The Bird (Jerry Reed song)
Encyclopedia
"The Bird" is the title of a song recorded by American country music
singer Jerry Reed
. Written by Hal Coleman and Barry Etris, this novelty song
contains impressions of Willie Nelson
's "Whiskey River" and "On the Road Again
;" and George Jones
' "He Stopped Loving Her Today
." It was released in October 1982 as the lead single from the album, The Bird. The song peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles
chart just before Christmas.
Sensing a possibly huge windfall with this novelty act
(for instance, creating a show with a singing bird as his main act), the main character asks the salesman to have the bird perform one more song. The Bird sings the chorus of Jones' "He Stopped Loving Her Today."
Immediately thereafter, the protagonist agrees to buy The Bird for $500. The deal is closed, and the salesman walks out the door. Moments later, as the protagonist is dreaming about a lucrative career as novelty act performer, The Bird flies out the door, never to be seen again. He immediately realizes that he has been conned, and can only watch helplessly as The Bird flies out into the night, singing modified lyrics to Nelson's "On the Road Again." (The modified lyric is: "The life I love is making money with my friend" (compare to the Nelson original: "The life I love is making music with my friends")).
As the verse to "On the Road Again" repeats to the fade, Reed can be heard screaming for The Bird to come back; one of the final things he says before the fade ends is "Find me a branch, somebody!"
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer Jerry Reed
Jerry Reed
Jerry Reed Hubbard , known professionally as Jerry Reed, was an American country music singer, innovative guitarist, songwriter, and actor who appeared in more than a dozen films...
. Written by Hal Coleman and Barry Etris, this novelty song
Novelty song
A novelty song is a comical or nonsensical song, performed principally for its comical effect. Humorous songs, or those containing humorous elements, are not necessarily novelty songs. The term arose in Tin Pan Alley to describe one of the major divisions of popular music. The other two divisions...
contains impressions of Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
's "Whiskey River" and "On the Road Again
On the Road Again (Willie Nelson song)
"On the Road Again" is a song made famous by country music singer Willie Nelson, and is part of the soundtrack to the 1980 movie Honeysuckle Rose....
;" and George Jones
George Jones
George Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette....
' "He Stopped Loving Her Today
He Stopped Loving Her Today
"He Stopped Loving Her Today" is the title of a song by American country music artist George Jones that has been named in several surveys as the greatest country song of all time. It was released in April 1980 as the lead single from the album I Am What I Am. The song was Jones's first No. 1 single...
." It was released in October 1982 as the lead single from the album, The Bird. The song peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
chart just before Christmas.
Content
The song is told in first person from the point-of-view of a blue-collared worker, who stops at a roadside tavern. While there, a gentleman walks in the door with a curious-looking bird on his shoulder. The man, who turns out to be a smooth-talking salesman, walks up to the main character and boasts about the bird's singing abilities. The protagonist is skeptical and asks the salesman to back up his claim. The salesman tells The Bird, "Do Ol' Willie." To the protagonist's disbelief, the bird immediately sings the chorus to Nelson's "Whiskey River."Sensing a possibly huge windfall with this novelty act
Novelty show
A Novelty Show is a competition or display in which exhibits or specimens are in some novel; striking or differing in some way from that which is usual for the type of competition....
(for instance, creating a show with a singing bird as his main act), the main character asks the salesman to have the bird perform one more song. The Bird sings the chorus of Jones' "He Stopped Loving Her Today."
Immediately thereafter, the protagonist agrees to buy The Bird for $500. The deal is closed, and the salesman walks out the door. Moments later, as the protagonist is dreaming about a lucrative career as novelty act performer, The Bird flies out the door, never to be seen again. He immediately realizes that he has been conned, and can only watch helplessly as The Bird flies out into the night, singing modified lyrics to Nelson's "On the Road Again." (The modified lyric is: "The life I love is making money with my friend" (compare to the Nelson original: "The life I love is making music with my friends")).
As the verse to "On the Road Again" repeats to the fade, Reed can be heard screaming for The Bird to come back; one of the final things he says before the fade ends is "Find me a branch, somebody!"
Chart performance
| Chart (1982-1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 2 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |