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What Would Bird Do?

from Welcome by James Wood

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lyrics

What Would Bird Do?

A way of dealing with illegitimate concern,
A question, once asked, that yields little
Except a yearning for times past.

Jazz, up in the Summertime, when the living was easy.
Problems dismissed like the chords on Bird's solos.
Devil May Care,
Dewey Square,
An Exclamation,
Ah-Lieu-Cha!

Yet the question still remains.
Nothing's going your way.
No, I don't wanna get high today.
Now isn't the time for John Coltrane or Lady Day.

Now's the time. Now's the time.
A Bird awaits.

Raindrops fall.
April, in Paris, in May.
A bench, a park.
Sat down, the President and Lady Day.
A Nightingale singing in the dark,
Weaving through the rhythm, a whistle and a spark.
Is that not Bird?
Unmistakeable to have heard.
A light relief, the answer to the question.

What Would Bird do?

No doubt play, and eat and smoke.
But waiting in the raindrop park
The Be-bop bird is alive,
A lark.
Or a dove or swan.
Either way the answer's not done.

What Would Bird do?

Bird lives it's true,
But I'm not yet through.
The scales are blue,
Billie's here,
I'm still you.

What Would Bird Do?

credits

from Welcome, released June 22, 2012
Contains excerpts of melodies from 'Ah-Lieu-Cha' and Now's The Time,' originally composed by Charlie Parker.

Also contains a sample of 'Feelin' Good' as performed by the John Coltrane Quartet.

Some lyrics liberally borrowed from jazz standards (Summertime) and other jazz titles.

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