Tune Req: Bird songs

Subject: Tune Req: Bird songs
From: Vixen
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 11:16 AM

I was just sitting outside listening to all the chirps and tweetles of the various songbirds, and I was reminded of the opening notes of "The Holly and the Ivy" and the ending motif of "Sheebeg Sheemor", which both sound like birdsong when played on the whistle (though I don't know which birds...).

Anyway, here's the request...

What other songs/tunes have "birdsongs" in them?

V

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bird songs
From: Bill D
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 11:46 AM

The refrain of this one could BE a bird song:

hi-lili-hi-lo

On every tree there is a bird
Singing a song of love...
On every tree there is a bird
And every one i'd ever heard
Could brake my heart without a word
Singing a song of love...

The song of love is a sad song
Hi lili hi lili hi lo
The song of love is a song of woe
Don't ask me why i know

The song of love is a sad song
For i have loved and it's so
Hi lili hi lili hi lo hi lo
Hi lili hi lili hi lo
Hi lili hi lili hi lo hi lo
Hi lili hi lili...... hi lo

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bird songs
From: Dame Pattie Smith EPNS
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 11:52 AM

A couple of years ago I had a blackbird in my garden that sang the theme tune from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The second year it obviously had passed the tune onto another blackbird because the tune had changed by a couple of notes.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bird songs
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 11:53 AM

the opening of the spring concerto in Vivaldi's four seasons

Listen to the mockingbird, where it's become traditional to whistle bird-like sounds along with the chorus

There's a tune in O'Neill's Music of Ireland called the Goldfinch. One day I decided to play it on the flute in such a way as to make it sound more like a bird. For example, a bird sings no octaves, and its timing is not regular.

Try something like that yourself, it's fun.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bird songs
From: beardedbruce
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 11:57 AM

Lyric of the song "Rockin Robin"

He rocks in the tree tops all day long
Hoppin' and a-boppin' and singing his song
All the little birdies on Jaybird Street
Love to hear the robin go tweet tweet tweet

Rockin' robin, tweet tweet tweet
Rockin' robin' tweet tweetly-tweet
Blow rockin' robin
'Cause we're really gonna rock tonight

Every little swallow, every chick-a-dee
Every little bird in the tall oak tree
The wise old owl, the big black crow
Flappin' their wings singing go bird go

Rockin' robin, tweet tweet tweet
Rockin' robin' tweet tweetly-tweet
Blow rockin' robin
'Cause we're really gonna rock tonight
Yeah yeah

Pretty little raven at the bird-band stand
Told them how to do the bob and it was grand
They started going steady and bless my soul
He out-bopped the buzzard and the oriol

He rocks in the tree tops all day long
Hoppin' and a-boppin' and singing his song
All the little birdies on Jaybird Street
Love to hear the robin go tweet tweet tweet

Rockin' robin, tweet tweet tweet
Rockin' robin' tweet tweetly-tweet
Blow rockin' robin
'Cause we're really gonna rock tonight

Pretty little raven at the bird-band stand
Told them how to do the bop and it was grand
They started going steady and bless my soul
He out-bopped the buzzard and the oriol

Every little swallow, every chick-a-dee
Every little bird in the tall oak tree
The wise old owl, the big black crow
Flappin' their wings singing go bird go

Rockin' robin, tweet tweet tweet
Rockin' robin' tweet tweetly-tweet
Blow rockin' robin
'Cause we're really gonna rock tonight

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bird songs
From: Dan Schatz
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 12:04 PM

On a tree by a river, a little tom-tit
Sang "Tit-willow! Tit-willow! Tit-willow!"

- Gilbert and Sullivan

Dan Schatz

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bird songs
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 01:06 PM

I've always like the song "Mockingbird Hill." yet I feel stupid singing "Tra la la twiddlee dee dee." I think it would be a good idea to replace that with birdlike whistling or instrumental notes.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bird songs
From: Bill D
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 02:20 PM

Good grief...I did a Google search for "The Chime Child" and discovered that *I* had posted, and then forgotten, in 1999, "The Broomsquire's Bird Song"...with midi/ABC transcription. It has some places that 'feel' like bird song.

