At this point we need a playlist of "BDG songs about a minor issue that are actually a metaphor for how anxiety traps us in a prison of our own making but also still about the first thing."
on the bright side, he's reached a level of confidence that he can call his reflection "handsome", so maybe soon he'll be able to wear hats without looking like a little lad
I like how for most of the song Brian is just ready to brawl but as soon as he actually hits something he immediately goes to make sure his reflection is ok
@@Aejums Franky, from their perspective, they've just been punched out of nowhere by their own reflection, stunned and incapacitated. I'd just be relieved my window me is apologising and that it's an accident and not an active attempt to kill me at that point.
@@Lunam_D._Roger They were also punching their own reflection so I suppose they are like, completley understansind that it was a accident since they themselves were doing it.
@@creditsunknown7974 given mirror brian got punched because he tried to finish with a flourish while true brian kept the percussion going I think it's safe to say this is some sort of duo act they had worked out but hadn't *quite* perfected by the point the song started up
If you have a bird that flies into your window or attacks your window, please get a peelable window cling for it. It frosts the window so they know it's glass and then won't hurt themselves, you can get them in patterns or just solid frosting to make it opaque. It really helps to protect wildlife and it's not hard to take off if you're renting a place
Also if you cannot find one of those just stick a BUNCH of stickynotes to the window to make it look as though 1. there is no reflection bird and 2. they cannot fly through the gaps
I've been wanting to do this for years but I can never find them. What key words would one use to find such? When I try doing things like bird window vinyls, I just get vinyls OF birds, not things to stop bird strikes. My house has probably killed dozens. They hit my giant windows daily.
I get immense joy that I can't justify from the fact that when his reflection is hit in the throat, he's just desperately trying to tell Brian he forgives him.
I get immense joy that I CAN justify from the fact that despite Brian's mirror doppelgänger being REAL, it never actually meant him any harm, meaning his fears were STILL unfounded and the song's initial message is maintained.
The line of being grateful for the goldfinch tapping at the window really hits me deep in the "when you think about it, always being on guard is good because then you can never be hurt, just ignore how you're still hurting" place :)
I love how this dips into a more sincere reflection for a bit and then completely throws out any actual reflection and commits to self-sabotage. It’s a nice look into how even if your self-aware it’s hard to actually stop doing stuff like this.
i just started laying eggs and spending 12 hours of every day fighting a reflection of myself instead of giving them the warmth they need, so i appreciate these helpful lyrics
The best thing about BDG's silly little novelty songs is that he doesn't skip out on the tune and rhyme scheme, they actually slap as hard as his regular music
This gets said a lot, but it needs to be said again: this man is a genius. As a composer, I always watch his videos several times to appreciate the music and incredible harmonies. As an artist, I watch several times to just to marvel at the incredible editing/greenscreening skill this man has. As a person who loves comedy, I watch several times for the smiles. And as an anxious adhder, I watch several times to heal my soul because somehow nobody expresses the minor yet massive, meaningless and yet most meaningful worries and thoughts that constantly flood my brain in such a relatable and somehow enjoyable way like BDG. Thank you for your service, sir.
YES! Well said. Such an amazing mix of talents within this piece! It's like I'm watching my mind's projection in tandem; something I can connect strongly to, see it expressed, know I am not currently qualified to manifest nearly to this level, all while inspiring me to continue learning and developing my own creative skills and remind me to attack stressful events with comedy. I am sooooo happy BDG created it, shared it and that my family sent it to me! I too, thank BDG.
Most of the time with comedic songs, the music becomes absolute background unimportance, and the lyrics simply exist for the sake of being goofy and nothing more, but you've said what I've observed about BDG's music better than I could ever say it.
Thank you for making this comment so i don't have to spend an hour outlining and crafting a novella in the comments to say much the same things, but in different words. Brian is a genius, and i have enjoyed everything he's made. The only thing i want to add that might not have been mentioned yet, is the incredibly realistic "interaction" with his reflection after he accidentally punched himself in the throat lol
I love the intimacy of the more self-reflective moment. The reverb drops, no video effects, just you standing there in a genuine moment of vulnerable thought. Very effective and beautiful, honestly.
The trick of the light line is actually is unironic genius. Not just the line itself but the way it briefly switches into a…different key.. I don’t know which one, I don’t know the special name right now. The harmonies on it are beautiful, the meaning of it as a metaphor, it’s just SO GOOD. I want to learn this now
So the song's in F major, and the 'trick of the light' bit goes into D minor, which is the relative minor of F major, which means it has the same key signature and uses the same notes but in different ways to create a completely different sound and godDAMMIT if this man didn't just use harmonic modulation as a metaphor
The degree that this misses the point of where I thought he was going with this is why I love BDG's songs. It's almost self reflective (no pun intended) and then decides "you know what, maybe the finch is right. Maybe I need to keep fighting myself."
That part is just as self-reflective as the former part! It's just that the reflection of that section is on the absurdity of the ways our self-destructive behaviors/habits present themselves when looking from the outside-in and the ways that we justify them and enable their progression. And the fact that all of that can be communicated with the façade of "I'mma fight my own reflection all the time now and pick up other bird behaviors" is also why I love his songs so much too ☺
BDG knows how to survive every horror movie. Imagine watching some classic demon trying to pull bloody mary shenanigans, but before they can even start the dude on the other side of the mirror just decks them out of raw instinct Unbeatable
i don't watch a lot of horror movies but the idea of someone trying to punch the mirror demon and their arm being consumed or turned to goop simply by being in physical contact with it sounds like an amazing early scare
@@nerdywolverine8640 that's just a comedy at that point, the audience is pointing and laughing at the asshole who tried to punch his reflection like a cat
That won't stop bird attacks, only bird collisions unfortunately. You can paint your windows with non-toxic water based paint during nesting season to stop attacks.
