This is classified as a novelty song. Such songs were meant to be fun. Usually, they are making light of something. In this case, it was a style of music from the late 1950s and early 1960s. A number of novelty songs focused on horror movies popular at the time. "Purple People Eater" is an example. "They're Coming to Take Me Away" sung by a madman was popular in 1966. In the 1970s, people on dares would take off all their clothes and run through public areas. That resulted in the novelty song "The Streak." Again, all in fun.
I also recall, Monster Mash, Wolly Bully, Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Dot Bikini, The Name Game, I Don't Like Spiders and Snakes, Disco Duck, Louie Louie
OMG! LOL! I’d forgotten about the song, “They’re coming to take me away Ha Ha!” although How I could forget is surprising, given as kids in the sixties.. my brother (4 years older) used to love singing it ‘at me’.. while has ing me around and acting weird and creepy! Lol! 🤦♀🙄Here’s a link to it for when you want another one in what I’d call the category of very ‘odd entertainment songs’ 🤪🤣🤷♀😉 ua-cam.com/video/hnzHtm1jhL4/v-deo.html
This was actually a mash up of two songs by The Rivingtons, Doin' the Bird (which was a new dance being introduced) and Papa Oo Mau Mau. The Surfin' part of it was to take advantage surf music's popularity at that time. The trashman were actually a pretty talented local band out of Minneapolis. Most of their stuff included covers with a lot of harmony.
I loved the originals, especially Papa Oo Mau Mau. The Cramps did a version of Surfin’ Bird that sounds like they played with the vocal tape speed for the key changes. Kind of odd… ✌️
Yes sir but during the occupation in Vietnam this dude mashed them up (since we were all mashed up) and made song about it, like to hear it, herer it go!
I'm 60 years old and we would often play this when my grandpa was visiting...he would start laughing and say it was the craziest thing he'd ever heard.
This very early punk rock. Proto-punk, lol. They were also surf rock, garage rock. '60s band. This song has been all over TV shows and movies. "Bird Dance Beat" was another good one from them and sounds almost like this one with Beach Boys vibes. "Bird 65", Malaguena", "Peppermint Man", "Bad News" also. Shoeshiners you could still find them at airports, military bases. or streets of poorer countries. Haven't yall heard? That the bird is the word!
Reminds me of listening to my favorite radio show growing up in the 70's. The great Dr. Demento and all the crazy novelty songs he would share from his collection.
The sixties was a transition era, go from the Big Bands that dressed up to play in nightclubs to rock groups first dressing up in mod suits to be different, and the branching out in all directions.
you ate the 50s early rock and roll, because why not? 🤦♂ and from that to the Brill Building song factory, rythm and blues labels like Stax and Motown... that's the foundation for all the 60s rock and pop bands, starting by The Beatles
This guy has the most unique voice I've ever heard, and I never even thought about it until now. On another note, I can't even think about this song any more without thinking of Family Guy.
This guy who dance is . Andre van duin . This was his first show . Hi is not singen but just dancing . On dutch tv . Andre van duin . Is very famous in the netherland
Yep. If your life expectancy is minutes or hours, you admire the funny and happy things. Some of these other people don't get it and I hope they never will.
Let me break it down further for those who are mentally inept. The B-52's sing a song called "Rock Lobster" and while the lyrics are gibberish, the delivery of those lyrics are awesome and in parts of the song rally the troops to fight again. Some of you havent even ran 3 miles straight. Let me tell you. Music is a luxury... without music you get stuck with the voices in your head.
Pre summer of love 60s people wore suits all the time and shinned their shoes all the time as well. I used to shine mine before I wnet out, every time, especially Friday and Saturday nights and always to go to church on Sunday (no one would even consider going to church if they weren't dressed up).
