Lullaby Of Birdland
Ann Hampton Callaway Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Always hear when you sigh
Never in my wordland
Could there be ways to reveal
In a phrase how I feel
Have you ever heard two turtle doves
Bill and coo when they love?
Music we make with our lips when we kiss
And there's a weepy old willow
He really knows how to cry
That's how I'd cry in my pillow
If you should tell me farewell and goodbye
Lullaby of Birdland whisper low
Kiss me sweet and we'll go
Flyin' high in Birdland
High in the sky up above
All because we're in love
In this well-loved jazz standard, the singer is speaking directly to their beloved, expressing their deep love through the imagery of Birdland, a famed jazz club in New York City. The singer hears the "Lullaby of Birdland" whenever their love sighs, and muses that they could never find the words in their own language to express how they feel. The playful and sensual imagery continues with a comparison to the cooing of turtle doves, which the singer likens to the "magic music" they make with their lips when they kiss.
The singer's emotions take a melancholy turn when they imagine being separated from their love. They compare themselves to the "weepy old willow," which "knows how to cry" -- a metaphor for their own heartbreak. But in the end, the song returns to its buoyant tone and the singer urges their love to "whisper low" and kiss them so they can "fly high in Birdland."
"Lullaby of Birdland" was written in 1952 by jazz pianist and composer George Shearing, with lyrics by George David Weiss. The song was quickly picked up by jazz vocalists, and has since become a beloved standard in the jazz repertoire. Ann Hampton Callaway's version, released in 2005, is a particularly lush and romantic interpretation that showcases her silky smooth voice and playful sensuality.
Line by Line Meaning
Lullaby of Birdland, that's what I
The melody of Birdland is always on my mind.
Always hear when you sigh
I can't help but hear it when you sigh.
Never in my wordland
In my own vocabulary
Could there be ways to reveal
I don't have the words to express
In a phrase how I feel
How I truly feel about you.
Have you ever heard two turtle doves
Have you ever noticed two doves.
Bill and coo when they love?
They seem to talk to each other in their language.
That's the kind of magic
The magic of love.
Music we make with our lips when we kiss
That's the kind of music that we make when we kiss.
And there's a weepy old willow
There's an old willow that looks sad.
He really knows how to cry
It looks like the tree is shedding tears.
That's how I'd cry in my pillow
That's how I'd feel if you left me.
If you should tell me farewell and goodbye
If you were to say goodbye to me.
Lullaby of Birdland whisper low
The soft whisper of Birdland lullaby.
Kiss me sweet and we'll go
If we kiss, we'll go together.
Flyin' high in Birdland
We'll be soaring in the sky, in the Birdland.
High in the sky up above
Very high up in the sky, above all.
All because we're in love
Because the reason we can experience these joyful things is love.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Tratore, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: George Shearing, George David Weiss
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind