“Manifest” by Andrew Bird showcases his distinctive songwriting style. It strikes a balance between playful wordplay and a profound existential theme that runs throughout the song. In this article we’ll explore the meaning of the lyrics by one of our most cherished songwriters.
A Little Background on Manifest Destiny
To better understand the meaning of this song and its lyrics, let’s delve into the historical context. In the 19th century, there was a widely held belief called “Manifest Destiny.”
This ideology justified European colonizers’ expansion across North America, regardless of the consequences. They believed it was their destined right to conquer, damage, use and reshape the land as they pleased, disregarding the well-being of indigenous people and the environment.
This continues, in many forms, into our modern society’s treatment of people, animal and plant life, and the Earth itself.
The Edge
In “Manifest,” Bird begins by standing on the edge of a figurative canyon, symbolizing a gap in his understanding of the world. Growing up in the United States, many of us questioned the validity of the Manifest Destiny ideas, but felt powerless to challenge them in a society so well formed by them.
Here, he seems to be reckoning with what he’s been taught about the human role on Earth, and specifically the white, European-dominated thinking ingrained in our culture, since it has placed us on the precipice of a disaster.
At the core of the song lies the disconnect between our true nature and how we treat the Earth. Bird’s lyrics evoke a sense of impending disaster, specifically alluding to the urgent issue of climate change. Bird encourages us not to ignore uncomfortable truths, urging us to acknowledge them instead.
The Nature of Time
Later in the lyrics of “Manifest”, Bird also reflects on the acceleration of time, the feeling that life is rushing by, and “whistles right past you.” This captures our modern perception of time, where everything seems to be moving swiftly, leading to a prevailing belief that the end is imminent.
The song’s lyrics depict tendrils, a term borrowed from botany. Tendrils explore and climb and dig. So when Bird says “I can hear your tendrils still digging/ For everything that’s walked this earth once living/ Then to be exhumed and burned to vapor,” he’s talking about humans routing around finding all the resources that exist.
Oil is made from the decomposed remains of marine plants and animals that decomposed millions of years ago. Coal is similarly comprised of long-dead plant matter. This symbolizes our relentless search for and exploitation of everything the planet once nurtured. We dig up these resources only to burn them as fuel, perpetuating a destructive cycle.
Radical and Free / Free Radicals
Bird highlights the irony that our careless actions harm not only the Earth but also ourselves.
The lines about the air being “radical and free” cleverly allude to the damaging effects of air pollution, which can negatively impact human health. The lines about being “radical and free” cleverly allude to the damaging effects of air pollution. This is a bit of wordplay with the concept of free radicals, unstable atoms that permeate the air.
So tucked into these short, simple lines is the idea that we are hurting ourselves by damaging the Earth and using resources carelessly. (Reminder to go full circle here, the original reason we felt so comfortable using Earth’s resources so carelessly is the idea of Manifest Destiny. That was the permission slip.)
The Rising Ocean
In his lyrics, Bird also references the rising ocean as another sign of the consequences of our actions. Here, he’s standing again at a brink where we see the results of human impact.
We’re “keeping all our eyes on what’s on the horizon/ And all that we hold dear”- meaning, we’re all staring fearfully at this big, rising ocean, knowing that it poses very real dangers, but we’re also tied to the things in our lives here in the day-to-day act of being human.
Can You Save Her?
Throughout the song, there is an underlying whisper, a warning of “death.” Bird emphasizes that unless we confront the repercussions of manifest destiny, our future appears bleak.
While the Earth is not beholden to anyone, we are indebted to it for our very existence. Thus, he poses the question, “Can you save her?” This plea implores each individual to acknowledge the brink of disaster and abandon the mentality that led us down this destructive path.
The Video’s Themes
The music video for “Manifest” complements the song’s themes, portraying the evolution of animals and plants, the progression of civilizations, and the interconnectedness of all life forms. It serves as a visual representation of our collective journey.
At the end of the video, a swirling mandala emerges depicting different life forms all in concert. The forms are intermingled and dancing in concert, representing the profound interdependence of all the forms of Earth.
According to a Rolling Stone interview with Bird, Manifest “traces our evolution from single celled organisms to modern man – then takes it further, post-mortem, to when a plant or animal becomes a fossil fuel fracked from the ground and released into the atmosphere from combustion engines like ghosts. The after-life of energy.” We see this represented very clearly in the video, where ghosts emerge from tail pipes.
Summary
In summary, “Manifest” by Andrew Bird is a thought-provoking song that intertwines playful language with a much deeper message about our role on Earth.
It challenges the notion of manifest destiny, challenges the idea that humans are the center of everything, and urges us to reevaluate our relationship with the Earth.
The song and its accompanying video convey a powerful call for change, urging us to recognize the consequences of our actions and strive for a sustainable future.
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Full Lyrics, Manifest by Andrew Bird
I’m coming to the edge of the widest canyon
My companion’s dear
I’m starting to question my manifest destiny
My claim to this frontier
I’m coming to the brink of a great disaster
End just has to be near
The earth spins faster, whistles right past you
Whispers death in your ear
Don’t pretend you can’t hear
Don’t pretend you can’t
I can hear your tendrils still digging
For everything that’s walked this earth once living
Then to be exhumed and burned to vapor
Can you save her?
Now she’s in the air
Radical and free
Neither here nor there
She’s obliged to no one
She’s obliged to no one
Yeah, yeah
I’m coming to the edge of a rising ocean
Such commotion and fear
Keeping all our eyes on what’s on the horizon
And all that we hold dear
I’m coming to the brink of a great disaster
End just has to be near
The earth spins faster, whistles right past you
Whispers death in your ear
Don’t pretend you can’t hear
Don’t pretend you can’t
I can hear your tendrils still digging
For everything that’s walked this earth once living
Then to be exhumed and burned to vapor
Can you save her?
She’s in the air
Radical and free
Not a goddamn care
She’s obliged to no one
She’s obliged to no one
Oh, no
Don’t pretend you can’t hear
Don’t pretend you can’t hear