The Rivingtons followed up their 1963 Billboard Hot 100 hit "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" with the similar "The Bird's the Word" in 1963. The Trashmen had not heard this version but saw a band called the Sorensen Brothers playing it. They decided to play the song that night at their own gig. During this first performance, drummer and vocalist Steve Wahrer stopped playing and ad-libbed the "Surfin' Bird" middle section. Despite not knowing "The Bird's the Word" was a Rivingtons song, the similarity to "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" was obvious and the Trashmen added the chorus to the end of their new track. A local disc jockey, Bill Diehl, was at the gig and convinced the band to record the track. It was recorded at Kay Bank Studios in Minneapolis. Diehl entered it into a local battle of the bands competition and it won. It was then sent to a battle of the bands competition in Chicago where it also won. This led to the group being signed to Garrett Records with the single being quickly released. It reportedly sold 30,000 copies in its first weekend before going on to national success, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Wahrer was originally credited as the song's writer, but that was changed to The Rivingtons (Al Frazier, Carl White, Sonny Harris, and Turner Wilson Jr.) after the group threatened to sue The Trashmen for plagiarism.
I grew up listening to this song. (My parents played it all the time.) It's impossible to resist the charm of this song. It's also impossible to forget the lyrics!
Nobody has commented on the fact that that the song switched to a performance by Andre van Duin at about 1.15 minutes in. He was in a television program 'nieuwe oogst' (new harvest) which tried to discover new talent in the netherlands. His act was miming to a tape, that's why he was known as a tapeparodist in his early career. He was in fact parodying the previous song!
Pee Wee Herman [Paul Reubens] did this in Back to the Beach movie ca. 1987/1988. Everybody lost it laughing. sounded like this record speeded up on the voice, they had him flying in the air and such.
Looks like my chickens when they're wound running around of the pen. I first thought it was about the one finger salute but after seeing it on your channel now it's just a crazy song about birds
There was a transition period in music at the end of the 1950s. Elvis in the army, Berry in jail...there seemed to be a conspiracy to kill rock n roll by the establishment. There came a glut of Bobby singers. Bobby Rydell, Bobby Curtola, Bobby Darrin, Bobby Vinton, Bobby Vee. They all sang sanitized rock songs. Pat Boone took standards like " Tutti Frutti " and homogenized them for the white milk market. Then, there came the " novelty songs " of the sixties. Alley Oop, Polka Dot Bikini, Mr. Custer, Chewing Gum lose it's Flavor, ad nauseum. Into this mixture of puerile nonsense, a group from Liverpool arrived and restored a focus on good music. That's the facts.
Although the song looks silly, its lasting appeal is not from the silliness. It's from the rhythm and the rawness of the sound. It helped mark the end of doo-wop and to keep rock rooted. Y'all also need to check out The Sonics, and their garage rock, proto-punk sound. My favorite of theirs is Have Love Will Travel, but I may be in a minority. BTW: These are covers, with serious additions for a different genre. Y'all also need to check out The Rivington's original version, along with Richard Berry's original versions of Louie, Louie and Have Love Will Travel.
Proto-punk indeed! I heard this song growing up, but it wasn't until this video that I caught a riff and thought "the Violent Femmes must have loved this."
How great were The Sonics? The Beatles invited them to open their show in Seattle, just up the road from The Sonics hometown of Tacoma. An essential Sonics song is The Witch
I haven't heard very many reactions to some of the big novelty songs of the 1960s, and there are some quite entertaining ones. A few favorites: "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah," "Gitarzan," "Tennessee Bird Walk," "Speedy Gonzalez" and "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport."
Lmao! I have never seen this video. So funny! If you guys have ever watched Family Guy, I believe there are episodes where Peter dances to this song, or sings it, or something to that effect. I just remember seeing Peter saying "bird is the word" and then this song plays. I don't know how I have that memory as I never watched that show much, but that is in my brain for some reason. Yeah, this is just a novelty song. Not to be taken seriously. Just a fun, crazy song. Oh... and now a days there is that super weird conspiracy theory that birds aren't real at all and when they sit on power lines they are actually charging. Lmao. So crazy that it's interesting. So maybe "bird" really IS the word. Lol.
