my wings and my eyes", I always think of my older brother. He's technically an adult who could leave at any time, but we're trapped in this house all the same. But I so desperately want him to leave so he can live his life and tell me what it feels like to have true freedom. And then with one being a fish and the other being a bird just also reminds me of how despite everything, we're both outcasts in this house, just different kinds. We're different but the same. We're trapped but for different reasons. We're discarded and rejected for different reasons. I could probably sit here for hours talking about how much I relate to this song.
Hello Raina. It's bittersweet to hear how people relate to this song at times. Because if you relate that means you feel trapped in your situation. The sweet part of all of this though is that you are not alone in your feeling this way. It does not sound like an easy situation that you find yourself in, and the great thing is, is if you can survive this chapter, life will get better if you can find your ocean. It might take work to find it, but I have faith you will do that. Good luck out there on your journey and thanks for listening 🙂
This song is absolutely beautiful but this part ( 1:59) made me cry the image is so funny😭😭
Lol the fish are so freakin cute. I know right? 😁 thanks for listenin!
I first heard this song a year ago and it’s still resonating through me every day.
😁😁
This gives "Do crabs think fish are flying?" Energy and I love it.
This artwork makes my heart so happy. And the music is so good! It's so fun to watch my son dance and sing along with his new favorite song. Thanks, Dusty and crew!
Thank you Hanna 🙂
Everyone is talking about the lyrics which are brilliant but can we talk about the string instruments for a second. They are amazing
The relationship with the fish and his bird brothers really sweet to me. I like how much his bird brother does his best to comfort him and how the fish appreciates him for everything he does. Despite being different, they also get each other so much at the same time💖💖💖
2:29 I love the way they intersect exactly to a low long sound and then sway at the same time
Iris really did an incredible job!
This song makes me feel so good. I've grown up Autistic with other disabilities like Sturge-Weber Syndrome, Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome, ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, and Scoliosis. I've had to rely on others to help me do things others could. The idea of being a fish inside a birdcage really resonates with how I feel in a world not made to help those that don't fit in.
"a world not made to help those that don't fit in" is 100% how I've seen the world ever since my ADHD diagnosis. There are so many skills, concepts, etc. we never get taught because everyone else just seems to know it all instinctively, so it never occurs to anyone that someone might need help learning it.
THIS
This song is beautiful to me. Both the narrator and his brother are lost in their own ways. But they still have each other to rely and count on. As brothers they help each other feel less trapped in their cages. Truly amazing.
This song is so great, it can have multiple interpretations and none of them is wrong
Right?? As I've grown with this song.. I've realized that. And I love that. It makes me so happy that it can mean so much to me in the way that I relate, and it can mean just as much with a different relation to the content and I just love that we can all connect in that way. It's amazing and I'm so pleased it has worked out in the way that it has for this song to exist. Thank you for listening Nati!
There’s such a beauty in being trapped in the wrong place, unable to move; and then being defiant enough to break free and find your people.
I found this song by accident on Spotify and I’m so glad I did, it’s got a really interesting sound to it I haven’t heard in many other songs
Thanks for listenin Val 🙂
I found it there too. Best song on the album!
literally obsessed with this song i cant stop watching it on loop help
One thing I love about this song is the bird is right. There is a place where the fish can freely move, but It’s so far from anything he has experience with that he can’t imagine what a world suited to him looks like he can only imagine him being suited to the world.
That’s something a lot of disabled people experience they genuinely can’t imagine a world suited to them but they can imagine themselves being suited to the world
There are so many things that this could apply to. One of the least painful interpretations that I think of is two children in a home with a narcissistic family structure - the scape goat and golden child. Even though the bird may have more movement and comfort in the confines of it's cage-and an appearance of more power. Ultimately he is still trapped. Unable to help himself or his little brother, except to tell him stories of what life will be like someday when they are free. I like to think of it this way because it is a version where I imagine that they will both be free someday.
This song is so amazing and the lyrics are full of symbolism
Lyrics:
I'm a fish inside a birdcage
My brother always sings me songs
With his beak he tries to sooth me
He makes me feel that I belong
He has a wild imagination
And tells me things that must be true
Like there's a world where I can take flight
Where I can freely move
So carry me from these walls
Brother of mine
Show me the world outside
It has to be true
I'm counting on you
To be my wings and my eyes
As I breathe into our silence
There's a voice that comforts me
It's a voice of understanding
It's the voice of empathy
Wings of feathers, tails and fin tips
We feel it works so differently
You gave me more than I could ask for
Indistinguishability
So carry me from these walls Brother of mine
Show me the world outside
It has to be true
I'm counting on you
To be my wings and my eyes
So carry me from these walls Brother of mine
Show me the world outside
It has to be true
I'm counting on you
To be my wings and my eyes
this got recommended to me on spotify and i thought it had a cool vibe, so i put it on a couple playlists. i sometimes have trouble paying attention to lyrics, so that's what i tend to notice first about a song. but today i was walking down the street and suddenly i heard it all so clearly, and like holy shit it's maybe one of the best songs i've ever heard
Rad. 😁 happy ya think so! 🙂
I did too! Its an interesting song
I cried while watching this clip. I don't really know why, it's surprise me but, I think, i cried for its beauty.
The voice, the violin, the visual and the lyrics, everything is of a subtle and delicate beauty.
I can’t get enough of this song, it haunts my heart
Much Love to ya Nox. Happy new years. Thanks for listening
Holy shit. that was stop motion?? huge respect to the people that did it.