If you find this actually happening to you, putting something up to break the reflection, like paper, can help as the bird won't be able to see it's reflection and go away. Sometimes to stop our self destructive habits, a little outside help can be the trick :). Great vid as always BDG!
I just realised that the "punching himself in the throat" was probably not just a joke because if you keep the idea that "self sabotaging is productive and it means everything will be fine", then him ending up hurting himself while saying that he didn't think he was going to hit anything just drives the point of "it's not good for you" home way more.
I think it's really nice that at the end of the song, he now refers to the bird as "my _favorite_ lesser goldfinch". What subtle and sweet character development.
Lyrics to this perfect song: It's nesting season, which means a lesser goldfinch comes to my bedroom window every morning between seven and nine. And then she fights with the bird inside my window, not knowing that she's fighting herself and her territory is fine. And when I watch her I wonder if she'll ever know that all her worries are nothing but a trick of the light And she could save most of her energy if she simply just chose not to fight. And then I think of myself and all my worries, my stressors and my hurries, maybe the biggest ones are self-imposed. Or maybe my window goldfinch knows something that I don't... SO just to be safe I suppose I'll FIGHT EVERY REFLECTION I SEE 'Cause it could just be me, or it could be another me that's stuck inside and tryin' to get free DON'T YOU KNOW I'M READY TO BRAWL?! Just in case there's a small chance that one of them is a doppelgänger that wants to steal all of my seeds and my sticks! They're my needs, I can't fix my nest if this handsome asshole keeps on making faces at me! Not a bird, I'm a man, but I will, and I can punch you right in the throat if you get too close just wait and see! And so I'm grateful my favorite lesser goldfinch keeps tapping at my window because I think it is surely a sign That if I keep up with my self-sabotaging, it's actually productive, and it means that everything will be fine. *Glass shatters* Oh my god. Oh my god! I didn't think you were...I didn't...I didn't know that you were going -- you, I HIT you! In the throat! And I didn't think I was going to hit anything. I am so sorry. I'm so sorry! Do we, um, you need Brian Doppelgänger Gilbert: *cough* Brian David Gilbert: I could call someone? I don't, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry? Brian Doppelgänger Gilbert: It's fine.
This song on ironically have made me feel a lot better I'm currently stressing out about A ton of things because my husband and I are planning to have a baby soon and I'm just worried about everything. The song actually really made me smiling for a moment allowed me to just relax and tell myself everything will be okay
@heliveruscalion9124 Dont believe that guy, all the eggs in your nest are totally yours. I'm definitely not a parasititc species of bird that lays its eggs in another birds nest. EVERYTHING IS NORMAL ❤😂
Same here, actually truly boiled down to the bone good tips. Especially the "Trick of the light" "choose not to fight" and that my anxiety prob is 99% self imposed. I caused it myself by not taking care of myself.
The look on his face as the song pauses while he considers the idea that maybe that finch is onto something. It's such a good face of "I just had a dumb idea/realization, but it sounds good in my head, so let's do it."
Considering that it ends with a second him, it might actually be the explanation to how both that and "earn $20k EVERY MONTH by being your own boss!" Are connected.
@@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 true. Maybe it even goes "we love watching birds" > this > "welcome to the neighborhood" > "earn $20k EVERY MONTH by being your own boss!"
I love when BDG gets all psychological and then just reverts back to chaos mode when it gets too real. This is definitely one of my favorite BDG videos.
this feels like a sequel to "we like watching birds" and also to "this song is not a metaphor" and also to "i'm not superstitious but i am afraid to prune my money tree" and also to everything bdg has ever done
The shift into relative minor at 0:13ish is just stupidly beautiful. BDG i want your skills and ear. Seriously, he is a MASTER at capturing emotion and enrapturing his listeners, plus the skill to make it funny. Speaking of this, i just watched pumpkin cowboy again and teared up.
My anxiety has been really bad the past few days, and I’ve started listening to this song on a loop whenever I’ve gotten stressed out. I’ve not tried out fighting my reflection yet, but this is very good for at least making me smile.
I feel like the BDG beard era is distinct and I'm so excited to be here for it (been here since late polygon era). Also this video is delightful, definitely in my favorites of yours, and I will be rewatching this one just as much as I rewatch all your other amazing songs. I've probably made so many people watch WLWB, TIARIMH, and IWTICWH
In my teenage years I used to be obsessed with Rhett & Link, watched GMM every morning religiously and all that - eventually slowly fell off from watching their stuff and moved on to other things But then there was something about Brian's facial expressions at 1:13 that gave off such intense Rhett energy that I felt like for a second everything had come full circle and I was back where I started Truly the illusion of character development
Am I the only one who, every time I remember the existence of BDG, spends the next few days watching all these songs on a loop and the next few nights trying to sleep despite the fact the songs are still looping in my brain?
Love to see lesser goldfinches getting the recognition they deserve! I have one who comes around every spring and wakes me up at dawn and i honestly can't be mad because it's such a beautiful bird
i've learned what its like to have a bird fight itself every morning in your bedroom window and i just wanna say i do not appreciate being woken up by this metaphor
Same man I got to watch some of Brian's content like some unraveled with my mom and she did think he was a funny guy I am so mad she passed away before the ABBA songs she would have found those so funny
Not only do I love Brian's content but I love how quickly the views climb shortly after posting because it shows how many people are going " BRIAN POSTED A NEW VIDEO?! HOLD EVERYTHING!" and immediately watch it 😂💜🖤 Stay awesome BDG
So true, BDG is legit the only creator I'll watch immediately when I see a new vid in my feed no matter what I'm doing... I've snuck off to the bathroom at work & paused actual conversations to watch. And always worth it!