Everytime I hear this song, I either think of 'Full Metal Jacket' or the 'Family Guy' episode when Peter buys this song on record form and plays it over and over again annoying everyone else in the house. This is a classic novelty song.
that movie is where anyone who was born after 1970 knows this song from after seeing the movie or trailer ;) It was a popular/awesome scene in the movie.
the guy you see , after your pause , is a Dutch Comedian Andre van Duin, he is not a member of the Trashmen. That part is from a talent show in Holland from 1964. It is a parody.
This song also had some resurgence in the late 70's and early 80's from being in the Apocolypse Now movie. And then had more popularity in culture by being featured in the Battlefield: Vietnam video game in the early 2000s by switching radio stations in the Jeep.
Brain: Peter, I have a mammogram in the morning. Peter: Brian, can I see that paper for a sec? Huh. That's odd. I thought that would be big news. Brian: What would be big news? Peter: Well, there seems to be an absence of a certain ornithological piece. A headline regarding mass awareness of a certain avian variety. Brain: What are you talking about? Peter: Oh, have you not heard? It was my understanding that everyone had heard. Brian: Heard what? Stewie: Brian Don't! Peter: A- well-a bird, bird, bird B- Bird is the word A- well-a bird, bird, bird B- Bird is the word A- well-a bird, bird, bird B- Bird is the word A- well-a bird, bird, bird B- Bird is the word Brian, don't you know about the bird?
You can't telle that they didn't have crack in 1963. If they didn't this guy is on an LSD trip from hell. I was 3 year's old when this was released. Kids loved this crazy song. 🌞🐊😎🤠😁☮️🇺🇲🌴 Hello from Orlando, Florida. PEOPLE 😉
You would not believe how popular this song was when it was out. God knows, it sure did jump right out of the speaker whenever it came on the radio. Which was often for a couple of months.
You have to see the family guy episode on this song. I believe it’s season six episode three. It’s the funniest shit you’ve ever seen and Brad I love your face through the whole song it was hysterical
remember it well. one of the whimsical "novelty" songs of the late 50's-60's. Besides the ones listed below (very good ones) here are a few: Jim Stafford - spiders and snakes, wildwood weed; Ray Stevens had several, including: The Streak, Shriners convention, Ahab the Arab-'62. Ray Stevens also released a sincere sweet song in 1970 - Everything is Beautiful. Bobby Pickett released a novelty song in October 1964 - "The Monster Mash". Others: Snoopy vs the Red Baron, Little Nash Rambler, Hot Rod Lincoln
We loved this one too hahaha....a great novelty song. We only heard it on the radio a lot..never seen a video. Do Purple People Eater..please LOL...and They're Coming To Take me Away..lol...
As John Mellencamp one said "What does Be Bop A Lula" mean anyways???...It's all about just having some fun. In 63' this was the polar opposite to what was on the radio (I.e.:Sinatra, Perry Como..etc)
Remember kids in the 60’s were rebelling from the stifling strictness & repression that was The 50’s. What They were doing… had never been done before. At least in public.
Back in the day, suits were worn by most people, it was unusual to see a woman out and about without a hat and gloves. My grandmother wore a corset under a neat suit, a hat, gloves and a fox fur. Do some research on vintage Vogue sewing patterns... or old catalogues. In the 50's it was the rebels who started wearing less formal clothing in public, the older generation were not at all approving of that. See the video for The Shangri-las, "Leader of the Pack." There is an early Debbie Renyolds and Jane Powell, movie called "Two weeks with Love" about fashion among other things.
You're right. There's an episode in the I Love Lucy Show where Lucy is bored an tries to convince Ethel that they should go out to town and do something. Ethel tells Lucy she doesn't have anything to wear because she hasn't done the laundry. Lucy tells Ethel to just go dressed as she is... to which Ethel replies that she would never be caught wearing jeans in public and what would people think of her looking dressed like that in public! In most of the 50's and early 60's, the older generation - like you said - wore formal wear and so did the young adults too; but it was the teenagers that wore informal clothes like jeans an so, that reflected the era of music like Rock and Roll and it's influence.
