Lullaby Of Birdland
Duke Ellington Lyrics


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Lullaby of Birdland, that's what I
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?
That's the kind of magic
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

Overall Meaning

In Duke Ellington's song, "Lullaby of Birdland," the singer describes hearing a lullaby in their head whenever their love interest sighs, imagining it to be the sweet melody that puts them to sleep. The singer lingers on the difficulty of expressing their feelings for their love interest, wishing there was a way to put it into words. They compare their love to the cooing of turtle doves and describe the magic they make when they kiss. The singer also mentions a weepy old willow who knows how to cry, imagining that they would cry the same way if their love interest were to bid them farewell. Finally, the singer urges their love interest to whisper sweet nothings and take flight with them, high up in Birdland, all because they are in love.


Line by Line Meaning

Lullaby of Birdland, that's what I
The sweet melody of Birdland sounds so familiar to me as it reminds me of you.


Always hear when you sigh
Whenever you let out a sigh, the lullaby of Birdland becomes even more prominent in my ears.


Never in my wordland
In my own vocabulary, there are no words or combinations of words that do justice in describing how I feel about you.


Could there be ways to reveal
It seems impossible to fully express my love for you through words alone.


In a phrase how I feel
Even the most eloquent phrase wouldn't quite capture how much you mean to me.


Have you ever heard two turtle doves
Have you ever listened to the sounds of two birds in love,


Bill and coo when they love?
fussing and making noises that symbolize affection for one another?


That's the kind of magic
That's the kind of enchanting, pure magic


Music we make with our lips when we kiss
that we make with our lips every time we kiss each other.


And there's a weepy old willow
There's also an old weeping willow,


He really knows how to cry
who seems to understand the depth of my emotions as it cries along with me.


That's how I'd cry in my pillow
If you were to bid me farewell and never return, that's the type of sadness I'd feel


If you should tell me farewell and goodbye
if you decide to leave me and say goodbye


Lullaby of Birdland whisper low
Hopefully, the lullaby of Birdland will continue to soothe me and will give peace even in the lowest moments.


Kiss me sweet and we'll go
Embraced in your arms, we'll set out on an adventure,


Flyin' high in Birdland
flying high above in the blissful of Birdland.


High in the sky up above
among the clouds listening to the beautiful melodies of Birdland.


All because we're in love
All of this isn't just because of Birdland, it's ultimately because we're deeply in love.




Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Tratore
Written by: George Shearing, George David Weiss

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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