Another banger from BDG that toes the line between lighthearted observation and existential dread 💗💚 plus a treat for real-life bird fans :) the lesser goldfinch rocks
Sleep deprivation made me read this as "another banger from BDG's toes" and now I'm disappointed he hasn't ever made a song entirely using his toes (he defo could)
Brian david gilbert, listen. Not everything you make is gold, much yes, not everything. But sometimes something you make has the power to take control of me as I run out if my office shouting in the streets “Yes! it is here have you heard it!? You poor souls could never understand! The music has shattered my oppressive shackles! I will not be caged!” And I listen to the glory that is milk from gods bosom pouring into my ears. And it makes my day. This is one of those bangers. Thank you.
Brian I just watched the new Adventure Time episode and I was absolutely thrilled when I realized you were voice acting in it. Congrats man. I felt a parasocial need to congradulate you! Fantastic performance by the way!
Im so happy for everyone in the comments who know about music theory explaining why BDGs stuff is always so good. I don't know anything so im just vibing
0:44 the transition between such a soft contemplative gaze and a bombastic intense stare brimming with character is soooooo great. I fucking love eyebrows.
It's the opposite season here in the southern hemisphere, but I'll be sure to play this for my pet duck in a few months when she becomes broody again, decides I'm simultaneously her mate and the enemy of eggkind, and spends her days both displaying to me and biting me.
Glad to see that even in the midst of his worries, stressors, and hurries, BDG is still doing the good work of the bird god and watching birds (that are also watching him, and potentially his reflection).
I was just dealing with a bird fighting its reflection in my window a literal minute before this was uploaded. Nesting Season is going strong this year.
This song seems so random but it tells such a relatable message about how sometimes we’re the ones who cause our own conflicts in life. Bdg really knows how to hit hard with this.
I'm kinda blown away by the harmonies, melody, editing, writing, etc. This video feels like such a masterpiece and I really can't stop listening to it. I must have watched the damn video literally 50 times sequentially when it came out. BDG, if you see this, just know that you're goated in my eyes, and this piece brings me so much joy
OH MY GOODNESS BRIAN THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST ONES YET!!!! An EXTREME banger of a song, i can already hear it bouncing around my skull for days. ALSO WHAT A DEEP AND BEAUTIFUL MESSAGE??? Wasting so much energy fighting only an illusion... that hits so hard. SO so much of our mental energy is spent beating ourselves up, sometimes without us being aware of it. We, just like the goldfinch, think it's the only way to keep ourselves safe.
This is wonderful! I wish I’d seen this BEFORE I talked to my psychiatrist this morning though, explaining that it’s nesting season probably would’ve helped clear up what’s going on with me the past few weeks.
I listed this song 30 hrs into my 2nd all-nighter work shift in 2 weeks and Brian convinced me to go to sleep before I do something self-sabotaging that I'd regret. Thank you Brian.
this song is so fucking catchy on just a musical level even before you get to the lyrics and comedy. It has been stuck in my head for days Ive watched it a dozen times now. BDG is a genius
goddddd the melody progression from "seeds and sticks" to "just wait and see" is so fucking bomb, I haven't been able to get it out of my head since I first heard it. Especially at "not a bird, I'm a man, but I will and I can", serious chicken skin shiver moment type deal. Absolutely top shelf music.
This is the kind of content I subscribed to Rhett and Link for way back when -- the entertaining, eccentric songs that are catchy but not too serious. It's like I've found that niche again! Thx BDG
I say this without a shred of exaggeration, that this is one of the best things I've ever seen on UA-cam and absolutely the most memorable / impactful thing I've seen this year. Thanks for making such a special reminder to treat ourselves better. 💖💖💖
there's something extremely funny also in the concept that he spent all this time writing, editing and producing this well made existentialist song and video in the time he could have spent putting a sticker on the outside of his window
Brian David Gilbert, You're content is so meaningful and so fucking profound sometimes, even when its just about birds slamming into windows. Its all so authentically you and I personally appreciate all this new representation for the birdwatching community. Dont you ever give up your authenticity for anyone, you're a God damn delight as you are, sir.
This song makes me think Brian is learning to accept his appearance more and has been working on his anxiety. I relate sp hard to this interpretation of mirror related anxiety as a trans person tbh, especially earlier in my transition. I keep coming back to this song to help relieve that tension and try to stop focusing so much on my self sabotaging behaviors. Really a beautiful song Brian. It was nice to see you call yourself handsome in this video tho! Hope all the nice comments helps Brian! Love you music and the more emotional peices always seems to help people in ways that are hard to articulate. Thank you for your music
It’s nesting season which means the foolish human doesn't seal their windows releasing the mirror realm's boundary line And then he just sees me attacking his window not knowing that he's a step away from being replaced by a mime And when I watch him I wonder if he'll ever know that all his worries are just as fleeting as his life And that the world would collapse in a day if we simply just chose not to fight
I don’t know how you keep making these bangers that are completely original, incredibly creative and funny, and somehow layered with meaning. Also musically interesting and very well produced. You’re so good at what you do!
brian david gilbert you are one of the best songwriters and singers i know. the chord progression here is SO satisfying and the lyrics rhyme so perfectly. i love this!!!!
Lyrics [Verse 1] It’s nesting season which means a lesser goldfinch Comes to my bedroom window Every morning between seven and nine And then she fights with the bird inside my window Not knowing that she’s fighting herself And her territory is fine And when I watch her I wonder if she’ll ever know That all her worries are nothing but a trick of the light And she could save most of her energy If she simply just chose not to fight [Verse 2] And then I think of myself and all my worries My strеssors and my hurries Maybe the biggеst ones are self imposed Or maybe my window goldfinch knows something that I don’t So just to be safe I suppose I’ll... [Chorus] Fight every reflection that I see 'Cause it could just be me Or it could be another me that’s stuck inside And tryin’ to get free Don’t you know I’m ready to brawl? Just in case there’s a small chance that one of them is a doppelganger That wants to steal all of my seeds and my sticks! They’re my needs, I can’t fix my nest If this handsome asshole keeps on making faces at me! Not a bird, I’m a man But I will, and I can Punch you right in the throat if you get too close just wait and see! [Verse 3] And so I’m grateful my favorite lesser goldfinch Keeps tapping at my window Because I think it is surely a sign That if keep up with my self sabotaging It’s actually productive, and it means that everything will be fine [] Oh my god. Oh my god! I didn't think you were... I didn't... I didn't know that you were going-you I HIT you! In the throat! And I didn't think that I was going to hit anything I am so sorry I'm so sorry! Do we, um, you need... I could call someone? I don't, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry? It's fine
The bit at the end where he finally hits his own reflection then feels bad is also a part of the metaphor i feel. Him hitting his reflection is a metaphor for self sabotage - i.e. hurting his future self. While apologizing, he stops him self from saying "I didnt think you were real" - which imo sounds like when youre having trouble imaging your future self as real, and only feeling bad about your actions when youre confronted with that fact.
