Birds in Song Trivia Quiz

Answer: Blackbird

According to McCartney, the blackbird symbolizes how people who are discriminated against can push forward and accomplish great things with perseverance. The inspiration for the song "Blackbird" came to McCartney while he was in Scotland. McCartney was reacting to the racial tensions that were taking place in U.S.A. in the spring of 1968. "Blackbird" (1968) was also covered by other celebrities. Some of these include The Grateful Dead, Dave Grohl, Sarah Mclachlan, Jesse McCartney and many others. Rachel Wood sang "Blackbird" in the film "Across the Universe" (2007).

Answer: Jack Blanchard and Misty Morgan

Misty Morgan became the first woman in the country music scene, to have co-produced a number one hit (along with her husband) with "Tennessee Birdwalk". It reached number one on the Indie World Country Chart in 1970. Her husband, Jack Blanchard, along with Misty created "Jack and Misty Productions".
"Tennessee Birdwalk" is an enjoyable song about what birds might look like without their feathers and wings.

Enjoy the lyrics! (note: lyrics may not be exact)

"Tennessee Birdwalk" - by Jack Blanchard and Misty Morgan
"Take away the trees and the birds'll have to sit upon the ground (hum)
Take away their wings and the birds'll have to walk to get around
Take away the birdbaths and dirty birds will soon be everywhere
Take away their feathers and the birds will walk around in underwear
Take away their (whistle) and the birds'll have to whisper when they sing
(Chirp chirp!)
Take away their common sense and they'll be heading southward in the spring
Oh, remember me, my darling when spring is in the air
And the bald headed birds are whispering everywhere
When you see them walking southward in their dirty underwear
That's the Tennessee bird walk

"How about some trees so the birds won't have to sit upon the ground? (hum)
And how about some wings so the birds won't have to walk to get around?
And how about a birdbath or two so the birds will all be clean?
And how about some feathers so their underwear no longer can be seen?
How about a little (whistle) so the birds won't have to whisper when they sing?
(Chirp chirp!)
And how about some common sense
So they won't be blocking traffic in the spring?"

Answer: Vera Lynn

"(There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover" (1941) was popularized by Vera Lynn. The song had been written by Walter Kent and Nat Burton to help lift the spirits of the military people during the Second World War.
Vera Lynn was born on March 20,1917. In the beginning of WWII, in 1940, she began her own program on radio called "Sincerely Yours", where the sending of messages to British troops was possible. She toured such places as Egypt, Burma and India during the war. In 1942, Vera Lynn recorded "We'll Meet Again" which was a truly popular song during WWII.
At the age of 92, she recorded a number one album in the UK called "We'll Meet Again: The Very Best of Vera Lynn" (2009).

Answer: Fly up your nose

"May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose" (1965) was popularized by "Little" Jimmy Dickens. Neal Merritt was the composer of this song which later appeared on the Jimmy Dickens' album "I'm Little But I'm Loud: The Little Jimmy Dickens Collection". As one of the Grand Ole Opry's most popular performers, Jimmy Dickens was masterful in performing country novelty songs and ballads. Jimmy Dickens stood a mere four feet eleven inches tall (150cm) and was always clad in rhinestone studded outfits. His song, "May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose" was released as both a single and on the aforementioned album.

Answer: Nelly Furtado

Nelly Furtado, born December 2, 1978, is a Portuguese-Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer and actress. Nelly Furtado won a Grammy Award for "I'm Like a Bird" (2000). Living in Toronto, Canada, Nelly has sold over 18 million albums around the world. Not only released as a single, "I'm Like a Bird", written by Furtado, was released on her debut album "Whoa, Nelly!" (2000).

Answer: Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah

James Baskett sang the wonderful tune "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" (1946) for the animated Disney film "Song of the South" (1946). Allie Wrubel wrote the music and Ray Gilbert wrote the lyrics for this Academy Award winning song. The Academy Award was for Best Original Song in 1947. Enjoy the lyrics for this happy song!

Lyrics for "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah"

"Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
My, oh my, what a wonderful day!
Plenty of sunshine heading my way
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay

Mister Bluebird on my shoulder
It's the truth, it's actch'll
Ev'rything is satisfactch'll
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
Wonderful feeling, wonderful day!"

Answer: Lynyrd Skynyrd

"Free Bird" (1974) first appeared on Lynyrd Skynyrd's debut album "(pronounced 'lĕh-'nérd 'skin-'nérd)" (1973). It is a symbol of freedom and independence.
The single was released in 1974 making it the band's second top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
When the group performs live, they use "Free Bird" as their closing song. The song can last over fourteen minutes when Lynyrd Skynyrd plays it live.

Answer: Duck

"Disco Duck" (1976) was a funny disco novelty song. Memphis disc jockey Rick Dees and His Cast of Idiots turned this tune into a number-one hit on the Billboard Chart in October of 1976. The song incorporated a "Donald Duck" type of voice. The song is a story of a fellow who gets the urge to get up and to dance like a duck. When he finishes dancing and sits down again, he discovers that everyone is doing his duck dance.

Answer: Annie Lennox

Scottish musician and recording artist Annie Lennox was born on Christmas Day 1954. She studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London and began her career with the band The Tourists. She went on to form the duo Eurythmics with David A. Stewart. In the 1990s Annie Lennox began a solo career with her debut album "Diva" (1992) which included the song "Little Bird" later released as a single in 1993.

The music video has many Lennox look-alikes who are dressed in various costumes that Annie Lennox wore throughout her career.

In this song, Annie Lennox tried to show us how we can occasionally be envious of how a bird can just fly away from negative situations.

Answer: Yellow

"Yellow Bird" was composed by Michel Mauleart Monton, an American-born pianist of Haitian and American parents. The song was based on the 1893 poem written by Oswald Durand. The poem praised the beauty of a Haitian woman who was nicknamed "Yellow Bird". Many artists have recorded this song including Lawrence Welk and Chet Atkins. The song became Arthur Lyman's signature song when it was released as "Yellow Bird" (1961). It peaked at number four on Billboard's Top Ten chart in 1961.