According to Genesis, God created birds on the fifth day of his Creation. Man was meant to envy them for their ability to fly and use them, as symbols of Freedom and Hope, in every kind of artwork.1. Yellow Bird – Chris Isaak
(Norman Luboff-Alan Bergman)
One of the covers included in Baja Sessions in 1996, with Isaak's magical voice and a beautiful instrumentation. The best to cool down under a hammock, under the tree shade...
2. Bird On The Wire – Leonard Cohen
(Leonard Cohen)
Cohen started writing this song in his house in Hydra, inspired by a bird sitting on the new telephone wires of the island, and finished it in a Hollywood motel. It was first recorded by Judy Collins for the album Who Knows Where The Time Goes (1968) while the version of its creator is included in Songs From A Room (1969).
3. Blackbird – The Beatles
(John Lennon-Paul McCartney)
Based on the bourre in mi minor by J.S. Bach, McCartney wrote this classic song in his farm in Scotland. He recorded it alone with an acoustic guitar and he included it in the double album The Beatles released by them in 1968. Its lyrics referred to the struggle of the black people for political rights which was at its peak at the time in America.
4. Mockingbird – Ryan Adams & The Cardinals
(Ryan Adams-J.P. Bowersock-Cindy Cashdollar-Brad Pemberton-Catherine Popper)
The double album Cold Roses was released in 2005 and was the first of the three works by Adams that year. Mockingbird comes from the first album of the set and is a country-rock track with beautiful acoustic and electric guitars.
5. Bluebird – Paul McCartney And Wings
(Paul McCartney)
Band On The Run (1973), recorded in Lagos, Nigeria, brought Paul McCartney back to the top of the charts and to the critical acclaim, after tones of mud thrown at him for the Beatles break-up and his first solo works. This song is a dreamy folk ballad with a great sax solo.
6. The Seabirds – The Triffids
(David McComb)
The opening song of Born Sandy Devotional in 1986 is about a suicide, with the absolutely personal manner of The Triffids frontman, David McComb. One of the reasons why this album is considered as the band's best moment, as well as one of the best moments of the 80s in general.
7. The Birds Will Still Be Singing – Elvis Costello/The Brodsky Quartet(Declan MacManus)
A selection from the album The Juliet Letters (1993), in which Costello cooperated with the Brodsky string instruments quartet. An exceptional song in every way.
8. The Birds In Your Garden – Pulp
(Jarvis Cocker-Nick Banks-Candida Doyle-Steve Mackey-Mark Webber)
The seventh studio album by the Pulp was released in 2001, was entitled We Love Life and was produced by Scott Walker. This song uses - like many of the rest ones - images from nature in order to speak of other, more 'humane' matters.
9. The Funny Bird – Mercury Rev
(Jonathan Donahue-Sean “Grasshopper” Mackiowiak)
The success of Deserter’s Songs (1998) came out of the blue for the Mercury Rev who, after the disappointing sales of See You On The Other Side (1995) had decided to make one more album, just for their own content, and then break up. Songs like this one gave them a second chance.
10. Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird Of Paradox) – John Lennon/Elton John
(John Lennon)
A song written for May Pang, Lennon's mistress between October 1973 and January 1975, period which he later referred to as a "lost weekend". In vocals he is accompanied by his friend Elton John, and this song can be found in the album Walls And Bridges in 1974.
* Photos from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/Bird.parts.jpg and www.wikipedia.org.
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