BDG really knows his audience, he knows we love watching birds!
you fucking better like watching birds. we must fulfil the wishes of our god
As well as stealing chicken bones from the garbage behind Applebee's
Yeah in the we like watching birds hat
And they love watching you!
We better or else, the bdg god will strike us down
At this point we need a playlist of "BDG songs about a minor issue that are actually a metaphor for how anxiety traps us in a prison of our own making but also still about the first thing."
Except the one about caterpillars, that one's not a metaphor
@@foultarnished3134 Well obviously not that one
“There is a rock in my house”?
I'm on it
I've made the playlist with the songs that I feel fit the topic, what should it be called?
“All of her worries are nothing but a trick of the light” that line hit me harder then it should have
SUCH a good line. (And ditto.)
A TRICK OF THE LIGHT THAN TO LOVE YOU TONIGHT , YOU DONT UNDERSTAND! MAYBE ALL YOU NEED IS A SOFT FUZZY MAN.
Hell yeah, I love Lemon Demon! Funny to see it referenced here
as a newly minted woman, the "her" in that line is just so very relevant...
on the bright side, he's reached a level of confidence that he can call his reflection "handsome", so maybe soon he'll be able to wear hats without looking like a little lad
Or looking like a little league dad
@@cyankoopa8111 or looking like a guy named chad
But it seems like his head will have to stay without a bowler or beret
@@rachelf5466 lest someone sees me and they say "is that his style or bad cosplay"
@@richio7988 I wish he had no fears about looking like he had no ears
I like how for most of the song Brian is just ready to brawl but as soon as he actually hits something he immediately goes to make sure his reflection is ok
How's the reflection going to get back though?
@@1TW1-m5i road trip comedy movie
What a mood tho
He even said that he would punch you in the throat if you got too close, so I guess he was right in the end!
He was ready to brawl, but unprepared for his victory.
I like that his first reaction when a clone of himself comes out of a mirror he punched is checking if he's fine
Yeah but imagine being the other guy and just being cool and forgiving about being punched in the throat.
@@Aejums Franky, from their perspective, they've just been punched out of nowhere by their own reflection, stunned and incapacitated. I'd just be relieved my window me is apologising and that it's an accident and not an active attempt to kill me at that point.
@@Lunam_D._Roger They were also punching their own reflection so I suppose they are like, completley understansind that it was a accident since they themselves were doing it.
@@creditsunknown7974 given mirror brian got punched because he tried to finish with a flourish while true brian kept the percussion going I think it's safe to say this is some sort of duo act they had worked out but hadn't *quite* perfected by the point the song started up
Well, I'm sure he feels a lot of sympathy since the person he hit is also himself.
If you have a bird that flies into your window or attacks your window, please get a peelable window cling for it. It frosts the window so they know it's glass and then won't hurt themselves, you can get them in patterns or just solid frosting to make it opaque. It really helps to protect wildlife and it's not hard to take off if you're renting a place
And put it on the outside of the glass, as I have read that things put on inside don’t disrupt the reflection enough.
Thank you! ❤
Also if you cannot find one of those just stick a BUNCH of stickynotes to the window to make it look as though 1. there is no reflection bird and 2. they cannot fly through the gaps
YES. metaphors are great but what about bird safety.
I've been wanting to do this for years but I can never find them. What key words would one use to find such? When I try doing things like bird window vinyls, I just get vinyls OF birds, not things to stop bird strikes. My house has probably killed dozens. They hit my giant windows daily.
As someone who finds themself wanting to fight every mirror and reflection I see, I feel like this was made for me
As someone who is a reflection that's constantly worried everyone will fight me, this content has increased my anxiety.
Have you checked to see if you're actually a lesser goldfinch?
as a lesser goldfinch who always fucks up some random bird near my nest at the start of nesting season i feel like this was made for me
@green mayo man🇺🇦 hi
BDD?
1:04 that vocal repetition with "all of my seeds and my sticks - they're my needs, I can't fix" is so good and so satisfying!!
big fan of the "but i will, and i can" phasing and harmonies, audible velvet
Mmmm yes...
I mean not if this handsome a hole keeps on making faces at me
“Not a bird, I’m a man, but I will, and I can.” This line makes me laugh more than it should.
It's my favourite line in a song full of favourite lines.
I love how it gets briefly deep and then keeps on grooving. 😂
And then gets really deep again
It's more like it gets so deep it circles back to shallow again
It's the BDG way
That’s BDG’s whole thing I love it
I mean it's still deep, just like sarcastically deep
This genre of “Minor inconveniences that I write songs about” is my favorite
You're gonna freak out when you find Tom Cardy
The Beatles got famous with songs that were far less important.
Time to play the game of “silly song or terrifying horror?”
somehow, it's very much both
@@gerpity as usual
It’s just a silly song! There is no mirror dimension! Your doppelgängers are not watching you at this very moment, why would you even think that??
Yes
Somehow both
BDG at it again
“She could save most of her energy if she simply just chose not to fight” - that’s like 90% of OCD counselling treatment right there in a lyric 😂
This song as a whole works well for ocd
I'm a birder with severe ocd who was just now exposed to this song and nothing has ever spoken to me like this lol
this song is such a delightful listen for ocd yeah LMAO
I get immense joy that I can't justify from the fact that when his reflection is hit in the throat, he's just desperately trying to tell Brian he forgives him.