Yes, people got dressed up to go to the doctor or get on an airplane. Guys wore fedoras, not ball caps. Actually, I think a lot of people dress like crap these days.
The bird was a dance also..I know I was a gogo girl in the 60's..71 now..Can't go no more !!!LOL
This is classified as a novelty song. Such songs were meant to be fun. Usually, they are making light of something. In this case, it was a style of music from the late 1950s and early 1960s. A number of novelty songs focused on horror movies popular at the time. "Purple People Eater" is an example. "They're Coming to Take Me Away" sung by a madman was popular in 1966. In the 1970s, people on dares would take off all their clothes and run through public areas. That resulted in the novelty song "The Streak." Again, all in fun.
My granddaughter loved "Alley Oop" when she was small and we would listen to the cassette in the car every time she rode with me
I also recall, Monster Mash, Wolly Bully, Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Dot Bikini, The Name Game, I Don't Like Spiders and Snakes, Disco Duck, Louie Louie
Hello Mother, Hello Father was another one, I remember having the album Goofy Gold.
OMG! LOL! I’d forgotten about the song, “They’re coming to take me away Ha Ha!” although How I could forget is surprising, given as kids in the sixties.. my brother (4 years older) used to love singing it ‘at me’.. while has ing me around and acting weird and creepy! Lol! 🤦♀🙄Here’s a link to it for when you want another one in what I’d call the category of very ‘odd entertainment songs’ 🤪🤣🤷♀😉 ua-cam.com/video/hnzHtm1jhL4/v-deo.html
"Don't look, Ethyl!"
Ray Stephens is a rabbit hole on his own.
Him walking around in circles flapping his arms around like a bird is the funniest part.
my father drank beer with these guys in high school when they were a garage band. i had to grow up hearing him attempt to sing this tune
Oh man! The pain! 😂
This was actually a mash up of two songs by The Rivingtons, Doin' the Bird (which was a new dance being introduced) and Papa Oo Mau Mau. The Surfin' part of it was to take advantage surf music's popularity at that time. The trashman were actually a pretty talented local band out of Minneapolis. Most of their stuff included covers with a lot of harmony.
I loved the originals, especially Papa Oo Mau Mau.
The Cramps did a version of Surfin’ Bird that sounds like they played with the vocal tape speed for the key changes. Kind of odd… ✌️
Love the info, thank u!
Yes sir but during the occupation in Vietnam this dude mashed them up (since we were all mashed up) and made song about it, like to hear it, herer it go!
"Whats the word? THUNDERBIRD! How's its sold? GOOD AND COLD!"
I'm 60 years old and we would often play this when my grandpa was visiting...he would start laughing and say it was the craziest thing he'd ever heard.
Inspiration for one of my favorite Family Guy episodes ever. "Oh, Brian. Have you not heard?"😂
When they came to take him away in a straight jacket he simply flew away, laughing.
lmao classic . was waiting for Brad to dissect the words... but bird is the word. Lex is like, this is going on all my playlists.
There was an entire Family Guy episode about this song and the single 45 record. Thank God.
The best episode!
Speaking of God,Jesus was in that episode wasn't he?
This very early punk rock. Proto-punk, lol. They were also surf rock, garage rock. '60s band. This song has been all over TV shows and movies.
"Bird Dance Beat" was another good one from them and sounds almost like this one with Beach Boys vibes. "Bird 65", Malaguena", "Peppermint Man", "Bad News" also.
Shoeshiners you could still find them at airports, military bases. or streets of poorer countries.
Haven't yall heard? That the bird is the word!
this video is actually a Dutch comedian Andre van Duin who did multiple song parodies in his act, this was his break through in 1964
To me this song is just "Full Metal Jacket". That was the first time I heard it and that is what it conjures up, the frantic madness of war.
Reminds me of Peter Griffin
this song always makes me laugh. released all the way back in 1963. glad you did the video version to see the famous bird dance at the end.
