The band's first album featured tracks like "White Bird" (which quickly became a hit song), "Hot Summer Day" and "Time Is". The vocals and violin playing of David LaFlamme plus Pattie Santos' singing drew a huge following in the Bay Area. The Song "Bombay calling" inspired Jon Lord (Deep Purple) to write "Child in time" (could one say "steal" ?)
A few years later, IABD did a copy of Deep Purple's "Wring that neck"
By 1970 the original lineup of the band had changed a little (David and Linda had split up: David stayed, Linda left the band, and Fred Webb replaced her), but their next album, Marrying Maiden, released in 1970, still included some popular tracks and didn't fail to chart.
The band continued to record (Choice Quality Stuff in 1971 and the live album Live at Carnegie Hall in 1972) and tour until 1974. Although they were still able to produce some very popular tunes, they couldn't generate the interest which they'd enjoyed in previous years. In 1974, they dissolved. Sadly, Pattie Santos was killed in a car crash on December 14, 1989.
It's a Beautiful Day reunited in 1997. The band still features founder David LaFlamme and original drummer Val Fuentes. They have recently completed an excellent string of shows in 2005 and plan to continue playing in 2006 and beyond.
Whitebird
It's A Beautiful Day Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In a golden cage
On a winter's day
In the rain
White bird
In a golden cage
Alone
The leaves blow
Across the long, black road
To the darkened skies
In it's rage
But the white bird
Just sits in her cage
Unknown
White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird
Dreams of the aspen trees
With their dying leaves
Turning gold
But the white bird
Just sits in her cage
Growing old
White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird must fly
Or she will die
The sunsets come
The sunsets go
The clouds roll by
And the earth turns old
And the young bird's eyes
Do always glow
She must fly
She must fly
She must fly
White bird
In a golden cage
On a winter's day
In the rain
White bird
In a golden cage
Alone
White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird must fly
Or she will die
The lyrics to It's A Beautiful Day’s “Whitebird” are poetic and metaphorical in nature. The song follows the story of a white bird that is trapped in a golden cage on a winter's day, surrounded by rain. The bird feels alone and confined despite being ensconced in a luxurious vessel. The leaves blow across a black road in the midst of raging skies, and although the bird is unknown, it sits in her cage with a desire to fly.
The bird dreams of aspen trees with their dying leaves turning gold, but she remains seated in her cage growing old. The sunsets come and go, the clouds roll by, and the earth turns old, but the white bird's eyes continue to glow. The young bird must fly and escape the constraints of its golden cage or perish. The song encourages listeners to embrace their potential and take chances, otherwise, they may remain captive in their current situation, longing for the opportunity to escape.
One interpretation of the song is that it is a metaphor for the human predicament. The golden cage can be interpreted as the trappings of materialistic wealth, fame, or societal conventions. This interpretation suggests that no matter how luxurious or secure we become in our materialistic pursuits or how highly we are regarded in society, we all have an innate desire to escape the constraints of society.
Line by Line Meaning
White bird
The bird referenced in the song is white in color.
In a golden cage
The bird is kept in a luxurious but confining cage.
On a winter's day
The weather is cold and bleak.
In the rain
Water from the sky is falling on this day.
Alone
No other living being is present with the bird.
The leaves blow
The leaves on the road are being blown by the wind.
Across the long, black road
The road is long and black in color.
To the darkened skies
The skies have darkened due to bad weather conditions.
In it's rage
The wind is blowing fiercely and with great intensity.
Just sits in her cage
The bird is not doing anything but remaining in the cage.
Unknown
It is unclear why the bird is kept in the cage.
White bird must fly
The bird needs to leave the cage and fly freely.
Or she will die
If the bird doesn't get freedom to fly, she will perish.
Dreams of the aspen trees
The bird has a desire to see the aspen trees.
With their dying leaves
The leaves of the trees have started dying.
Turning gold
The color of the leaves is changing to golden.
Growing old
The age of the bird is increasing in the cage.
The sunsets come
The sunsets are happening regularly.
The sunsets go
The sunsets end and night comes.
The clouds roll by
The clouds move across the sky due to the wind.
And the earth turns old
Time passes and the earth ages.
And the young bird's eyes
The bird is still relatively young and full of life.
Do always glow
The bird's eyes are always shining bright.
She must fly
It is imperative that the bird take flight.
White bird must fly
The bird has to escape from her golden cage.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., MUSIC & MEDIA INT'L, INC.
Written by: DAVID LAFLAMME, LINDA LAFLAMME
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@barrysmith8920
Incredible in EVERY WAY..
Those harmonies..
That powerful bass line..
David’s violin 🎻..
The organ tranquility..
Guitar abstractions...
Lyrics from another world..
Intoxicating percussion/drums..
Etc. 🌹
@svensofficialpage7060
They use to rehearse in my grandma's garage on Pennsylvania Ave on Potrero Hill in San Francisco in the mid 60's! My grandmother use to babysit Pattie Santos when she waa a child. My mom played this tune on regular rotation in our house growing up. Amazing band indeed!
@claystablein9739
That's nuts and cool nuts at that!
@rodneybudlong1545
I actually was weeping with the joy of the memory. Tears on my face from being transported in time to a more innocent time, with it;s special magic. Music never to be duplicated again.
@donheenan1571
I agree
@philmarasco7833
Music.
@philmarasco7833
I wish this band played at woodstock n.y. in 1969 summer they are so grate..good hippie
@donheenan1571
And to have vinyl lps today would be a win!
@jg6698
More innocent time? Race riots, anti war protests. Body bags from Nam. Yeah, go ahead and weep. 🙄
@elmono3939
Hard to believe it happened 52 years ago.... One of the most under-rated songs of the Hippie era
@pattyayers
Not underrated at all