Birdland Lyrics by Manhattan Transfer

Birdland Lyrics

    birdland


    5,000 light years from birdland
    But i'm still preachin' the rhythm
    Long-gone, uptight years from birdland
    An' i'm still teachin' it with 'em

    Years from the land of the bird
    An' i am still feelin' the spirit
    5,000 light years from birdland
    But i know people can hear it

    Bird named it, bird made it, bird heard it, then played it
    Well-stated! birdland--
    It happened down in birdland

    Oh!

    In the middle of that hub
    I remember one jazz club
    Where we went to pat feet
    Down on fifty-secon' street

    Everybody heard that word
    That they named it after bird

    Where the rhythm swooped and swirled
    The jazz corner of the world

    An' the cats they gigged in there
    Were beyond compare

    Birdland - i'm singin' birdland
    Birdland - ol' swingin' birdland

    Hey, man, the music really turns you on!
    Y' turn me on,
    Really, y' turn me aroun'
    'n turn me on

    Down them stairs, lose them cares - where?
    Down in birdland
    Total swing, bop was king - there
    Down in birdland
    Bird would cook, max would look - where?
    Down in birdland
    Miles came through, 'trane came too - there
    Down in birdland
    Basie blew, blakey too - where?
    Down in birdland
    Cannonball played that hall - there
    Down in birdland
    Yeah---

    There may never be nothin' such as that
    No mo' - no mo'
    Down in birdland, that's where it was at
    I know - i know
    Back in them days bop was ridin' high
    Hello! 'n goodbye!

    How well those cats remember
    Their first birdland gig
    To play in birdland is an honor we still dig
    Yeah---that club was like--
    In another world, sure enough--
    Yeah, baby
    All o' the cats had the cookin' on
    People just sat an' they was steady lookin' on
    Then bird--he came 'n spread the word--
    Birdland

    Yes, indeed, he did
    Yes, indeed, he did
    Yes, indeed, he did
    Yes, he did, parker played at birdland
    Yes, he really did
    Yes, indeed, he really did
    Yes, he really did
    Told the truth down in birdland
    Yes, indeed he did, yardbird parker played in
    Birdland

    Yes, indeed, he really did
    Charlie parker played in birdland

    Bird named it, bird made it, bird heard it,
    Then played it
    Well-stated! birdland
    It happened down in birdland

    Everybody dug that beat
    Everybody stomped their feet
    Everybody digs be-bop
    An' they'll never stop

    Down them stairs, lose them cares - yeah!
    Down in birdland
    Total swing! bop was king - yeah!
    Down in birdland

    Bird would cook, max would look - yeah,
    Down in birdland
    Miles came through, 'trane came too - yeah!
    Down in birdland
    Basie blew, blakey too - yeah!
    Down in birdland

    Cannonball played that hall - yeah
    Down in birdland

    Down them stairs, lose them cares - yeah
    Down in birdland
    Total swing! bop was king - yeah
    Down in birdland

    Bird would cook, max would look - yeah,
    Down in birdland
    Miles came through, 'trane came too - yeah!
    Down in birdland

    Basie blew, blakey too - yeah!
    Down in birdland
    Cannonball played that hall - yeah
    Down in birdland

    Down them stairs, lose y' cares -yeah
    Down in birdland
    Total swing! bop was king - yeah
    Down in birdland

    Bird would cook, max would look - yeah,
    Down in birdland

    Background solo:
    Come in pairs down them stairs, lose y' cares
    Them that dares gits it!

    Pay the gate, don't be late
    It's a date! - whattay' know
    If y' dig, then you'll dig, it's a groove
    Quite a groove, 'cause y' t' move
    Come in twos, pay your dues

    What can you lose?
    Just your blues!
    So lose them!

    The band swingin' one and all and what a ball!
    Yeah!

    Music is good, music is better than good
    Pretty good
    Very nice
    Really very good - things are bein' like they should
    Very good -- very good -- very good

    All y' gotta do is lend an ear
    An' listen to it
    Then y' dig a little sooner than soon
    You'll be diggin' everything diggin' all the music

    What a ball!

    How y' gonna figure out
    A way t' bring it all about amid a
    Lot o' other music on the set'n on
    The scene know what i mean?
    How y' gonna separate the music from the scene
    'gonna have t' keep the memory clean
    Y' gonna hear a lotta' sound -- a lotta soun'

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