The Bird (The Time song)

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The Bird (The Time song) - Wikipedia

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"The Bird"

U.S. 12" single

Single by The Time

from the album Ice Cream Castle

A-side

"The Bird"

B-side

"My Drawers"

Written

1983

Published

1984

Released

January 11, 1985

Recorded

October 4, 1983

Venue

First Avenue

Genre

Pop, funk

Length

7" edit: 3:41
Album: 7:40
Dance Remix: 6:25

Label

Warner Bros.

Composer(s)

Prince (as Jamie Starr), Morris Day, Jesse Johnson

Lyricist(s)

Prince (as Jamie Starr)

Producer(s)

Prince (as The Starr ★ Company)

The Time singles chronology

"Jungle Love"
(1984)

"The Bird"
(1985)

"Jerk Out"
(1990)

Purple Rain singles chronology

"I Would Die 4 U"
(1984)

"The Bird"
(1984)

"Take Me With U"
(1984)

Alternative cover

Promotional 7" single

"The Bird" is a song from The Time's third album, Ice Cream Castle. The song was initially recorded in the studio in 1983 with all instruments by Prince, except guitar, which was performed by Jesse Johnson.^[1] This version was replaced by a live recording with the full band at the First Avenue on October 4, 1983. This is the first Time song to be released both live and featuring The Time as a band, rather than primarily Prince with Morris Day on vocals. The song has become a signature number for the band and continues to be played in every Time concert to this day. In addition, two additional live versions have since been released: one on Prince's Rave Un2 the Year 2000 DVD and one recorded at the House of Blues in 1998 for Morris Day's 2004 album It's About Time.

Background

The title of the upbeat number refers to a dance in which the arms are flapped, mimicking a bird's wings. Morris Day also squawks throughout the song. The song suggests that by "doing the bird", one can overcome their troubles. "The Bird" uses both a drum machine and live drumming by Jellybean Johnson. Guitar takes the background for a funk effect, while keyboards play a dominant role in the song. After the main lyrics, there is an extended instrumental section to allow the band to dance.^[2] A "Dance Remix" of the song was released as a 12" single. The B-side to the single was the rocker, "My Drawers".

Reception

John Leland of Spin said the song, "comes close enough to capturing the band's leopard-skin razzle-dazzle to give the overextended Kid a run for his considerable money. The best song from Purple Rain is the best slice of black rock on the market."^[3]

Personnel

Credits sourced from Duane Tudahl^[4]

Morris Day – lead vocals
Prince – electric guitar, synthesizers, bass guitar; music box (demo and album versions)
Jesse Johnson – electric guitar, backing vocals
St. Paul Peterson – synthesizers, backing vocals
Mark Cardenas – synthesizers, backing vocals
Jellybean Johnson – drums, Linn LM-1, backing vocals
Jerome Benton – percussion, backing vocals
Jerry Hubbard – backing vocals

Charts

Chart performance for "The Bird"
Chart (1985)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot 100^[5]	36
US Billboard Hot Dance/Disco^[6]	6
US Billboard Hot Black Singles^[7]	33

In the media

Used in the 1984 movie Purple Rain.
Sampled on "The Latest Fashion" for the Graffiti Bridge album.

References

^ "Jesse Johnson on Facebook". Facebook. Archived from the original on 2022-04-30.^{[user-generated source]}
^ Tudahl, Duane (2018). Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions: 1983 and 1984. ISBN 978-1538114629.
^ John Leland (June 1985). "Singles". Spin. No. 2. p. 73.
^ Tudahl, Duane (2018). Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions: 1983 and 1984 (Expanded Edition). Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9781538116432.
^ "The Time > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums & Singles". AllMusic. Archived from the original on August 28, 2013. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 260.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 581.

v t e The Time
Morris Day Jerome Benton Jimmy Jam Terry Lewis Jellybean Johnson Monte Moir Ricky "Freeze" Smith Stanley "Chance" Howard Torrell "Tory" Ruffin Jesse Johnson Paul Peterson Mark Cardenez Jerry Hubbard
Studio albums	The Time (1981) What Time Is It? (1982) Ice Cream Castle (1984) Pandemonium (1990) Condensate [as "The Original 7ven"] (2011)
Singles	"Get It Up" "Cool" "Girl" "777-9311" "The Walk" "Gigolos Get Lonely Too" "Ice Cream Castles" "Jungle Love" "The Bird" "Jerk Out" "Chocolate" "Shake!"

v t e Prince and the Revolution · Music from the Motion Picture Purple Rain
Side one	"Let's Go Crazy" "Take Me with U" "The Beautiful Ones" "Computer Blue" "Darling Nikki"
Side two	"When Doves Cry" "I Would Die 4 U" "Baby I'm a Star" "Purple Rain"
B-sides	"17 Days" "Erotic City"
Related articles	Purple Rain (film) Purple Rain Tour Prince and the Revolution: Live Purplish Rain Prince albums discography
Related artists	The Time Ice Cream Castle "Jungle Love" "The Bird" Apollonia 6 Apollonia 6 (album) "Sex Shooter" Dez Dickerson

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