“To My Bones” / “As the River Flows” / “In Dictum” | Wallis Bird | TED

Hia. Hia. So, my name is Ted. So, my name is Ted. So, my name is Ted. You're all very welcome to my world. And You're all very welcome to my world. And You're all very welcome to my world. And I'm going to sing you three uh songs. I'm going to sing you three uh songs. I'm going to sing you three uh songs. The first one is for joy. And uh the The first one is for joy. And uh the The first one is for joy. And uh the second one is for humanity and the last second one is for humanity and the last second one is for humanity and the last one is for the heart. So, they're real one is for the heart. So, they're real one is for the heart. So, they're real depressing. You're welcome. See you. depressing. You're welcome. See you. depressing. You're welcome. See you. >> [laughter] >> Okay. >> Okay. All right. This call to my bones. All right. This call to my bones. All right. This call to my bones. [music] We're kissing the lips of strangers. We're kissing the lips of strangers. We're hugging whoever next we meet. Oh We're hugging whoever next we meet. Oh We're hugging whoever next we meet. Oh life, I love you [music] to my bones. life, I love you [music] to my bones. life, I love you [music] to my bones. When everything's shut, we're listless.

When everything's shut, we're listless. When everything's shut, we're listless. Take them home and cook them dinner. I Take them home and cook them dinner. I Take them home and cook them dinner. I [music] say, "Oh life, I love you to my [music] say, "Oh life, I love you to my [music] say, "Oh life, I love you to my bones. [music] Domino's medicine to you. [music] Domino's medicine to you. [singing] [singing] [singing] Take a seat and let it grow. The world Take a seat and let it grow. The world Take a seat and let it grow. The world will love you." will love you." will love you." Woo! Elephants of memory and alphabet of Woo! Elephants of memory and alphabet of Woo! Elephants of memory and alphabet of chemistry. All of these things [singing] chemistry. All of these things [singing] chemistry. All of these things [singing] be laughter and no TV. I've got punches and laughter and no TV. I've got punches and fisty curves and tons and tons of luck. fisty curves and tons and tons of luck. fisty curves and tons and tons of luck. I've got fire sides and Dutch goals. I've got fire sides and Dutch goals. I've got fire sides and Dutch goals. There's no such thing as too old. And my There's no such thing as too old. And my There's no such thing as too old. And my [music] fortune is my home. [music] fortune is my home. [music] fortune is my home. My home and all I know. My home and all I know. My home and all I know. Oh yeah. Because Oh yeah. Because Oh yeah. Because Because Because Because Oh, I love you to my bones. Oh life, I Oh, I love you to my bones. Oh life, I Oh, I love you to my bones. Oh life, I love you to my bones. Oh life, I love love you to my bones. Oh life, I love love you to my bones. Oh life, I love you to my bones. Oh life, I [music] love you to my bones. Oh life, I [music] love you to my bones. Oh life, I [music] love you to my bones. Oh life, I love you to you to my bones. Oh life, I love you to you to my bones. Oh life, I love you to my bones. Oh [singing] life, I [music] my bones. Oh [singing] life, I [music] my bones. Oh [singing] life, I [music] love you to my bones. Oh life, I love love you to my bones. Oh life, I love love you to my bones. Oh life, I love you to my bones. Oh life, I love you to you to my bones. Oh life, I love you to you to my bones. Oh life, I love you to my bones.

my bones. my bones. [music] Thank you again. Thank you again. Okay, this next song is brilliant. It's called As the River Flows and it's It's called As the River Flows and it's in support of migrants and refugees and in support of migrants and refugees and in support of migrants and refugees and in defiance of racism. in defiance of racism. in defiance of racism. [applause] And as a river flows, while you and I And as a river flows, while you and I are made of water, surging into history, are made of water, surging into history, are made of water, surging into history, universal universal universal mystery. mystery. mystery. All in all, we cannot choose [music] All in all, we cannot choose [music] All in all, we cannot choose [music] the life that we were given. So we move the life that we were given. So we move the life that we were given. So we move across the land to sky to sea.