It was done by Iris Moore over the span of 6 months. she did an absolutely incredible job. It took me a couple summers of busking to pay her back 😁 worth it though! love this video every bit as much as the day I got to see it for the first time. Thanks so much!
This hit me so hard because its so real and intentional. It reminds me of my relationship to my younger brother he has autism and his world is such an amazing thing to be a part of and I relate really hard to this song ,it's very beautifully written.
The only thing I could think of to make this better is if I’d found it sooner. Such a good song
I cannot believe that I'm just now finding this artist. Where have you been all my life.
Haha over here! doin the thing! Happy it reached you 😁 been foaming the walls today to get ready to record my fifth album. thanks for checking out our work!
I really like one small detail in this video - the flying fishes. It shows how heavily the fish from the birdcage relies on their brother's stories and how little it knows about real world. Their brother moves by flapping his wings, so in fish's imagination other fishes have to as well. It also shows that we tend to tell and interpret things through what we already know to be able to understand them. It's sad, but beautifully constructed.
I want this song in a movie, the animation, the lyrics, the voice, the instruments, everything is perfect!! ❤✨✨
As someone who didn't get diagnosed with ADHD until I turned 18 and was basically done with school, this really speaks to me on a deep level. Just constantly being told what do to, and how it should be done, but just being UNABLE to break free of your self imposed cage, and be yourself just...this song is beautiful to say the least.
There's so much meaning to this it's insane. The lyrics, the music, the way it gives you a sense of nostalgia. It gives you a thought of sadness, yet you feel a kind of calm feeling- is amazing...
This is the most amazing song, and I will continue to play it on loop for the next 48 hours straight.
I always find myself from time to time listening this song, its a shame i didn't left a comment here sonner expressing how much i really loved it and how inspirational it was, im such a fan of the work!
It took me 6 rewatches before I realised that the reason why I was so put off by the fish was that they had human faces.
Guys. I just realized something about all the 'rule' songs. They're all from the point of veiw from the dead. Hints rules/lessons they ither learned/experienced or are warning the listener too. This fits for all thw songs from rule 1 Magic (a revolutionary who died via the lyrics 'can't kill an idea'),
Rule 2 moonlight - an astronaut who died in space longing for his wife.
Rule 3- an office worker who only learned to experience beautiy and nature after they died
Rule 4 James Picard- (title is a ship capitains name/ the song has litteral cannon fire in it etc.
Fish in a bird cage is litterally about the freedom a terminally ill/disabled person is experiencing in death.
This follows all of their songs and my head is exploding.
the fish look straight out of a medieval tapestry.
This song is so beautiful and I cry almost every time I hear it
Why does this art style and lyrics match so perfect?
I love seeing peoples interpretations of this song, so I wanna talk about how I connected with it too! I was born into a really high demand religion, and being LGBTQ+, it was one I felt I didn't belong in. I was a fish in a cage meant for birds, but nevertheless, both the birds and I were trapped, hence "indistinguishability." The brother and dream of what it's like outside the cage represents two things for me. One, in the cage, I was told that one day I would be okay, because there was a heaven, and as long as I continued to hurt caged, when I died I could be free. Then comes the voice of empathy, who tells me leaving my religion means freedom.
Lemme guess: CHRISTIANS.
@@TheWandererOfDreams XD close, Mormonism
@@theshywolfie6655 ouch.
@@TheWandererOfDreamsmakes sense it's not Christians, they actually have proof for their belief
i feel like this could be interpreted as 2 different sides of disability- the bird, who used to be "fine" but maybe he suddenly became disabled through an accident, or he was always disabled but he was able to manage until his disability got worse through time and he faced more restrictions. and the fish, who has been disabled all their life. The bird knew what a life without being strained down was like, and tells the fish how it was like, and the fish being like this their whole life, is fascinated, thinks of it as a fantasy.
and then the second verse with the line "you gave me more than i could ask for; indistinguishablity". i saw someone point out how it could mean that it doesn't matter if they're birds or fish, they're the same so long as they're trapped in a cage. It doesn't matter if their disabilities and their experiences are different, they're still both restrained and trapped inside a metaphorical cage.
man..whatever my soul is made up of, this song, the lyrics, the voice and just..the art style..the way the art moves and the way it fits in with the voice, the placement of the scenes..it’s all cut from the same fabric, i can’t explain it, but my goddd am i so in love with it, this is the exact art style that i am going to get sooo many tattoos in
This is such a pretty song! Gave me major goosebumps. Will definitely be listening to this for a long time!
Glad to hear you're diggin our work! Cheers 🙂
very original idea, my mom and I loved it!
Not only is this song amazing, but the artwork is so original and beautifully done. Standing ovation 👏
🥰 thank ya 😁
What a bizarre miserably beautiful masterpiece
This reminds me of Tally Hall and Will Wood, and I love both with all my heart
Right on! let me know if you find a favorite track. always so curious to hear what people are vibing with :)
I'm a caregiver to facilities that are overstaffed, and all I can think about is how these people don't have limbs or lives.. yet I don't even have time to talk to them and give them outside veiwpoints. It makes me do happy when some of their relatives can be the bird in this video because I can't be and I wish I could
Something I find very interesting in the video is that the brother doesn't actually join him.
If you interpret him flying away as being a fantasy and not literal it's odd that he doesn't picture his brother flying away, too.