By Manhattan Transfer
Five thousand light years from Birdland
But I’m still preachin’ the rhythm
Long gone up-tight years from Birdland
And I’m still teachin’ it with ’em
Years from the land of the bird,
And I’m still feeling the spirit
Five thousand 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
In the middle of that hub
I remember one jazz club
Where we went to pat feet
Down on fifty-second street
Everybody heard that word
That they named it after Bird
Where the rhythm swooped and swirled
The jazz corner of the world
And the cats they gigged in there
Were beyond compare
Birdland – I’m singing Birdland
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
Baise 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 More – No More
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 loookin 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 way down in Birdland
Yes, indeed, he did, Charlie 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 ? 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
Baise blew, Blakey too ? where?
Down in Birdland
Cannonball played that hall ? there
Down in Birdland
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
Baise blew, Blakey too ? where?
Down in Birdland
Cannonball played that hall ? there
Down in Birdland
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 it 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 to bring it all about amid a
Lot of other music on the set and 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’
Performed by
By Manhattan Transfer
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