And we can see he's trying not to say he thought the other Brian wasn't real too, in case it comes across as rude
I get immense joy that I CAN justify from the fact that despite Brian's mirror doppelgänger being REAL, it never actually meant him any harm, meaning his fears were STILL unfounded and the song's initial message is maintained.
It really feels like he learned the right lessons from watching those birds
It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti hero
The line of being grateful for the goldfinch tapping at the window really hits me deep in the "when you think about it, always being on guard is good because then you can never be hurt, just ignore how you're still hurting" place :)
If only being able to identify the behavior could also remedy it :/
I have waited so long to hear this man sing about birds again
It's his best theme.
Came back to rewatch this and shocked to find it's only 1:57 minutes long. It definitely holds on outsized space in my memory.
I love how this dips into a more sincere reflection for a bit and then completely throws out any actual reflection and commits to self-sabotage. It’s a nice look into how even if your self-aware it’s hard to actually stop doing stuff like this.
i just started laying eggs and spending 12 hours of every day fighting a reflection of myself instead of giving them the warmth they need, so i appreciate these helpful lyrics
I just drop them in a body of water hoping preditors don't find them
You could also try burying them on a sandy beach, to be hatched by a high tide.
I find that burying mine in compost is a good solution
Try throwing them off a building
The real strat is putting them in another bird's nest, then they're not your problem anymore until you feel like coming back around to pick em up
The best thing about BDG's silly little novelty songs is that he doesn't skip out on the tune and rhyme scheme, they actually slap as hard as his regular music
This gets said a lot, but it needs to be said again: this man is a genius.
As a composer, I always watch his videos several times to appreciate the music and incredible harmonies. As an artist, I watch several times to just to marvel at the incredible editing/greenscreening skill this man has. As a person who loves comedy, I watch several times for the smiles. And as an anxious adhder, I watch several times to heal my soul because somehow nobody expresses the minor yet massive, meaningless and yet most meaningful worries and thoughts that constantly flood my brain in such a relatable and somehow enjoyable way like BDG.
Thank you for your service, sir.
YES! Well said. Such an amazing mix of talents within this piece! It's like I'm watching my mind's projection in tandem; something I can connect strongly to, see it expressed, know I am not currently qualified to manifest nearly to this level, all while inspiring me to continue learning and developing my own creative skills and remind me to attack stressful events with comedy. I am sooooo happy BDG created it, shared it and that my family sent it to me! I too, thank BDG.
Most of the time with comedic songs, the music becomes absolute background unimportance, and the lyrics simply exist for the sake of being goofy and nothing more, but you've said what I've observed about BDG's music better than I could ever say it.
Thank you for making this comment so i don't have to spend an hour outlining and crafting a novella in the comments to say much the same things, but in different words.
Brian is a genius, and i have enjoyed everything he's made.
The only thing i want to add that might not have been mentioned yet,
is the incredibly realistic "interaction" with his reflection after he accidentally punched himself in the throat lol
“The minor yet massive, meaningless and yet most meaningful worries that constantly flood my brain” god I love that quote thank you
Seconded all of this (but especially relistening for the harmonies)
I love the intimacy of the more self-reflective moment. The reverb drops, no video effects, just you standing there in a genuine moment of vulnerable thought.
Very effective and beautiful, honestly.
It also helps the comedy as well, very well made
And then followed up with the most unhinged and funny take he possibly could have, truly a master of balancing extremes
The trick of the light line is actually is unironic genius. Not just the line itself but the way it briefly switches into a…different key.. I don’t know which one, I don’t know the special name right now. The harmonies on it are beautiful, the meaning of it as a metaphor, it’s just SO GOOD. I want to learn this now
So the song's in F major, and the 'trick of the light' bit goes into D minor, which is the relative minor of F major, which means it has the same key signature and uses the same notes but in different ways to create a completely different sound and godDAMMIT if this man didn't just use harmonic modulation as a metaphor
@@davidharris8496 OH I LOVE THAT! Thank you for the clarification!
The degree that this misses the point of where I thought he was going with this is why I love BDG's songs. It's almost self reflective (no pun intended) and then decides "you know what, maybe the finch is right. Maybe I need to keep fighting myself."
That part is just as self-reflective as the former part! It's just that the reflection of that section is on the absurdity of the ways our self-destructive behaviors/habits present themselves when looking from the outside-in and the ways that we justify them and enable their progression.
And the fact that all of that can be communicated with the façade of "I'mma fight my own reflection all the time now and pick up other bird behaviors" is also why I love his songs so much too ☺
@@eeveeinspace This exactly. I feel the same way.
it is self reflective in the sense of him seeing his reflection
Discovering that brian seems to genuinenly enjoy birdwatching really is one of the best thing in the last few years
BDG knows how to survive every horror movie. Imagine watching some classic demon trying to pull bloody mary shenanigans, but before they can even start the dude on the other side of the mirror just decks them out of raw instinct
Unbeatable
i don't watch a lot of horror movies but the idea of someone trying to punch the mirror demon and their arm being consumed or turned to goop simply by being in physical contact with it sounds like an amazing early scare
@@nerdywolverine8640 nah he’s on guard so that won’t happen he’s just gonna deck that fucker
@@nerdywolverine8640 that's just a comedy at that point, the audience is pointing and laughing at the asshole who tried to punch his reflection like a cat
@@tabruc4186 but it wouldn't be his reflection?
0:40 is my favorite part where it goes from "i have a weird bird at my window" to "REFLECTIONS MIGHT BE EVIL"
For all those struggling with birds fighting thier windows- please put a window cling on! It will keep your feathered friends alive another year! ❤🎉
but i want all birds to die because i hate them and they are bad for everything
A hanging cd can also be good! It’s reflective
That won't stop bird attacks, only bird collisions unfortunately. You can paint your windows with non-toxic water based paint during nesting season to stop attacks.
gonna get a window cling on of a klingon clinging on to their bat'leth and ready to do battle with any feathered fiends!