across the land to sky to sea. across the land to sky to sea. Looking for more than we were offered. Looking for more than we were offered. Looking for more than we were offered. Are we not allowed? Are you still where Are we not allowed? Are you still where Are we not allowed? Are you still where your mother pushed you out? I doubt that your mother pushed you out? I doubt that your mother pushed you out? I doubt that this is true. If you can move, then I this is true. If you can move, then I this is true. If you can move, then I will too. will too. will too. To [singing] To [singing] To [singing] to the land, to the sea, to safety, [music] the land, to the sea, to safety, [music] to safety, to safety, to the land, to to safety, to safety, to the land, to to safety, to safety, to the land, to the mouth of the sea, to [singing] the the mouth of the sea, to [singing] the the mouth of the sea, to [singing] the land, to the sea, to safety, to safety, land, to the sea, to safety, to safety, land, to the sea, to safety, to safety, to safety. Overcoming to safety. Overcoming to safety. Overcoming mystery. Oh, overcoming mystery. Oh, what are you? Scared of friendship. what are you? Scared of friendship. [music] [music] [music] Brave enough to pave a basic decency for Brave enough to pave a basic decency for Brave enough to pave a basic decency for [music] humankind.

[music] humankind. [music] humankind. A baby lost its family, lost its life. Don't turn your face away. Don't turn your face away. Don't tell me borders are for jobs and Don't tell me borders are for jobs and Don't tell me borders are for jobs and civic [singing] order. When I know you civic [singing] order. When I know you civic [singing] order. When I know you see it differently, see it differently, see it differently, you want your pallet white. You want it you want your pallet white. You want it you want your pallet white. You want it clean. Walk a mile. Walk 2,000 [music] miles. Walk a mile. Walk 2,000 [music] miles. Walk 3,000 miles to to the land to the Walk 3,000 miles to to the land to the Walk 3,000 miles to to the land to the sea to safety to safety to safety. sea to safety to safety to safety. sea to safety to safety to safety. Overcoming [clears throat and music] Overcoming [clears throat and music] Overcoming [clears throat and music] mystery mystery mystery to safety to safety to safety. to safety to safety to safety. to safety to safety to safety. Overcoming mystery. Overcoming Overcoming mystery. Overcoming mystery. Overcoming mystery. Overcoming mystery. Overcoming mystery. Overcoming mystery. Overcoming mystery. Overcoming [screaming] mystery. Overcoming [screaming] mystery. Overcoming [screaming] [singing] [singing] [singing] mystery. Overcoming mystery. Overcoming mystery. Overcoming mystery. Overcoming mystery. Overcoming mystery. Overcoming [singing] [singing] [singing] mystery. Overcoming mystery. Overcoming mystery. Overcoming mystery. Overcoming mystery. Overcoming mystery. Overcoming mystery. Overcoming mystery. Overcoming mystery. Overcoming mystery.

>> JUST SAFETY. Just say [music] >> JUST SAFETY. Just say [music] to safety. To safety. To safety. Just to to safety. To safety. To safety. Just to to safety. To safety. To safety. Just to safety. To safe. To safety. To safety. safety. To safe. To safety. To safety. safety. To safe. To safety. To safety. To safety. To safety. To safety. To To safety. To safety. To safety. To To safety. To safety. To safety. To safety. to safety. safety. to safety. safety. to safety. [cheering and applause] Wow. Wow. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. I would like to invite my lovely partner I would like to invite my lovely partner I would like to invite my lovely partner on stage for this, Tracy K. Please come on stage for this, Tracy K. Please come on stage for this, Tracy K. Please come on stage. on stage. on stage. [music] [music] [music] [applause] Well, I'll tell you the truth Well, I'll tell you the truth as I only do, my [singing and music] as I only do, my [singing and music] as I only do, my [singing and music] friend.

