Little Birds (song)


Little Birds is the fourth single by American folk rock band Neutral Milk Hotel. It was written in 1998 but remained officially unreleased until 2011, when it was released as part of Neutral Milk Hotel's Walking Wall of Words compilation package.
Both the studio version and the live version were performed solely by Jeff Mangum. The studio version of the song was recorded by friend and regular collaborator Robert Schneider and engineered by Craig Morris, while the live version of the song was recorded by filmmaker and cinematographer Lance Bangs. The album art was designed by Mangum and Mark Ohe.

Background

"Little Birds" is the only known song by Neutral Milk Hotel written after the release of In the Aeroplane over the Sea of which a recorded version exists. It is also the only post-Aeroplane song that has been performed in public.
Mangum described the song thus:
The song was also inspired by the murder of Matthew Shepard.

Track listing

;A-Side
"Little Birds"
;B-Side
"Little Birds"