Tenuousness

Andrew Bird's song 'Tenuousness' delves into the intricate and often perplexing nature of human existence. The lyrics are a tapestry of historical, linguistic, and philosophical references, creating a sense of the vast and interconnected world we inhabit. The opening lines, 'Tenuous at best was all he had to say / when pressed about the rest of it,' suggest a sense of uncertainty and fragility in understanding the world. Bird references various cultures and languages, from 'proto-Sanskrit Minoans' to 'Porto-centric Lisboans,' highlighting the diversity and complexity of human history and communication.

As the song progresses, Bird introduces the idea of 'chinless men' who 'scratch their beards' and 'tool their minds to sharpened axes,' possibly alluding to the intellectual and philosophical pursuits that shape our understanding of the world. The repetition of 'Love of hate acts as an axis' suggests a cyclical nature of human emotions and relationships, where love and hate are intertwined and constantly shifting. The line 'So procreate and pay your taxes' injects a touch of cynicism, pointing to the mundane and inevitable aspects of life that persist despite our deeper existential musings.

The song also touches on themes of numerology and astronomy, with lines like 'Ten you us ness less seven comes to three / Them you us plus eleven / Thank the heavens for their elasticity.' These references to numbers and celestial bodies underscore the human desire to find meaning and order in the universe. The mention of 'Coprophagia'—the consumption of feces—adds a layer of absurdity and perhaps a critique of the lengths to which humans will go in their quest for knowledge. Ultimately, 'Tenuousness' is a reflection on the delicate balance of understanding and the ever-present tension between the profound and the trivial in human life.