Anne Phillips - Singer, Composer and Producer

I Remember Birdland

I REMEMBER BIRDLAND
To the tune of Lullaby of Birdland

I remember Birdland in its day
Where the cats came to play
Down the steps to Birdland
Into a cavern of jazz
Evermore unsurpassed

Sipping beer and listening, almost free,
In the peanut gallery
Do you not concur man
That was the hippest
In jazz history

Bud, Charlie Mingus and Basie
Just twenty feet away
All introduced by Peewee
A little dust, he’ll get your name right, they say

There may be other clubs that use the name
But I’ve been there, they’re not the same
I remember Birdland, and I will treasure it
All my life long

Carmen and Ella and Sarah
They taught us all how to sing
Oh, what a fabulous era
Long, long before Elvis was king

Mr. Shearing wrote this lullaby
An anthem to a time gone by
We’ll remember Birdland and swing it
Ev’ry little jazzbird will sing it
We’ll remember Birdland ‘til the end of time

For the too young or “unhip”: the original Birdland (named after Charlie Parker) closed in the 60’s “PeeWee was the little person at the door who also introduced the performers. If you didn’t “lay a little dust” (tip) on him he would really mess up your name ie” Helen Merrill became Melon Herrill