(Note...there are other mentions of it in Mudcat threads reminding us that the history of the book is in doubt, and that the author may have written, instead of collected, most of the songs. Nevertheless, 'Broomsquires' is a lovely little song.)

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bird songs
From: scouse
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 04:46 PM

And don't forget "If I were a Blackbird."
as Aye,
Phil

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bird songs
From: GEST
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 05:38 PM

The personal favorite here at GEST Songs of Newfoundland and Labrador is an old song by Patrick Devine, The Chick-A-Dee, with it's all too familiar phrase, chick-a-dee-dee-dee.... chick-a-dee-dee-dee.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bird songs
From: mrdux
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 06:15 PM

The musicality of birdsongs was popular with French classical composers of the late 19th and 20th centuries. Paul Dukas (of Sorceror's Apprentice fame) used to encourage his students to listen to the birds. One of his students, french composer Olivier Messiaen, transcribed the songs and worked them into quite a few of his works, including Le Réveil des Oiseaux and Catalogue d'oiseaux.

There's also a bit of birdsong in Beethoven's Sixth Symphony -- cuckoos, in particular.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bird songs
From: Mr Red
Date: 30 Jun 07 - 02:30 AM

Alluette
Lark in the morning
Magpie counting song?
Have we had the birdie song - no? thank goodness.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bird songs
From: Bee
Date: 30 Jun 07 - 09:24 AM

Thrushes have the best songs, from Robins to Hermits, Grey-Cheeked to Woodies. I have all of them in this neighbourhood, and at evening they all make a mockery of any singing I could do.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bird songs
From: Artful Codger
Date: 30 Jun 07 - 08:54 PM

From the swing/bop world, there's "Bobwhite, Whatcha Gonna Swing Tonight" and "'Tis Autumn"--Bob Durough went to town with a scatted "bird talk" line in that one.

From the string band world there's "The Crow Song" (with a whole grackle of caws, some fiddled).

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bird songs
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Jun 07 - 10:35 PM

Vixen

Given your opening remarks, this song by the Indigo Girls could be appropriate.

LOQUAT TREE

Out in the back by the grape stake fence
Is a place where nature makes so much sense
All the creatures livin' in harmony
It's a wild wild party in the loquat tree

Fuzzies and furries run walk or fly
Havin' a feast beneath a clear blue sky
Animals comin' from miles around
To bounce the branch and shake the loquat down

The squirrel and the sparrow and the mouse and the bee
All havin' a party in the loquat tree
Eatin' all the yellow fruit they can see
It's a wild wild party in the loquat tree

Peckin' at 'em pickin' at 'em hidin' 'em away
Savin' 'em up for a rainy day
No matter how big no matter how small
There's more than enough there's plenty for all

The squirrel and the sparrow and the mouse and the bee
All havin' a party in the loquat tree
Eatin' all the yellow fruit they can see
It's a wild wild party in the loquat tree

Chatter chirp squeak buzz
Chatter chirp squeak buzz
Chatter chirp squeak buzz
Chatter chirp squeak buzz

Every little loquat holds the seed
For a brand-new baby loquat tree

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bird songs
From: van lingle
Date: 01 Jul 07 - 09:50 AM

The Lark Ascending- Ralph Vaughan Williams

Upon Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring- Frederick Delius

Albatross- Peter Green with the early Fleetwood Mac. Don't know if those high parts are supposed to evoke song but the initial theme does bring to mind the flight of a large sea bird.

I guess a bunch of O'Carolan tunes like Quarrel with the Landlady, as well as Shebeg sound "birdy" at times.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bird songs
From: Vixen
Date: 02 Jul 07 - 08:20 AM

Wow! Thank you for all the suggestions...

Mudcats are the best!

V

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bird songs
From: SharonA
Date: 02 Jul 07 - 03:33 PM

Refrain from the kids' song "Six Little Ducks" goes:
He led the others
With a quack, quack, quack.
Quack, quack, quack,
Quack, quack, quack
He led the others
With a quack, quack, quack.