@@awbeans982just swat them with a broom
All things considered, this song still feels super lighthearted and was an awesome way to start the morning. ❤
You posted this as soon as it was uploaded before listening to it, liar
disagree this cut me very deep and I have regrets about watching before having coffee
but also it's a bop and I love it
I wish I could wake up at 12pm
@@ghostl3 my dude we most definitely live in different time zones it is still mid morning where I'm at
If you find this actually happening to you, putting something up to break the reflection, like paper, can help as the bird won't be able to see it's reflection and go away.
Sometimes to stop our self destructive habits, a little outside help can be the trick :).
Great vid as always BDG!
+1, absolutely
I just realised that the "punching himself in the throat" was probably not just a joke because if you keep the idea that "self sabotaging is productive and it means everything will be fine", then him ending up hurting himself while saying that he didn't think he was going to hit anything just drives the point of "it's not good for you" home way more.
I think it's really nice that at the end of the song, he now refers to the bird as "my _favorite_ lesser goldfinch".
What subtle and sweet character development.
Lyrics to this perfect song:
It's nesting season, which means a lesser goldfinch comes to my bedroom window every morning between seven and nine.
And then she fights with the bird inside my window, not knowing that she's fighting herself and her territory is fine.
And when I watch her I wonder if she'll ever know that all her worries are nothing but a trick of the light
And she could save most of her energy if she simply just chose not to fight.
And then I think of myself and all my worries, my stressors and my hurries, maybe the biggest ones are self-imposed.
Or maybe my window goldfinch knows something that I don't...
SO just to be safe I suppose I'll
FIGHT EVERY REFLECTION I SEE
'Cause it could just be me, or it could be another me that's stuck inside and tryin' to get free
DON'T YOU KNOW I'M READY TO BRAWL?!
Just in case there's a small chance that one of them is a doppelgänger that wants to steal all of my seeds and my sticks!
They're my needs, I can't fix my nest if this handsome asshole keeps on making faces at me!
Not a bird, I'm a man, but I will, and I can punch you right in the throat if you get too close just wait and see!
And so I'm grateful my favorite lesser goldfinch keeps tapping at my window because I think it is surely a sign
That if I keep up with my self-sabotaging, it's actually productive, and it means that everything will be fine.
*Glass shatters* Oh my god. Oh my god! I didn't think you were...I didn't...I didn't know that you were going -- you, I HIT you! In the throat!
And I didn't think I was going to hit anything. I am so sorry. I'm so sorry! Do we, um, you need
Brian Doppelgänger Gilbert: *cough*
Brian David Gilbert: I could call someone? I don't, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry?
Brian Doppelgänger Gilbert: It's fine.
Thank you so much 🙏🙏🙏 I was coming this close to trying to type it out myself because I had to scroll so far to find this
Thank you so much
*BRIAN DOPPELGANGER GILBERT*
@DeJesus94 'Tis how I wrote these. For myself it was nice to memorize with necessarily watching the video.
@@xandra7211 For what it's worth, this video is captioned with accurate captions so you wouldn't *have* to go to such trouble if you didn't want to.
Rhett's solo stuff hits different
it is amazing how BDG can take inspiration from small little things happening around him and turn them into amazing, goofy, surprisingly deep videos
This song on ironically have made me feel a lot better I'm currently stressing out about A ton of things because my husband and I are planning to have a baby soon and I'm just worried about everything. The song actually really made me smiling for a moment allowed me to just relax and tell myself everything will be okay
just remember to build a larger than necessary next and fill it with a few rocks to disguise your eggs from birds of prey 😊
@heliveruscalion9124 Dont believe that guy, all the eggs in your nest are totally yours. I'm definitely not a parasititc species of bird that lays its eggs in another birds nest. EVERYTHING IS NORMAL ❤😂
Same here, actually truly boiled down to the bone good tips. Especially the "Trick of the light" "choose not to fight" and that my anxiety prob is 99% self imposed. I caused it myself by not taking care of myself.
Good luck! You’ll do it great I’m sure!
The look on his face as the song pauses while he considers the idea that maybe that finch is onto something. It's such a good face of "I just had a dumb idea/realization, but it sounds good in my head, so let's do it."
The sequel to we love watching birds is sounding pretty good
Considering that it ends with a second him, it might actually be the explanation to how both that and "earn $20k EVERY MONTH by being your own boss!" Are connected.
@@runedoom Or maybe it's the mysterious technology from "Welcome to the Neighborhood".
@@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 true. Maybe it even goes "we love watching birds" > this > "welcome to the neighborhood" > "earn $20k EVERY MONTH by being your own boss!"
I love when BDG gets all psychological and then just reverts back to chaos mode when it gets too real. This is definitely one of my favorite BDG videos.
this feels like a sequel to "we like watching birds" and also to "this song is not a metaphor" and also to "i'm not superstitious but i am afraid to prune my money tree" and also to everything bdg has ever done
The shift into relative minor at 0:13ish is just stupidly beautiful. BDG i want your skills and ear. Seriously, he is a MASTER at capturing emotion and enrapturing his listeners, plus the skill to make it funny. Speaking of this, i just watched pumpkin cowboy again and teared up.
My anxiety has been really bad the past few days, and I’ve started listening to this song on a loop whenever I’ve gotten stressed out. I’ve not tried out fighting my reflection yet, but this is very good for at least making me smile.
why must all the little ditties you write be so wonderful and comical yet so heartbreakingly real and relatable (this is a very good thing i love it)
1:36 Finish him off, Brian!
I feel like the BDG beard era is distinct and I'm so excited to be here for it (been here since late polygon era). Also this video is delightful, definitely in my favorites of yours, and I will be rewatching this one just as much as I rewatch all your other amazing songs.
