5 Songs About Flippin' Birds
*Disclaimer: No, this list does not contain “Blackbird” by The Beatles. You already know that song.
These are songs that really know how to take flight, as these bands chirp through their songs and hatch beautiful melodies reminiscent of the birds about which they speak. So nest up in your seat and flap along to these skybound tunes!
1. “Pelican” by The Maccabees
This song from the Mercury prize-winning album by the Maccabees talks about themes of existentialism and the brevity of our time on earth. Its uplifting beat inspires listeners to live in the moment and appreciate the world around them. Pelicans are a genus of water birds that make up the family Pelecanidae and are characterized by a long beak and throat pouch.
2. “Gold Canary” by Cloud Control
Honestly, the lyrical intentions of this song escape me. However, I will say that the atmospheric choral tones are enchanting. A canary is a member of the genera Serinus and Crithagra. They are very commonly domesticated and kept as pets.
3. “Talking Bird - Demo” by Death Cab for Cutie
While the studio version of this song takes a more traditional full-band approach, it’s the demo version that steals the show. On their EP “The Open Door,” lead singer Ben Gibbard wields a ukulele to steal your heart, and the lyrics also don’t disappoint. Parrots are known as psittacines and are birds of the roughly 393 species in 92 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes. They can be annoying sometimes.
4. “Birds Don’t Sing” by TV Girl
This is one of those songs that is pleasantly surprising in its unique and creative sound. It maintains somewhat of a summery feel on a topic that is decidedly dreary. Birds are a group of endothermic vertebrates characterized by feathers and toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a four chamber heart, and a lightweight but strong skeleton.
5. “Old Friends” by Pinegrove
Now I know what you’re thinking: “Will, this song doesn’t have a bird in the title!” And you’d be right. BUT, the title of the album on which this song is located is called Cardinal, which refers to one of the four major directions on a compass. Direction (or the lack thereof) is a prominent motif on what is most likely my favorite album of 2016. Cardinals are red.
