Birch Tree

Album: What Went Down (2015)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song finds vocalist and lyricist Yannis Philippakis looking back. He explained to The Sun: "I feel my world has become smaller and that song is partly to do with nostalgia for a place you used to go."

    "Reconnecting with old friends and realizing how many different lives you've lived and how you don't live the same life as others from day to day," he added. "It's about getting older and age."
  • Talking about the song to NME, Philippakis explained that the sound was written, "hungover in Utrecht, onstage doing a soundcheck." He continued: "It felt kind of consoling at the time. Then we worked on it in Oxford, then I got really into this boxy old drum machine, and so the kind of hip-hop quality of the groove came from that. It feels summery to me, it has a sense of what West Coast music should be."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Dean Friedman - "Ariel"

Dean Friedman - "Ariel"They're Playing My Song

Dean's saga began with "Ariel," a song about falling in love with a Jewish girl from New Jersey.

Don Brewer of Grand Funk

Don Brewer of Grand FunkSongwriter Interviews

The drummer and one of the primary songwriters in Grand Funk talks rock stardom and Todd Rundgren.

Richie Wise (Kiss producer, Dust)

Richie Wise (Kiss producer, Dust)Songwriter Interviews

Richie talks about producing the first two Kiss albums, recording "Brother Louie," and the newfound appreciation of his rock band, Dust.

Jason Newsted (ex-Metallica)

Jason Newsted (ex-Metallica)Songwriter Interviews

The former Metallica bassist talks about his first time writing a song with James Hetfield, and how a hand-me-down iPad has changed his songwriting.

Subversive Songs Used To Sell

Subversive Songs Used To SellSong Writing

Songs about drugs, revolution and greed that have been used in commercials for sneakers, jeans, fast food, cruises and cars.

Protest Songs

Protest SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know your protest songs (including the one that went to #1)?