Songs that mention species of bird (2 Viewers)

[Jonno52]

You will be aware of the fairly grisly

Alouette, gentille Alouette, je te' plumerais ...

(French, but a well-known English children's song)

At primary school we had to sing that, around 1957. Having inquisitive minds, we asked the teacher what the words meant. Her reply: "It's just nonsense". It was mildly shocking to eventually discover the translation.

 

[mummymonkey]

Have we had Snowbird from Ann Murray?

regards
Merlin

Which species was she singing about? - "Spread your tiny wings and fly away"
Snow bunting?

 

[Andy Adcock]

I don't think I know any birds in songs, but there are groups called The Housemartins and The Guillemots of course ... hopefully not too generic.

There must be a few Cuckoos, Swallows and the like?

Became the Beautiful South and gave us 'Blackbird on the wire'.

'Starlings', Elbow.

 

[Andy Adcock]

I don't think I know any birds in songs, but there are groups called The Housemartins and The Guillemots of course ... hopefully not too generic.

Don't forget Sheryl Crow and the Eagles

 

[dantheman]

Became the Beautiful South and gave us 'Blackbird on the wire'.

No way, did not know that.

They migrated then?

 

[RafaelMatias]

'Starlings', Elbow.

I was going to mention that one :t:
There's also:
Nightingale (Norah Jones)
To Sheila (Smashing Pumpkins)

 

[mummymonkey]

Nathaniel Rateliff - Mavis

 

[Andy Adcock]

No way, did not know that.

They migrated then?

I should say that it's the same frontman rather than the same band and an odd name for a band from Hull I always thought, or at least Paul Heaton, the main vocalist is.

 

[dantheman]

'Morphed' would be a better term.............

They were Housemartins ... they 'migrated' to 'The Beautiful South' like most hirundines ...

Nathaniel Rateliff - Mavis

What species of bird is that?

 

[mummymonkey]

What species of bird is that?

Song thrush

 

[dantheman]

Song thrush

Never heard of it - you learn something else new every day.

This is a better link though - https://sco.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mavis


(btw - the song has absolutely nothing to do with the bird though? )

 

[dantheman]

I should say that it's the same frontman rather than the same band and an odd name for a band from Hull I always thought, or at least Paul Heaton, the main vocalist is.

Bizarrely, I think, a main headline in BBC news this week - a generous man making a donation to the staff at Q magazine for supporting him over the years and as they had to close down over coronavirus -

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-54485919


(And the best bit is because as we know who it is, it can't be QAnon (just to knock any possible conspiracy theories on the head ))

 

[RafaelMatias]

(And the best bit is because as we know who it is, it can't be QAnon (just to knock any possible conspiracy theories on the head ))

That's just part of the whole cover up! Wait until he removes his rubber face mask!
:king:

 

[lockbreeze926]

British Sea Power did quite a bit with Great Skua, The Guillemot Girls, Be You Mighty Sparrow, Birdy, Carrion (sort of avian) and Don't You Want to Be a Bird?

A lot of their stuff is nature-focused.

(edit - just called Sea Power these days)

 

[Patudo]

"Blackbird has spoken" (Morning Has Broken - many singers, but the one I associate with this song is Cat Stevens)

"I could fly higher than an eagle" (Bette Midler - Wind Beneath My Wings)

another lyric - "If you see one bird into the wind, another one's turning" (Mike Oldfield, Islands) - though it doesn't mention any species, always reminds me of seeing terns, in singles or pairs, working over dorado in tropic seas, near tropic islands.

 

[Teeths]

I was just putting together a playlist so finding this is perfect! Here's few of mine

Shrike - Hozier
November - Sparkbird (mentions loggerhead shrike)
Millie, warm the kettle - Rabbitology (redwing blackbird)
Harpy Hare - Yaelokre (it's probably meant to be the mythical being but it's harpy eagle in my heart)

 

[DMW]

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned California Gulls by The Beach Boys or Katy Perry.

 

[LittleBitOfBreadNoCheese]

Tá Mo Chleamhnas Déanta (My Match It Is Made) Trad. Irish song covered by Van Morrison and the Chieftains


D'éirigh mé ar maidin dhá uair roimh an lá
'gus fuair mé litir ó mó mhile ghrá
Chuala mé an smóilin 's an londubh á rá
Gur ealiagh mo ghrá thar sáile

I got up two hours before day
And I got a letter from my true love
I heard the blackbird and linnet say
That my love had crossed the ocean

 

[rosbifs]

The Rifles - Turtle Dove

 

[VonMaunder]

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: Babe, You Turn Me On

Stay by me, stay by me
You are the one, my only true love

The butcher bird makes it’s noise
And asks you to agree
With it’s brutal nesting habits
And it’s pointless savagery
Now, the nightingale sings to you
And raises up the ante
I put one hand on your round ripe heart
And the other down your panties