{"id":589,"date":"2016-03-16T09:00:39","date_gmt":"2016-03-16T08:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sergiomessina.com\/moss\/?p=589"},"modified":"2021-04-05T14:18:31","modified_gmt":"2021-04-05T13:18:31","slug":"birds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sergiomessina.com\/moss\/birds\/","title":{"rendered":"Birds"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Bird seems to be a very useful metaphor. Poets and songwriters have used it since forever, to signify freedom (or the lack of it), happiness, harmony, love – and women. Here’s a selection of notable songs about birds: the metaphors are inescapable and, to be sincere, I haven’t found actual ornithological tunes. Not even in the Top 10 popular songs about or related to birds<\/a> page at the California Audubon Society website.<\/p>\n

The Andrews Sisters<\/a>: The Woodpecker Song<\/strong> (1940)<\/p>\n

\"andrewsThere was a time when Pop songs were supposed to cheer you up. Of course there were sad songs, but the upper part of the charts were almost exclusively occupied by merry tunes. This is obviously no longer the case, for a number of reasons. Moreover, listening to some of the songs from back then is an awkward experience: where they really so mindlessly optimistic?<\/p>\n

It was clearly a simpler world, and the songs reflect that. I recently heard some of the Mary Poppins<\/em> tunes again, and although I admire the songwriting craft (of the Sherman brothers<\/a>, legendary Disney authors, and the subject of affectionate yet disturbing documentary, The Boys<\/a>), they really feel like they belong to another time – although I was five when the film was released.<\/p>\n

The same goes for The Woodpecker Song<\/a>. Which is an italian song, Reginella Campagnola<\/em>, written in 1939 by Eldo di Lazzaro (who only has a german Wikipedia page<\/a>) and still regularly performed on the Liscio<\/em> circuit in Italy. Liscio<\/em> is traditional italian ballroom dancing: born in the 1800s in Romagna, on the eastern coast of northern Italy, it’s still very popular, mostly among senior citizens. A Liscio<\/em> party is a sight to behold. Fortunately we have YouTube: here’s singer Sabrina Musiani in the show Canta Lombardia<\/em> (a minor cult for italian trash Tv fans), on local Lombardy station Antenna 3, lip-syncing Reginella Campagnola<\/em> and driving the elderly insane.<\/p>\n