Isham was born in New York City. He studied classical music at an early age and played trumpet, piano and violin. The Isham family later moved to San Francisco, where Mark found work in several of the local orchestras. He also became actively involved in the Bay Area rock and roll scene of the 1960s, performing live with several of the local groups.
One of his early recordings "Group 87" was released as a demo LP to college radio stations. Few commercially available pressings of this first release are available > though several custom CD burns (CBS/Sony denies existence, but providing the label & issue number through their custom burn service known as [SONY MUSIC SPECIAL PRODUCTS] can be had)!> I believe this is "THE DEFINITIVE ISHAM" against all others will be judged! One other Group 87 album followed titled "A Career in Dada Processing", a reflection attesting to the learning curve associated with the emerging CD Format. It was released with very limited availability. Both albums in the "Group 87" moniker are a bit mechanical, utilizing heavy sampling, forceful sequencing, strong percussion and a progressive edginess as compared to the later Isham releases. Mark Isham next released his self-titled "Vapor Drawings", softening the stylings of the group, but with a emphasis on his trumpeting skills, that as they matured developed into the sound that would be identified as his own unique sound. He has a MYSPACE page currently, where all available recordings can be ordered.
His albums Castalia (1988) and Tibet (1989) were both Grammy-nominated. He won in 1990 with his album Mark Isham.
In 1992 he published his first orchestral work Five Stories for Trumpet and Orchestra. The same year he earned an Academy Award nomination for the soundtrack of the film A River Runs Through It. During the following years he became a prolific film score composer. Some of his film scores include: Save the Last Dance, Men of Honor, October Sky, Point Break, and the critically acclaimed Crash which won well over 30 awards worldwide, including the Oscar for Best Achievement in Editing, Best Motion Picture of the Year and Best Writing/Original Screenplay, and many soundtrack awards.
In 1995 he released an album titled Blue Sun. This was his first album to follow a mainstream contemporary jazz format.
In 1999 he formed a group to interpret the music of Miles Davis's late 1960s through mid-1970s electric jazz fusion and released an album, Miles Remembered: The Silent Way Project, which was recorded live.
Bye Bye Blackbird
Mark Isham Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, what hard luck stories they all hand me
Pack up all my cares and woe, here I go, winging low
Bye, bye, blackbird
Where somebody waits for me
Sugar's sweet, so is she
Bye, bye, blackbird
No one here can love or understand me
Oh, what hard luck stories they all hand me
Make my bed and light the light, I'll arrive late tonight
Blackbird, bye, bye
Bye, bye, blackbird
Where somebody waits for me
Sugar's sweet, so is she
Bye, bye, blackbird
No one here can love or understand me
Oh what hard luck stories they all hand me
Make my bed and light the light, I'll arrive late tonight
Blackbird, bye, bye
The lyrics to Mark Isham's "Bye Bye Blackbird" capture the feeling of a person who is misunderstood and unloved by those around him. The singer feels like no one can relate to him, and that he is constantly bombarded with stories of hardship and woe from others. In response, he decides to forget about his cares and take off into the sky, hoping to leave his troubles behind.
The imagery in the lyrics is poignant, as the singer talks about packing up his "cares and woe" and "winging low" towards an uncertain future. He hopes to find someone who will understand and love him, and the repeated refrain of "bye, bye, blackbird" underlines the sense of departure and new beginnings.
The final lines of the lyrics are especially powerful, as the singer talks about making his bed and lighting the light, but arriving late that night. The implication is that he is leaving behind his old life forever and embracing a new, unknown future. The song captures the bittersweet feeling of letting go of the past and embracing the future, with all its hope and uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
No one here can love or understand me
There is nobody present who is able to love me or comprehend me
Oh, what hard luck stories they all hand me
Oh, what a pity they all give me with their tales of unfortunate incidents
Pack up all my cares and woe, here I go, winging low
I am taking all my troubles and woes with me and leaving, flying down low
Bye, bye, blackbird
Goodbye, blackbird
Where somebody waits for me
Where someone is eagerly awaiting my arrival
Sugar's sweet, so is she
My beloved is as sweet as sugar
Bye, bye, blackbird
Goodbye, blackbird
No one here can love or understand me
There is nobody present who is able to love me or comprehend me
Oh, what hard luck stories they all hand me
Oh, what a pity they all give me with their tales of unfortunate incidents
Make my bed and light the light, I'll arrive late tonight
Prepare my bed and turn on the light, I will be arriving later tonight
Blackbird, bye, bye
Blackbird, goodbye
Bye, bye, blackbird
Goodbye, blackbird
Where somebody waits for me
Where someone is eagerly awaiting my arrival
Sugar's sweet, so is she
My beloved is as sweet as sugar
Bye, bye, blackbird
Goodbye, blackbird
No one here can love or understand me
There is nobody present who is able to love me or comprehend me
Oh what hard luck stories they all hand me
Oh, what a pity they all give me with their tales of unfortunate incidents
Make my bed and light the light, I'll arrive late tonight
Prepare my bed and turn on the light, I will be arriving later tonight
Blackbird, bye, bye
Blackbird, goodbye
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Mort Dixon, Ray Henderson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
M Holmlund
I love Prudence Johnson. Used to see her perform in person at the local jazz venues in Minneapolis, MN, in summer of 1981. She's still terrific.
Draziw
Love this version which made it my favorite!!!
George Black
Prudence Johnson is one of the best ever.
fatmanstan
My favorite version, feelin good all over :) :) nostalgia nostalgia nostalgia! :)
Vern Moses
What a beautiful voice.
Vern Moses
So fun and uplifting!!
Andres Perez
Good music takes me back to all good times
El Jefe Maximo
This is the real Mc Coy. I heard this in a speak in Greenwich Village . This isn't Paul Whiteman or the Cliqueo Club Eskimos
Trevor Machin
My mother loves the Cliqueo Club Eskimos
TippyBarley
❤❤