Reminds me of listening to my favorite radio show growing up in the 70's. The great Dr. Demento and all the crazy novelty songs he would share from his collection.
I would stay up late on Sunday night listening to Dr Demento he appeared on weird Al movie VHS
The sixties was a transition era, go from the Big Bands that dressed up to play in nightclubs to rock groups first dressing up in mod suits to be different, and the branching out in all directions.
you ate the 50s early rock and roll, because why not? 🤦♂
and from that to the Brill Building song factory, rythm and blues labels like Stax and Motown... that's the foundation for all the 60s rock and pop bands, starting by The Beatles
The Big Band era was from the 1930s through the 40s, and began fading in the early 50s
Peter Griffin likes this
That episode is awesome. The 420 episode slays me, though!
🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️🤣🤣🤣💀⚰️🪦
I thought everyone knew.
I haven't heard.
This guy sounds like Peter Griffin 🤭🎶
This guy has the most unique voice I've ever heard, and I never even thought about it until now.
On another note, I can't even think about this song any more without thinking of Family Guy.
That's what popped into my head first too! Peter playing this incessantly and annoying the crap out of his family 🤣
yup peter sounds just like the singer.
You're of course referring to the news headline concerning a certain species of an ornithological variety...
This guy who dance is . Andre van duin . This was his first show . Hi is not singen but just dancing . On dutch tv . Andre van duin . Is very famous in the netherland
Great surfing song, eh? Heh-heh! The band is from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Surfin Bird= Pure, unadulterated joy......with a dash of madness....
LMAO _ the expression on your face Brad...hahaha. This was a GREAT song lol...and let me tell you...that song gets in your head.....for-ev-er.....
"...and that's why we eat a lot of chicken."
🤣🤣🤣
Arguably the greatest song lyric ever written.
Your assertion -- much like the greatness of song lyrics -- is infinitely arguable. 😉
This “song” was obnoxious in 1963 and will remain so forever.
Imagine all the time and brainpower that was used to come up with such lyrics
Yep. If your life expectancy is minutes or hours, you admire the funny and happy things. Some of these other people don't get it and I hope they never will.
Let me break it down further for those who are mentally inept. The B-52's sing a song called "Rock Lobster" and while the lyrics are gibberish, the delivery of those lyrics are awesome and in parts of the song rally the troops to fight again. Some of you havent even ran 3 miles straight. Let me tell you. Music is a luxury... without music you get stuck with the voices in your head.
This is why the Aliens don’t actually reveal themselves.
The guy who did that song and dance was an alien 👽
Guy was ahead of his time.
Doctor, he still is. 🐤
Pre summer of love 60s people wore suits all the time and shinned their shoes all the time as well. I used to shine mine before I wnet out, every time, especially Friday and Saturday nights and always to go to church on Sunday (no one would even consider going to church if they weren't dressed up).
Ongoing joke. "Have you heard???" Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba uh mow mow poppa umma mow mow!!🤣
Peter on Family Guy, and I, love this tune.
My 4 year old grandson loves this song. He knows the whole thing
The Rivingtons followed up their 1963 Billboard Hot 100 hit "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" with the similar "The Bird's the Word" in 1963. The Trashmen had not heard this version but saw a band called the Sorensen Brothers playing it. They decided to play the song that night at their own gig. During this first performance, drummer and vocalist Steve Wahrer stopped playing and ad-libbed the "Surfin' Bird" middle section. Despite not knowing "The Bird's the Word" was a Rivingtons song, the similarity to "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" was obvious and the Trashmen added the chorus to the end of their new track.
A local disc jockey, Bill Diehl, was at the gig and convinced the band to record the track. It was recorded at Kay Bank Studios in Minneapolis. Diehl entered it into a local battle of the bands competition and it won. It was then sent to a battle of the bands competition in Chicago where it also won. This led to the group being signed to Garrett Records with the single being quickly released. It reportedly sold 30,000 copies in its first weekend before going on to national success, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Wahrer was originally credited as the song's writer, but that was changed to The Rivingtons (Al Frazier, Carl White, Sonny Harris, and Turner Wilson Jr.) after the group threatened to sue The Trashmen for plagiarism.