I've probably made so many people watch WLWB, TIARIMH, and IWTICWH
I feel both proud and ashamed of how quickly I figured out exactly what all of those acronyms were. have I watched all of BDG's content too much??
We like watching birds, There is a rock inside my house and i wish that I could wear hats
In my teenage years I used to be obsessed with Rhett & Link, watched GMM every morning religiously and all that - eventually slowly fell off from watching their stuff and moved on to other things
But then there was something about Brian's facial expressions at 1:13 that gave off such intense Rhett energy that I felt like for a second everything had come full circle and I was back where I started
Truly the illusion of character development
Holy shit you're right oh my god. Oh my god. That's an old memory that I didn't even notice. Wow.
Oh my gosh I’m so glad I’m not the only person who thought that
I WAS THINKING THAT
I'm so glad I'm not the only one who had that vivid impression
oh my glob ! i thought the same thing !
Am I the only one who, every time I remember the existence of BDG, spends the next few days watching all these songs on a loop and the next few nights trying to sleep despite the fact the songs are still looping in my brain?
Love to see lesser goldfinches getting the recognition they deserve! I have one who comes around every spring and wakes me up at dawn and i honestly can't be mad because it's such a beautiful bird
Yeah, I'm tired of seeing lesser goldfinches being treated as lesser goldfinches. They are great goldfinches!
Hadn't had a combination of existentialism and birds hit me this hard since Hatoful Boyfriend. Thank you BDG! :)
A FELLOW (HU)MAN OF CULTURE I SEE
@@chameowmile I'm honoured! (And thank you for chiming in, I'm always happy to hear from fellow HB players ^^)
I love counting the seconds it takes for BDG's songs to go from cutesy to confusingly terrifying. 40 seconds.
i've learned what its like to have a bird fight itself every morning in your bedroom window and i just wanna say i do not appreciate being woken up by this metaphor
I wish I could share this with my mom. She would've loved the humor and the very specific bird philosophy.
Thank you Brian. Miss you mom.
Same man I got to watch some of Brian's content like some unraveled with my mom and she did think he was a funny guy I am so mad she passed away before the ABBA songs she would have found those so funny
Hope you’re doing good
Sorry for your loss
@@ThatNerdKayla hope you’re doing good
Not only do I love Brian's content but I love how quickly the views climb shortly after posting because it shows how many people are going " BRIAN POSTED A NEW VIDEO?! HOLD EVERYTHING!" and immediately watch it 😂💜🖤 Stay awesome BDG
So true, BDG is legit the only creator I'll watch immediately when I see a new vid in my feed no matter what I'm doing... I've snuck off to the bathroom at work & paused actual conversations to watch. And always worth it!
Been watching him since 500-ish subscribers, my favourite channel.
Babe wake up, _Brian David Gilbert just posted-_ 🤣
Another banger from BDG that toes the line between lighthearted observation and existential dread 💗💚 plus a treat for real-life bird fans :) the lesser goldfinch rocks
Sleep deprivation made me read this as "another banger from BDG's toes" and now I'm disappointed he hasn't ever made a song entirely using his toes (he defo could)
Started this morning with an annoying song stuck in my head to be replaced with this. Thank you for saving my brain and sanity, Brian!
Brian david gilbert, listen. Not everything you make is gold, much yes, not everything. But sometimes something you make has the power to take control of me as I run out if my office shouting in the streets “Yes! it is here have you heard it!? You poor souls could never understand! The music has shattered my oppressive shackles! I will not be caged!” And I listen to the glory that is milk from gods bosom pouring into my ears. And it makes my day.
This is one of those bangers. Thank you.
Brian I just watched the new Adventure Time episode and I was absolutely thrilled when I realized you were voice acting in it. Congrats man. I felt a parasocial need to congradulate you! Fantastic performance by the way!
"I wonder if she'll ever know that all her worries are a trick of the light" is such a good line -- cuts right to the core
Im so happy for everyone in the comments who know about music theory explaining why BDGs stuff is always so good. I don't know anything so im just vibing
0:44 the transition between such a soft contemplative gaze and a bombastic intense stare brimming with character is soooooo great. I fucking love eyebrows.
It's the opposite season here in the southern hemisphere, but I'll be sure to play this for my pet duck in a few months when she becomes broody again, decides I'm simultaneously her mate and the enemy of eggkind, and spends her days both displaying to me and biting me.
I feel like Brian is just slowly progressing towards being a real life druid with every new video
Glad to see that even in the midst of his worries, stressors, and hurries, BDG is still doing the good work of the bird god and watching birds (that are also watching him, and potentially his reflection).
Incredible, perfect, contained relatable self awareness and birds being silly 10/10
I was just dealing with a bird fighting its reflection in my window a literal minute before this was uploaded. Nesting Season is going strong this year.
With the amount of sentient reflections we've seen in Brian's videos I think fighting every reflection he finds is a fair decision to make
This song seems so random but it tells such a relatable message about how sometimes we’re the ones who cause our own conflicts in life. Bdg really knows how to hit hard with this.
I'm kinda blown away by the harmonies, melody, editing, writing, etc. This video feels like such a masterpiece and I really can't stop listening to it. I must have watched the damn video literally 50 times sequentially when it came out. BDG, if you see this, just know that you're goated in my eyes, and this piece brings me so much joy
OH MY GOODNESS BRIAN THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST ONES YET!!!!
An EXTREME banger of a song, i can already hear it bouncing around my skull for days. ALSO WHAT A DEEP AND BEAUTIFUL MESSAGE??? Wasting so much energy fighting only an illusion... that hits so hard. SO so much of our mental energy is spent beating ourselves up, sometimes without us being aware of it. We, just like the goldfinch, think it's the only way to keep ourselves safe.
This is wonderful! I wish I’d seen this BEFORE I talked to my psychiatrist this morning though, explaining that it’s nesting season probably would’ve helped clear up what’s going on with me the past few weeks.
