Bye Bye Blackbird

"Bye Bye Blackbird" is a song published in 1926 by the American composer Ray Henderson and lyricist Mort Dixon. It is considered a popular standard and was first recorded by Gene Austin in 1926. [http://www.secondhandsongs.com/song/1940.html]

"Bye Bye Blackbird" has been recorded by many artists, including, Nina Simone on her 1962 album "Nina at the Village Gate", Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Mitch Miller, Ringo Starr, Miles Davis [http://www.mp3.com/albums/529643/summary.html?from=5461] , Rickie Lee Jones, Keith Jarrett [http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000249SI] , Liza Minnelli [http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EF5MPY/] , John Coltrane [http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000000YW7] , Albert Ayler, and Joe Cocker. It has been featured in the soundtracks of at least seven movies since 1969, including "Sleepless in Seattle" [http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1808860189] and "The History Boys," where it is performed by Samuel Barnett, Jamie Parker, and the History Boys. [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0464049/soundtrack]

The song is given a fictional, mystical importance in Theodore Roszak's novel " Flicker". [http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:BlNc3J0J9OIJ:cla.calpoly.edu/~rsimon/Hum410/Flicker1991.htm+bye+bye+blackbird+flicker&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=7&gl=au&client=firefox-a] The song features in the 1980 movie "Melvin and Howard", with Jason Robards, Jr. as Howard Hughes singing the chorus, as a western swing version of the song covers the closing credits. [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/dvd/6169815/review/5989998/melvin_and_howard]

It was the No. 16 song of 1926 according to "Pop Culture Madness" [http://www.popculturemadness.com/Music/Pop-Old/1926.html] . John Coltrane won the 1981 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist for his rendition of the song. [http://www.popculturemadness.com/Trivia/Grammies/Top-1981-G.html]

Eddie Cantor, Carmen McRae, Frank Sinatra, and others who recorded "Bye Bye Blackbird" only sang the chorus.

The verses of the 1926 song written by Ray Henderson (melody) and Mort Dixon (lyrics) are far less known.

Ben Webster & Oscar Peterson Recorded a song entitled "Bye Bye Black Bird"(1961). However it has no relation to the song spoken of here

The song was also copied by "Charlie and His Orchestra", German Karl Schwedler, of "The Templin Band" during the 2nd World War as part of Joseph Goebbels propoganda campaign. However, the lyrics were changed to reflect the German political rhetoric of the time, and intended to demoralize the Allied forces. The tune(s) were sung in English and aimed at American, British troops as well as British citizens. The song and subsequent music was not premitted to be played in National Socialist Germany because Nazi leadership forbade progressive styles of music like jazz.