How do you pass the miles when you have lots of time to occupy your mind? Do you listen to the radio? Ipod? Audio books? Contemplate life? Enjoy the silence (if you can)?

When Joel and I go on little road trips we are apt to challenge each other on our music trivia. General topics are selected such as songs about a location or that reference the weather. We’ll volley back and forth until we have a gloater winner. Much to my surprise and delight, Joel recently picked songs that reference birds or flight.

Besides singing about other people, does the music world croon about any other living creature as much as it does birds?

Given our ages and musical preferences, many songs that reference birds and flight certainly won’t be represented, however, here is our collective list:

BIRDS
In alphabetical order by song title

As I Lay Me Down – Sophie B. Hawkins
“It felt like spring time on this February morning. In a courtyard birds were singing your praise.”

Beds Are Burning – Midnight Oil
“Four wheels scare the cockatoos from Kintore East to Yuendemu.”

Birdhouse In Your Soul – They Might Be Giants
“Blue canary in the outlet by the light switch who watches over you. Make a little birdhouse in your soul.”

Black Crows – Honeyhoney
“Black Crows on the blue sky always making a mess. And I wake in the morning tangled up in their nest.”

Blackbird – The Beatles
“Blackbird singing in the dead of night. Take these broken wings and learn to fly.”

Blue Jay Way – The Beatles
“Soon will be the breath of day sitting here in Blue Jay Way.”

Chorus – Erasure
“And they covered up the sun until the birds had flown away.”

(They Long to Be) Close to You – The Carpenters
“Why do birds suddenly appear? Every time you are near?”

Edge Of Seventeen – Stevie Nicks
“Just like the white winged dove, sings a song sounds like she’s singing…”

Fly Like an Eagle – Steve Miller Band
“I want to fly like an eagle to the sea. Fly like an eagle let my spirit carry me.”

Fly Robin Fly – Silver Convention
“Fly, robin fly. Fly, robin fly. Fly, robin fly. Up, up to the sky”
Lather, rinse, repeat. These are THE ONLY lyrics to the song! You don’t want to miss this gem from 1976. I may add this choreographed dance routine to my exercise repertoire.

Hot In Herre – Nelly
“Check it, got it locked at the top of the Four Seasons. Penthouse, roof top, birds I feedin.”

I’m Like a Bird – Natalie Furtado
“I’m like a bird I’ll only fly away.”

Little Bird – Annie Lennox
“I look up to the little bird that glides across the sky. He sings the clearest melody. It makes me want to cry.”
One of my favorites. Unfortunately no birds make an appearance in this video.

One For The Mockingbird – Cutting Crew
“But the sweetest song of all the mockingbirds couldn’t hope to match one note of any song we played.”

Over the Rainbow – Judy Gardland
“Birds fly over the rainbow. Why then, oh, why can’t I?”

Remedy – Black Crows
“Baby, baby why can’t you sit still? Who killed that bird out on you window sill?”
Boo…

Rockin’ Robin – Bobbie Day
“All the little birds on Jay Bird Street love to hear the robin go tweet tweet tweet.”
Nine different birds are mentioned in this song. Is there any other song that is birdier than this?

Scar Tissue – Red Hot Chili Peppers
“With the birds I’ll share this lonely view.”
I always thought the words were “Scott Tissue”. “Scott Tissue that I wish you saw…” and thought it was so odd (but quite a coup for the Scott®  folks) that a band like Red Hot Chili Peppers would reference toilet paper in a song.

Sign Your Name – Terence Trent D’Arby
“Birds never look into the sun before the day is done.”

St. Elmo’s Fire (Man In Motion) – John Parr
“I can see the new horizon underneath the blazin’ sky. I’ll be where the eagle’s flying higher and higher.”

Sparrow – Simon & Garfunkel
“Who will love a little Sparrow and who will speak a kindly word? ‘Not I,’ said the Swan, ‘The entire idea is utterly absurd, I’d be laughed at and scorned if the other Swans heard.’ ”

Suga Suga – Baby Bash
“So fly like a dove, fly like a raven. Quick to politic with some fly conversation.”

Take a Chance On Me – ABBA
“If you’re all alone when the pretty birds have flown…honey I’m still free, take a chance on me.”

The Night Owls – Little River Band
“He’s gonna win her every time. He knows he will, he’s dressed to kill he’s a night owl.”

Three Little Birds – Bob Marley
“Three little birds each by my doorstep. Singin’ sweet songs of melodies pure and true.”

When Doves Cry – Prince
“Why do we scream at each other? This is what it sounds like when doves cry.”

Wings of a Dove – Ferlin Husky
“On the wings of a snow-white dove He sends His pure sweet love. A sign from above on the wings of a dove.”

FLIGHT
We’re assuming the use of flight is in reference to or similar to a bird’s flight and not insects, bats, angels, or airplanes.

In alphabetical order by song title

Amazing – Aerosmith
“That one last shot’s a Permanent Vacation. And how high can you fly with broken wings?”

Breakaway – Kelly Clarkson
“I’ll spread my wings and I’ll learn how to fly. I’ll do what it takes til’ I touch the sky.”

Broken Wings – Mr. Mister
“Take these broken wings and learn to fly again, learn to live so free.”
A falcon with intact wings makes a few brief appearances in this video.

Don’t Fear the Reaper – Blue Oyster Cult
“We’ll be able to fly (Don’t fear the reaper)”
You get bonus points if you knew that this SNL skit this was the inspiration for the title of this post!

Theme From The Greatest American Hero (Believe It Or Not) – Mike Post
“Flying away on a wing and a prayer, who could it be? Believe it or not it’s just me.”

I Believe I Can Fly – R. Kelly
“I believe I can fly. I believe I can touch the sky. I think about it every night and day, spread my wings and fly away.”
When you want to instill confidence in yourself, spreading your wings and flying away does seem sexier and more inspiring than, say, lacing up your gym shoes and sprinting away. 

Never Tear Us Apart – INXS
“I told you that we could fly ‘cause we all have wings…but some of us don’t know why.”

On the Wings of Love – Jeffrey Osborne
“On the wings of love up and above the clouds the only way to fly…is on the wings of love.”

Time For Me To Fly – REO Speedwagon
“Time for me to fly…oh, I’ve got to set myself free. Time for me to fly…and that’s just how it’s got to be.”

Wind Beneath My Wings – Bette Midler
“I can fly higher than an eagle, ’cause you are the wind beneath my wings.”

Like the bird song word clouds? Check out Tagxedo for a word cloud generator with lots of fun options.