I grew up listening to this song. (My parents played it all the time.) It's impossible to resist the charm of this song. It's also impossible to forget the lyrics!
First heard this in Full Metal Jacket, then Peter Griffin gave it a whole new lease on life
Brad: I thought the 60's were mature.
Batman: hold my milk old chum I have to beat the Joker in a surf contest.
They played this at the skating rink so much it eventually got on my nerves. LOL
I sing this to my grandson. He loves it.
Played this song in pep band in the 90's for basketball games. Wow!
I crack up every time I see this. My Grandson said Poppa what is wrong with him. Classic
Lol. I'm glad you guys finally saw this video. Bummer I missed this on livestream
The Bird was actually a dance in the 60's
I remember my big brothers spit shine their shoes to a high gloss finish just to go to high school class… shoes with metal taps
The performer in this video is Hollands greatest living comic Andre Van Duin, this is NOT the original video of the artist/band 😂
Nobody has commented on the fact that that the song switched to a performance by Andre van Duin at about 1.15 minutes in. He was in a television program 'nieuwe oogst' (new harvest) which tried to discover new talent in the netherlands. His act was miming to a tape, that's why he was known as a tapeparodist in his early career. He was in fact parodying the previous song!
The rhythm section was solid.
Pee Wee Herman [Paul Reubens] did this in Back to the Beach movie ca. 1987/1988. Everybody lost it laughing. sounded like this record speeded up on the voice, they had him flying in the air and such.
That's what you come up with during the long cold winters in Minneapolis
Looks like my chickens when they're wound running around of the pen. I first thought it was about the one finger salute but after seeing it on your channel now it's just a crazy song about birds
Lol, now I remember why I thought this song was strange. Peace, Love!!
the 1980s punk band The Cramps did a cover of this song
This is a cover from the song 'Doin' The Bird by the band The Rivingtons in 1962, a R & B and funk band.
Such a novelty classic!!!
Can't hear this song now without seeing Peter Griffin dancing in my mind!!
🤣🤣🤣
Peter: "I say, have you heard the news of an ornithological nature?"
Stewie" "Nooo!"
I can't hear this song without thinking of the Ramones or the Cramps versions.
Can't stop thinking about Peter on Family Guy! 😎
There was a transition period in music at the end of the 1950s. Elvis in the army, Berry in jail...there seemed to be a conspiracy to kill rock n roll by the establishment. There came a glut of Bobby singers. Bobby Rydell, Bobby Curtola, Bobby Darrin, Bobby Vinton, Bobby Vee. They all sang sanitized rock songs. Pat Boone took standards like " Tutti Frutti " and homogenized them for the white milk market. Then, there came the " novelty songs " of the sixties. Alley Oop, Polka Dot Bikini, Mr. Custer, Chewing Gum lose it's Flavor, ad nauseum. Into this mixture of puerile nonsense, a group from Liverpool arrived and restored a focus on good music. That's the facts.
Not to mention Little Richard went religious too for a bit.
Although the song looks silly, its lasting appeal is not from the silliness. It's from the rhythm and the rawness of the sound. It helped mark the end of doo-wop and to keep rock rooted. Y'all also need to check out The Sonics, and their garage rock, proto-punk sound. My favorite of theirs is Have Love Will Travel, but I may be in a minority. BTW: These are covers, with serious additions for a different genre. Y'all also need to check out The Rivington's original version, along with Richard Berry's original versions of Louie, Louie and Have Love Will Travel.
"Cinderella" by The Sonics definitely has a permanent spot on my playlist!
Proto-punk indeed! I heard this song growing up, but it wasn't until this video that I caught a riff and thought "the Violent Femmes must have loved this."
Using humor to push musical boundaries.
How great were The Sonics?
The Beatles invited them to open their show in Seattle, just up the road from The Sonics hometown of Tacoma.