I listed this song 30 hrs into my 2nd all-nighter work shift in 2 weeks and Brian convinced me to go to sleep before I do something self-sabotaging that I'd regret. Thank you Brian.
happy nesting season to the grackles and the white winged doves! Also to the birds that aren't native to my area lol
This is great it’s nice seeing Brain express himself through these silly little videos
this song is so fucking catchy on just a musical level even before you get to the lyrics and comedy. It has been stuck in my head for days Ive watched it a dozen times now. BDG is a genius
This song goes so HARD and it has no right to be this catchy
for some reason every time I listened to this i always heard 'STEAL ALL OF MY SKITS AND MY STICK' but the real one makes a lot more since
Really loving the melodies in this, especially "so just in case I'll.... FIGHT EVERY REFLECTION I SEE" 😂❤
This song is amazing, I’m so glad you started singing about birds again:D
Brian is a master of making one minute feel like five. I thought the two minute video was done but it wasn't even halfway done.
Upon hearing the line "fight every reflection I see", everything has came together.
goddddd the melody progression from "seeds and sticks" to "just wait and see" is so fucking bomb, I haven't been able to get it out of my head since I first heard it. Especially at "not a bird, I'm a man, but I will and I can", serious chicken skin shiver moment type deal. Absolutely top shelf music.
This is the kind of content I subscribed to Rhett and Link for way back when -- the entertaining, eccentric songs that are catchy but not too serious. It's like I've found that niche again! Thx BDG
That shift from emotionally genuine self-reflection to hilariously fighting every reflection was just 🤌🏻🤌🏻
I say this without a shred of exaggeration, that this is one of the best things I've ever seen on UA-cam and absolutely the most memorable / impactful thing I've seen this year. Thanks for making such a special reminder to treat ourselves better. 💖💖💖
As someone who has been fighting their reflection for like 14 years
This validates me
there's something extremely funny also in the concept that he spent all this time writing, editing and producing this well made existentialist song and video in the time he could have spent putting a sticker on the outside of his window
Brian David Gilbert, You're content is so meaningful and so fucking profound sometimes, even when its just about birds slamming into windows. Its all so authentically you and I personally appreciate all this new representation for the birdwatching community. Dont you ever give up your authenticity for anyone, you're a God damn delight as you are, sir.
This song makes me think Brian is learning to accept his appearance more and has been working on his anxiety. I relate sp hard to this interpretation of mirror related anxiety as a trans person tbh, especially earlier in my transition. I keep coming back to this song to help relieve that tension and try to stop focusing so much on my self sabotaging behaviors. Really a beautiful song Brian.
It was nice to see you call yourself handsome in this video tho! Hope all the nice comments helps Brian! Love you music and the more emotional peices always seems to help people in ways that are hard to articulate. Thank you for your music
It’s nesting season which means the foolish human
doesn't seal their windows releasing the mirror realm's boundary line
And then he just sees me attacking his window
not knowing that he's a step away from being replaced by a mime
And when I watch him I wonder if he'll ever know
that all his worries are just as fleeting as his life
And that the world would collapse in a day if we simply just chose not to fight
Dang
He needs to make this too
Brian's channel is becoming a combination between an art project and a journal. I love it!
you didn't have to personally attack me like this! I had it covered!!
(thank you so much this was glorious)
I don’t know how you keep making these bangers that are completely original, incredibly creative and funny, and somehow layered with meaning. Also musically interesting and very well produced. You’re so good at what you do!
brian david gilbert you are one of the best songwriters and singers i know. the chord progression here is SO satisfying and the lyrics rhyme so perfectly. i love this!!!!
BDG has had like a hundred different looks and all of them are immediately recognisable as BDG. This man has the megalomania of faces
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
It’s nesting season which means a lesser goldfinch
Comes to my bedroom window
Every morning between seven and nine
And then she fights with the bird inside my window
Not knowing that she’s fighting herself
And her territory is fine
And when I watch her
I wonder if she’ll ever know
That all her worries are nothing but a trick of the light
And she could save most of her energy
If she simply just chose not to fight
[Verse 2]
And then I think of myself and all my worries
My strеssors and my hurries
Maybe the biggеst ones are self imposed
Or maybe my window goldfinch knows something that I don’t
So just to be safe I suppose I’ll...
[Chorus]
Fight every reflection that I see
'Cause it could just be me
Or it could be another me that’s stuck inside
And tryin’ to get free
Don’t you know I’m ready to brawl?
Just in case there’s a small chance that one of them is a doppelganger
That wants to steal all of my seeds and my sticks!
They’re my needs, I can’t fix my nest
If this handsome asshole keeps on making faces at me!
Not a bird, I’m a man
But I will, and I can
Punch you right in the throat if you get too close just wait and see!
[Verse 3]
And so I’m grateful my favorite lesser goldfinch
Keeps tapping at my window
Because I think it is surely a sign
That if keep up with my self sabotaging
It’s actually productive, and it means that everything will be fine
[]
Oh my god. Oh my god!
I didn't think you were...
I didn't...
I didn't know that you were going-you
I HIT you!
In the throat!
And I didn't think that I was going to hit anything
I am so sorry
I'm so sorry!
Do we, um, you need...
I could call someone?
I don't, I'm so sorry!
I'm so sorry!
I'm so sorry?
It's fine
The sequel to "I've been thinking about caterpillars" that I did not know that I needed, but am so glad to have
The bit at the end where he finally hits his own reflection then feels bad is also a part of the metaphor i feel. Him hitting his reflection is a metaphor for self sabotage - i.e. hurting his future self. While apologizing, he stops him self from saying "I didnt think you were real" - which imo sounds like when youre having trouble imaging your future self as real, and only feeling bad about your actions when youre confronted with that fact.
Its a rare skill to make a song both catchy and funny at the same time. BDG is a rare breed.