"Again and again and again and again." The bird and the bee, a famous indie pop duo, saw a spike in listeners with a revival of a song that debuted in 2006. Group members Inara George and Greg Kurstin are both talented and ambitious songwriters and singers. Inara George, or "the bird," has been in other bands such as Merrick and The Living Sisters. Greg Kurstin, "the bee," has received nine Grammy Awards for his exceptional work in the music field. Although both the bird and the bee have outstanding results alone, when brought together, their music becomes otherworldly, combining jazz, electronic, and indie pop.
"Again and again and again and again"
A whimsical feeling comes from listening to a song as smooth and airy as this one. The vocals effortlessly glide into your mind and become an earworm. Often, I even find myself mindlessly singing the catchy melody. Although many people may see this song as simply a catchy, upbeat tune, when digging deeper, we understand the lyrics more. The opening lines start with George singing in a feathery, flowy trance. She repeats the lyrics "again and again" until the beat drops. This trance is then disrupted by a pull back to reality.
"It's a shame, it's a shame / It's a perfect shame / Creep under my door and we do it again, oh oh"
This snap back to realization brings listeners to a moment of clarity, yet a moment later they are, again, swept off their feet by the unchanging, mind-numbing melody. The repetitive lyrics may seem mindless at first, but as the song progresses the free-sounding melody seems more ominous than whimsical, mirroring recurring bad choices and indulgence.
"Say my name, say my name / Say my stupid name / It's stupid how we always seem to do it again"
Later in the song, there is a plea, an asking to be seen and heard. It's a wish to be more than just a trance or a mistake–a wish to be taken seriously. With this comes a shift in George’s voice; there is a more commanding tone instead of the wispy vocals heard at the beginning of the song. This shift lets listeners acknowledge the moments of clarity one has before being sucked back into old habits. "Again, again, again, and again I’ll do it again"... just as the lyrics suggest, the listener is stuck in the loop of "Again & Again". They are enamored with the idea of continuing the cycle, unable and unwilling to break the cycle.
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Absolutely wonderful analysis!