An essential Sonics song is The Witch
Have Love Will Travel by the Sonics was 15 years ahead of its time. Perfect song.
Sam the Sham & the Pharos often had catchy ditties like Wooly Bully, etc
So silly,,,but it gets people on the dance floor!!!
I haven't heard very many reactions to some of the big novelty songs of the 1960s, and there are some quite entertaining ones. A few favorites: "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah," "Gitarzan," "Tennessee Bird Walk," "Speedy Gonzalez" and "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport."
My Mom went to high school with them and still knows the singer. Lives up north in Minnesota.
But the person in this video I do not think is in the trashmen. But a comedian dancing to it.
My friend in the Corps was Denny Burdine. After this song he was “The Bird” forever.
One of many great scenes from pink flamingos. You ain't ready for it though. *°*°*°
You all MUST watch the Family Guy episode where Peter gets obsessed with this song. It is so freakin’ hilarious.
When Boston Celtics basketball Superstar Larry Bird was at his peak in the 1980s, this song was often the background music to his highlight clips.
Lol...Watching your faces throughout that whole song was priceless "Like, how are we suppose to react to this?"
Lmao! I have never seen this video. So funny! If you guys have ever watched Family Guy, I believe there are episodes where Peter dances to this song, or sings it, or something to that effect. I just remember seeing Peter saying "bird is the word" and then this song plays. I don't know how I have that memory as I never watched that show much, but that is in my brain for some reason.
Yeah, this is just a novelty song. Not to be taken seriously. Just a fun, crazy song.
Oh... and now a days there is that super weird conspiracy theory that birds aren't real at all and when they sit on power lines they are actually charging. Lmao. So crazy that it's interesting. So maybe "bird" really IS the word. Lol.
Easy to see where Ian Curtis and David Byrne got their inspiration.
Brad, you have the same look on your face as I do every time I hear this song! And I've heard this song since the day it played on the radio! Lol!
Everytime I hear this song, I either think of 'Full Metal Jacket' or the 'Family Guy' episode when Peter buys this song on record form and plays it over and over again annoying everyone else in the house.
This is a classic novelty song.
think this is the craziest song ever
I put this song on when I'm with my 2 year old grandson and we dance around he loves it (me too)
This always reminds me of the 1987 film " full metal jacket" think it was used in the trailer
that movie is where anyone who was born after 1970 knows this song from after seeing the movie or trailer ;) It was a popular/awesome scene in the movie.
Is that you John Wayne? Is this me?
Hey! This is Vietnam the Movie!
This type of music is along the lines of surf rock, but it’s also an early proto-punk.
the guy you see , after your pause , is a Dutch Comedian Andre van Duin, he is not a member of the Trashmen. That part is from a talent show in Holland from 1964. It is a parody.
The deer in the headlights look on this reaction is great. Now you know about the bird, and everyone knows the bird is the word. lol
Its where proto punk bands such as iggy pop and the stooges and The ramones etc came from
This song also had some resurgence in the late 70's and early 80's from being in the Apocolypse Now movie. And then had more popularity in culture by being featured in the Battlefield: Vietnam video game in the early 2000s by switching radio stations in the Jeep.
Pure raucous outrageous ‘60s garage rock. You can never go wrong.
'Wearing suits all the time . . . for no reason.' 😁 All those hippies sure loved their three-pieces . . . How about The Birdie Song next?
Brain: Peter, I have a mammogram in the morning.
Peter: Brian, can I see that paper for a sec? Huh. That's odd. I thought that would be big news.
Brian: What would be big news?
Peter: Well, there seems to be an absence of a certain ornithological piece. A headline regarding mass awareness of a certain avian variety.
Brain: What are you talking about?
Peter: Oh, have you not heard? It was my understanding that everyone had heard.
Brian: Heard what?
Stewie: Brian Don't!
Peter: A- well-a bird, bird, bird B- Bird is the word A- well-a bird, bird, bird B- Bird is the word A- well-a bird, bird, bird B- Bird is the word A- well-a bird, bird, bird B- Bird is the word Brian, don't you know about the bird?
