Manhattan Transfer - Birdland lyrics
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Birdland
5000 light years from birdland
But I'm still preachin' the rhythm
Long-goneuptight 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
5000 light years from birdland
But I know people can hear it
Bird named itbird made itbird heard itthen 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
Heymanthe music really turns you on!
Y' turn me on
Reallyy' turn me aroun'
'n turn me on
Down them stairslose them cares - where?
Down in birdland
Total swingbop was king - there
Down in birdland
Bird would cookmax would look - where?
Down in birdland
Miles came through'trane came too - there
Down in birdland
Basie blewblakey 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 birdlandthat'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 worldsure enough--
Yeahbaby
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
Yesindeedhe did
Yesindeedhe did
Yesindeedhe did
Yeshe didparker played at birdland
Yeshe really did
Yesindeedhe really did
Yeshe really did
Told the truth down in birdland
Yesindeed he didyardbird parker played in
Birdland
Yesindeedhe really did
Charlie parker played in birdland
Bird named itbird made itbird 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 stairslose them cares - yeah!
Down in birdland
Total swing! bop was king - yeah!
Down in birdland
Bird would cookmax would look - yeah
Down in birdland
Miles came through'trane came too - yeah!
Down in birdland
Basie blewblakey too - yeah!
Down in birdland
Cannonball played that hall - yeah
Down in birdland
Down them stairslose them cares - yeah
Down in birdland
Total swing! bop was king - yeah
Down in birdland
Bird would cookmax would look - yeah
Down in birdland
Miles came through'trane came too - yeah!
Down in birdland
Basie blewblakey too - yeah!
Down in birdland
Cannonball played that hall - yeah
Down in birdland
Down them stairslose y' cares -yeah
Down in birdland
Total swing! bop was king - yeah
Down in birdland
Bird would cookmax would look - yeah
Down in birdland
Background solo:
Come in pairs down them stairslose y' cares
Them that dares gits it!
Pay the gatedon't be late
It's a date! - whattay' know
If y' digthen you'll digit's a groove
Quite a groove'cause y' t' move
Come in twospay 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 goodmusic 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'