I'll be living my [singing] youth I'll be living my [singing] youth [music] as I live till my end, my [music] as I live till my end, my [music] as I live till my end, my friend. I've been battered [singing] and I've been battered [singing] and bruised, but it's only a few that have bruised, but it's only a few that have bruised, but it's only a few that have stayed or left. stayed or left. stayed or left. And that's nothing [singing] a hammer, And that's nothing [singing] a hammer, And that's nothing [singing] a hammer, [music] [music] [music] a nail, or my mind couldn't cure. a nail, or my mind couldn't cure. a nail, or my mind couldn't cure. [singing] But I've left people hang on a stick or But I've left people hang on a stick or a word if their grip grew tight. a word if their grip grew tight. a word if their grip grew tight. Oh, the bottles, [singing] the battles, Oh, the bottles, [singing] the battles, Oh, the bottles, [singing] the battles, the bears that I've [music] shared are the bears that I've [music] shared are the bears that I've [music] shared are all mine. all mine. all mine. But the more you hold on to me, [music] the less you can [singing] have of me. the less you can [singing] have of me. >> [music and singing] >> [music and singing] >> [music and singing] >> The more you hold on to me, >> The more you hold on to me, >> The more you hold on to me, the less I am [singing and music] the less I am [singing and music] the less I am [singing and music] yours to keep.

[singing] [singing] Yeah. The more you hold on to me, I'll try not I'll try not to leave. [singing] Peace on earth. Thank you so much. Peace on earth. Thank you so much. [applause] Hello everybody. My name is Jacob Hello everybody. My name is Jacob Pollier and I am this year's music Pollier and I am this year's music Pollier and I am this year's music curator for TED and the musician you curator for TED and the musician you curator for TED and the musician you just heard, Wallace Bird, is one of my just heard, Wallace Bird, is one of my just heard, Wallace Bird, is one of my dearest musical companions. She is dearest musical companions. She is dearest musical companions. She is crazy. I mean, I I don't know how you crazy. I mean, I I don't know how you crazy. I mean, I I don't know how you felt, but the first time I heard Wallace felt, but the first time I heard Wallace felt, but the first time I heard Wallace sing, I had tears and goosebumps. She's sing, I had tears and goosebumps. She's sing, I had tears and goosebumps. She's she's like a roof raising musician. She she's like a roof raising musician. She she's like a roof raising musician. She she accompanied me on tour opening for she accompanied me on tour opening for she accompanied me on tour opening for some shows a couple years ago, and I some shows a couple years ago, and I some shows a couple years ago, and I knew then what I know now, which is that knew then what I know now, which is that knew then what I know now, which is that she possesses that rare gift that not she possesses that rare gift that not she possesses that rare gift that not many musicians possess, which is the many musicians possess, which is the many musicians possess, which is the ability to win over any crowd with her ability to win over any crowd with her ability to win over any crowd with her totally wild energy, her joy, and her totally wild energy, her joy, and her totally wild energy, her joy, and her colors. Her voice to me is like this uh colors. Her voice to me is like this uh colors. Her voice to me is like this uh this this chameleon. It can change this this chameleon. It can change this this chameleon. It can change color. It can change shape. It's color. It can change shape. It's color. It can change shape. It's stretchy. It's it's just this it's this stretchy. It's it's just this it's this stretchy. It's it's just this it's this magnificent instrument of joy. And I magnificent instrument of joy. And I magnificent instrument of joy. And I think probably one of my favorite think probably one of my favorite think probably one of my favorite moments of the talk you just witnessed moments of the talk you just witnessed moments of the talk you just witnessed was that moment where she goes higher was that moment where she goes higher was that moment where she goes higher and higher and higher and higher and and higher and higher and higher and and higher and higher and higher and higher and the energy just builds and higher and the energy just builds and higher and the energy just builds and builds and builds. She really is unlike builds and builds. She really is unlike builds and builds. She really is unlike any musician I know. Hope you enjoyed.

any musician I know. Hope you enjoyed. any musician I know. Hope you enjoyed. Lots of love. Cheerio. Bye.