Charles Christopher "Bird" Parker, Jr (29th August 1920 – 12th March 1955) … Read Full Bio ↴Charles Christopher "Bird" Parker, Jr (29th August 1920 – 12th March 1955) was a U.S. bebop saxophonist and composer. Early in his career Parker was dubbed Yardbird; this was later shortened to "Bird" (or sometimes "Yard") and remained Parker's nickname for the rest of his life, and inspiration for the titles of his works such as "Ornithology and Yardbird suite".

Parker is commonly considered the greatest bebop jazz musician. In terms of influence and impact, his contribution to jazz was so great that Charles Mingus commented that if Bird were alive today, he would think he was living in a hall of mirrors. Bird's talent is compared almost without argument to such legendary musicians as Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, and his reputation and legend as one of the best saxophonists is such that some critics say he was unsurpassed.

A founding figure of bebop, Parker's innovative approach to melody, rhythm and harmony have exerted an incalculable influence on jazz.. Several of Parker's songs have become standards of the repertoire, and innumerable musicians have studied Parker's music and absorbed elements of his style.

Parker became an icon for the Beat generation, and was a pivotal figure in the evolving conception of the jazz musician as an uncompromising artist and intellectual, rather than just a popular entertainer. At various times, Parker fused jazz with other musical styles, from classical (seeking to study with Edgard Varese and Stefan Wolpe) to Latin music (recordings with Machito), blazing paths followed later by others.

Parker was known for often showing up to performances without an instrument and borrowing someone else's at the last moment. At more than one venue he played on a plastic Grafton saxophone; later, saxophonist Ornette Coleman used this brand of plastic sax in his early career. On one particular occasion before a concert in Toronto, Canada, he had sold his saxophone to buy drugs, and at the last minute, he, Dizzy Gillespie and other members of Charlie's entourage went running around Toronto trying to find a saxophone. After scouring all the downtown pawnshops open at the time, they were only able to find a Grafton, which Parker proceeded to use at the concert that night. This concert is documented on the album Jazz at Massey Hall. The album is considered one of the greatest live recordings in Jazz history.

Parker's battles with alcoholism and heroin addiction ranged from his teenage years until his death from pneumonia and a bleeding ulcer at thirty-four. The toll that the drug had taken on his relatively young body was quite profound - a doctor examining Parker's body estimated him to be around sixty years old.

During his lifetime, tribute was paid to Parker when a new nightclub in New York was named Birdland in his honour in 1949.Three years later, George Shearing wrote "Lullaby of Birdland", which was named for both Parker and the nightclub.

Other phenomena also occurred in the United States after the death of Parker, particularly the use of the term "Bird lives" in graffiti throughout New York hours after his death, and later as the title of a contemporary art piece of the same name, created by sculptor Robert Graham in 1999. Despite its widespread use, Ted Joans is usually credited with its inception.

My Heart Belongs to Daddy
Charlie Parker Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

While tearing off a game of golf
I may make a play for the caddy
But when I do, I don't follow through
'Cause my heart belongs to Daddy.

If I invite a boy some night
To dine on my fine finnan haddie
I just adore his asking for more

But my heart belongs to Daddy

Yes my heart belongs to Daddy
So I simply couldn't be bad
Yes, my heart belongs to Daddy
Da-da-da, da-da-da, da-da-da
So I want to warn you, laddie
Though I know you're perfectly swell
But my heart belongs to Daddy
'Cause my Daddy he treats it so well

There was a dame that a football game
Made long for the strong undergraddie
I never dream of making the team
'Cause my heart belongs to daddy

Yes, my heart belongs to Daddy
So I simply couldn't be bad
Yes, my heart belongs to Daddy
Da-da-da, da-da-da, da-da-da
So I want to warn you, laddie
Though I know you're perfectly swell

That my heart belongs to Daddy
'Cause my Daddy, he treats it so well

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "My Heart Belongs to Daddy," a song originally composed by Cole Porter and performed by many artists, including Charlie Parker, recount the internal struggle of a woman who, despite the possibility of pursuing other men, remains faithful to her father. The song begins with the singer imagining making a move on her caddy while playing golf, but quickly acknowledges that her heart belongs only to her father. The second stanza elaborates on this idea, with the singer explaining that while she might enjoy being asked for seconds during a dinner date, she still cannot be swayed from her loyalty to her father. The final section evokes the image of a football game that makes another woman long for an athletic man, but the singer reassures the listener that she will not be tempted because her heart is already spoken for.

The lyrics of "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" can be read in a number of ways, but they are commonly viewed as a subversion of traditional gender roles and expectations. In the context of the song, the woman's loyalty to her father is portrayed as noble and unshakeable, while the men who might vie for her attention are ultimately inconsequential. This reversal of power dynamics challenges the notion that women exist primarily to serve men, and instead presents a scenario in which the woman's desires and agency are paramount. The repeated refrain of "my heart belongs to Daddy" reinforces this idea, suggesting that the woman has agency in her relationships and that her decisions should be respected.

Line by Line Meaning

While tearing off a game of golf
While playing golf at a fast pace

I may make a play for the caddy
I may flirt with the caddy

But when I do, I don't follow through
But I don't act on my flirtatious impulses

'Cause my heart belongs to Daddy.
Because I am devoted to my father

If I invite a boy some night
If I ask a boy out for dinner at night

To dine on my fine finnan haddie
To enjoy some delicious smoked haddock

I just adore his asking for more
I enjoy it when he asks for second helpings

But my heart belongs to Daddy
But I am still devoted to my father

Yes my heart belongs to Daddy
Yes, I am still devoted to my father

So I simply couldn't be bad
So I couldn't betray my father

Da-da-da, da-da-da, da-da-da
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