Bald Eagle - Homer, AK |
One of the more popular songs which mentions birds, from
my generation anyway, is by the Steve Miller Band, Fly Like An Eagle. Like most
“bird songs” it’s not really about birds – this song is really more about social
issues – just uses them to help paint a lyrical picture.
Singing male Red-winged Blackbird - Merritt Island NWR |
Northern Mockingbird - Florida |
Mockingbird is another well-known song originally recorded in the 60s by Inez & Charlie Foxx, then again in the
70s by Carly Simon and James Taylor. It’s also been done by a lot of other
performers, too, though the aforementioned artists had the most chart success.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - St. Mark's NWR |
Laughing Gull - Fort DeSoto Park, Florida |
Heading into the land of “not so well-known
performers” for a pair of examples, Sister Seagull is a song by late 70s British band Be Bop Deluxe
(still one of the best band names ever, in my opinion). My interpretation of
this one is the song’s subject is just a metaphor for a girl friend or lover; the
use of birds metaphorically certainly seems to be a trend anytime they’re mentioned in
popular music and there are very few actually about real birds.
Snow Goose - Bosque del Apache NWR |
Another less well-known (at least in North America) British band that started in the
70s (and would record and tour for about 30 years) is progressive rockers Camel. Their third release, in 1975, is an instrumental "concept album" titled Music Inspired by
The Snow Goose. Written by Paul Gallico, The Snow Goose is a very popular short book set in World War II Britain, and
the goose is a central part of that story of friendship. The album is the band's interpretation of the book.
Gambel's Quail - Arizona |
Lincoln's Sparrow - Texas |
Returning a bit to more familiar performers, Dan
Fogelberg had at least a couple of songs early in his career with Corvid references: Crow and As The Raven
Flies, but one I really like only appears on his live album from the early 90s,
Greetings From The West. Titled A Cry In The Forest, it is a very moving song
about extinction; the words to the first verse are:
There's a cry in the forest,
it's feathered and brown
And it echoes off of nothing
as the trees come down.
It's the sound of a sparrow
hittin' the ground
It's the sound of one
eternity bound
It's the sound of one
eternity bound
The next verse is about whales, and then the chorus goes like this:
Whoa eternity bound
Once they’ve passed into the timeless,
they can never more be found.
Is there anybody listening,
tell me can you hear the sound?
Of the gentle ones
eternity bound
Of the gentle ones
eternity bound
(A Cry In The Forest lyrics ©Dan Fogelberg)
I just love this song!
I know I’ve only just begun to scratch the surface - tell us in the comments the songs you know about birds or that make you think of birds!
- Kevin Doxstater
it's feathered and brown
And it echoes off of nothing
as the trees come down.
It's the sound of a sparrow
hittin' the ground
It's the sound of one
eternity bound
It's the sound of one
eternity bound
The next verse is about whales, and then the chorus goes like this:
Whoa eternity bound
Once they’ve passed into the timeless,
they can never more be found.
Is there anybody listening,
tell me can you hear the sound?
Of the gentle ones
eternity bound
Of the gentle ones
eternity bound
(A Cry In The Forest lyrics ©Dan Fogelberg)
I just love this song!
I know I’ve only just begun to scratch the surface - tell us in the comments the songs you know about birds or that make you think of birds!
- Kevin Doxstater
Fun post Kevin! As always, I enjoy your bird photography.
ReplyDeleteExcelentes capturas con unos fondos buenisimos,enhorabuena.Saludos
ReplyDeleteSuper post Kevin! I loved the musical connections woven into this post and the photography, as always, is exceptional. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis is an inspired post Kev! Only you would come up with the idea of combining your passions for music and photography, and end up with a great post for a birding blog. Am bowing to the master :-)
ReplyDeletew - o - w with your photography on each of these beautiful birds. I guess it was the ruby-crowned gamlet that stole the show for me this time, but your bald eagle in flight is spectacular too. They're each wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone - glad you liked my post and the photos! I guess I love birds so much I look for them in unusual "places" and enjoy seeing how they find ways to fit into our culture.
ReplyDelete@Pat - Don't worry, I have some other ideas if I can come up with enough material - if I watched more TV and movies I could probably come up with a bunch of bird bloopers (Red-tailed Hawk calls when they show an eagle or the Ringed Turtle-dove when Lt. Dunbar gets to Fort Sedgwick in Dances With Wolves would be a good start).
ReplyDeleteThought of some more songs while walking Ginger tonight, too: Rockin' Robin (Bobby Day), Bluebird (Buffalo Springfield), Hummingbird (Seals & Crofts) . . . :-)
Excellent captures. Top class Julie !
ReplyDeleteLove the musical connection to birds Kevein and as always I enjoy seeing your images.
ReplyDeleteFun report! And gorgeous photos!
ReplyDeleteA very unique and wonderful post! Your photographs are exceptional!
ReplyDelete