It Might Have Been Blessed

Annie Lennox “Little Bird”

“Little Bird” is all endorphins and adrenaline, with Annie Lennox singing about finding a newfound strength and courage in escaping a relationship that had gone sour over an up-tempo track that’s a little bit house and a little bit rock, and sung like a gospel song. Lennox sounds excited and unencumbered, but also rather nervous. Freedom has high stakes, and every note of triumph in this song is shaded by suppressed fear and doubt.

The line in “Little Bird” that resonates most deeply is at the start of the chorus: “They always said that you knew best.” That’s the crucial bit of context, the bit that shows you that this isn’t just about breaking free, it’s about getting out of a cycle of deferring to someone else. This other person doesn’t even need to be a villain, and doesn’t need to have been wrong about everything. The point is that Lennox is singing from the point of view who’s finally decided to trust themselves, and to follow their own path. Lennox’s voice soars on this part – her confidence is rising, but not quite as high as she’d like it to get. But there she is, trying. She makes you want to try too.

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