Refrain from the kids' song "Five Little Ducks" goes:
Mother duck said
"Quack, quack, quack, quack."
But only four [three, two, etc.] little ducks came back.

Then there's "Cluck Old Hen" and the like. But on to the more melodious birdsongs in songs...

- - - - - - - -
The Beatles' "Blackbird" recording contains much twittering.

- - - - - - - -
The intro to "So Long, Farewell" from The Sound of Music:

There's a sad sort of clanging
From the clock in the hall
And the bells in the steeple too,
And up in the nurs'ry an absurd little bird
Is popping out to say "cuckoo".
(Cuckoo, cuckoo)
Regretfully they tell us (cuckoo)
But firmly they compel us (cuckoo)
To say goodbye (cuckoo) to you.

- - - - - - - -
"Let's All Sing Like the Birdies Sing"
Written by: Robert Hargreaves, Stanley J. Damerell and Tolchard Evans - © 1932

Let's all sing like the birdies sing,
Tweet, tweet tweet, tweet tweet.
Let's all sing like the birdies sing,
Sweet, sweet sweet, sweet sweet.
Let's all warble like nightingales,
Give your throat a treat.
Take your time from the birds,
Now you all know the words,
Tweet, tweet tweet, tweet tweet.

Let's all sing like the birdies sing,
Bubbaboo ba-bubbaboo ba-boo.
Let's all sing like the birdies sing,
Tweet tweet tweet - my that bird sings sweetly.
Let's all warble like nightingales,
Ah, Mimi...c'est magnifique!
Take your time from the birds,
Now you all know the words
Tweet, tweet tweet, tweet tweet

- - - - - - - -
"Hummingbird"
Frankie Laine

(Hummin', hummin', hummin', hummin'.)

Humming Bird, Humming Bird should be your name.
(Humming Bird should be your name.)
Too restless to settle, too wild to tame.
(Too restless, too wild to tame.)
Too restless to settle, too wild to tame,
Humming Bird, Humming Bird should be your name.

(Hummin', hummin', hummin', hummin'.)

Humming Bird, Humming Bird winging along.
(Humming Bird winging along.)
No tender young blossom can hold you for long.
(No blossom can hold you for long.)
No tender young blossom can hold you for long.
Humming Bird, Humming Bird winging along.

I'd rather be lonely, I'd rather be blue.
Yes, I'd rather spend my whole life without you,
Than feather a nest to be shattered apart,
By the hum, hum of your Humming Bird heart.
(Hum, hum, hum, hum.)

Humming Bird, Humming Bird, feathered so fine,
(Humming Bird, feathered so fine.)
If I clipped your wings it would not make you mine.
(Oh no, it would not make you mine.)
If I clipped your wings it would not make you mine;
Humming Bird, Humming Bird, feathered so fine.
(Hummin', hummin', hummin', hummin'.)

Humming Bird, Humming Bird, fly right on by.
Some folks like to gamble but darling, not I.
Some folks like to gamble but darling, not I.
Humming Bird, Humming Bird, fly right on by.

I'd rather be lonely, I'd rather be blue.
Yes, I'd rather spend my whole life without you,
Than feather a nest to be shattered apart,
By the hum, hum of your Humming Bird heart.
(Hum, hum, hum, hum, hum.)

By the hum, hum of your Humming Bird heart.
(Hummin', hummin', hummin', hummin'.)

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bird songs
From: mrdux
Date: 02 Jul 07 - 04:32 PM

Sharon --

Thanks for mentioning "Let's All Sing Like the Birdies Sing." I remember the song from an old cartoon (which I found out was made in 1934) from Fleisher Studios. I used to watch it as a kid, and when I saw the title in your post, in my mind's ear I could hear the birds in the cartoon chirping: "Tweet, tweet-tweet, tweet-tweet."

michael

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bird songs
From: Bert
Date: 02 Jul 07 - 08:04 PM

Let's all sing like the birdies sing