I always loved this. Back when all there was in south central Texas was AM radio.
You can't telle that they didn't have crack in 1963. If they didn't this guy is on an LSD trip from hell. I was 3 year's old when this was released. Kids loved this crazy song. 🌞🐊😎🤠😁☮️🇺🇲🌴 Hello from Orlando, Florida. PEOPLE 😉
Finally!! A song so strange, even Lex is too confused to dance along with, in her seat!
You would not believe how popular this song was when it was out. God knows, it sure did jump right out of the speaker whenever it came on the radio. Which was often for a couple of months.
You have to see the family guy episode on this song. I believe it’s season six episode three. It’s the funniest shit you’ve ever seen and Brad I love your face through the whole song it was hysterical
And that’s where hip hop came from. 😂
These days all I can think of is Peter Griffin singing this.
remember it well. one of the whimsical "novelty" songs of the late 50's-60's. Besides the ones listed below (very good ones) here are a few: Jim Stafford - spiders and snakes, wildwood weed; Ray Stevens had several, including: The Streak, Shriners convention, Ahab the Arab-'62. Ray Stevens also released a sincere sweet song in 1970 - Everything is Beautiful. Bobby Pickett released a novelty song in October 1964 - "The Monster Mash". Others: Snoopy vs the Red Baron, Little Nash Rambler, Hot Rod Lincoln
Two punk bands, the Cramps and the Ramones, do great covers of this song
I met the lead guitarist a few years ago. He's a great guy
The favorite song of the big man from Quahog, Rhode Island, Mr. Peter Griffin.
"Surfin' Bird" and Wolly Bully" are the best songs ever!!!
We loved this one too hahaha....a great novelty song. We only heard it on the radio a lot..never seen a video. Do Purple People Eater..please LOL...and They're Coming To Take me Away..lol...
As John Mellencamp one said "What does Be Bop A Lula" mean anyways???...It's all about just having some fun. In 63' this was the polar opposite to what was on the radio (I.e.:Sinatra, Perry Como..etc)
“And that’s why we eat a lot of chicken”.
BWAHAHAHAHA!
Too often dismissed as a novelty song. This is punk. In 1963! Years ahead of their time.
It can be both.
Ramones and Cramps agree.
Yes, bad punk.
Proto punk
Jeez lighten up, this fills the dance floor even today
Remember kids in the 60’s were rebelling from the stifling strictness & repression that was The 50’s. What They were doing… had never been done before. At least in public.
Back in the day, suits were worn by most people, it was unusual to see a woman out and about without a hat and gloves. My grandmother wore a corset under a neat suit, a hat, gloves and a fox fur. Do some research on vintage Vogue sewing patterns... or old catalogues. In the 50's it was the rebels who started wearing less formal clothing in public, the older generation were not at all approving of that. See the video for The Shangri-las, "Leader of the Pack." There is an early Debbie Renyolds and Jane Powell, movie called "Two weeks with Love" about fashion among other things.
You're right. There's an episode in the I Love Lucy Show where Lucy is bored an tries to convince Ethel that they should go out to town and do something. Ethel tells Lucy she doesn't have anything to wear because she hasn't done the laundry. Lucy tells Ethel to just go dressed as she is... to which Ethel replies that she would never be caught wearing jeans in public and what would people think of her looking dressed like that in public!
In most of the 50's and early 60's, the older generation - like you said - wore formal wear and so did the young adults too; but it was the teenagers that wore informal clothes like jeans an so, that reflected the era of music like Rock and Roll and it's influence.
Yes, people got dressed up to go to the doctor or get on an airplane. Guys wore fedoras, not ball caps. Actually, I think a lot of people dress like crap these days.
Performance art before art was a performance...Word
Nothing but a novelty songs one of many songs of the 50's and 60's.
birds like to poop on shiny things, like door handles. you have to give them credit, they are pretty accurate dive bombers! 🐦