Bye Bye Blackbird

About This Recording

Although Bye Bye Blackbird is the final track on Come Explore With Me, it was the first standard I attempted to record. The original version I made was organic and stripped-down, with acoustic guitar as percussion and ukulele woven throughout. We put it aside as other songs came together.

After eight tracks were finished and the album felt nearly complete, it became clear we needed a few more to round things out. I revisited Bye Bye Blackbird but anchored it in an idiosyncratic acoustic guitar rhythm that felt right to me. My eccentricity crept in further when I added a Caribbean-style bass line. Craig Levy followed suit, layering island-influenced percussion.

When we reached the solo section, the arrangement still felt unresolved. We tried steel drums, but Craig thought they were a little too “on the nose.” In the end, I improvised a piano solo on the spot, which became the final take.

For the vocal delivery, I leaned into a casual yet present approach — a performance that felt alive but unforced. Dean Martin’s relaxed swagger was an influence, along with Julie London’s understated cool, which gave me the confidence to take risks with a standard like this.

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Song History

Bye Bye Blackbird was written in 1926 by composer Ray Henderson and lyricist Mort Dixon. Its cheerful melody paired with wistful lyrics quickly made it a jazz and pop standard. While interpretations of “blackbird” vary — some see it as a metaphor for leaving behind hardship, others as a farewell to a romantic partner — the song’s charm lies in its openness to interpretation.

Early hits came from Gene Austin and Nick Lucas, with countless jazz artists adopting it into their repertoire over the decades. Iconic versions include those by Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Dean Martin, and Julie London. Its enduring appeal rests in the balance of lighthearted swing and bittersweet sentiment.

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Listen to This Version

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ChordPro

{title:Bye Bye Blackbird}
{subtitle:Music by Ray Henderson; Words by Mort Dixon}

[A]Pack up all my care and woe, [E7]here I go [A]singing low, [A/C#]bye [C-]bye [Bm]blackbird.[E7]
[Bm]Where somebody waits for me, [F#7]sugar's sweet, [Bm]so is she, bye [E7]bye [A]blackbird.
No one here can [A]love and under [Em/G]stand [F#m7]me, [Bm]oh, what hard luck stories they all [Dm]hand [E7]me.
[A]Make my bed and light the light, [E]I'll arrive [F#7]late tonight, [Bm]blackbird [E7]bye [A]bye.

{tag: 1926}
{tag: Ray Henderson}
{tag: Mort Dixon}