There's been this theory going around.... " The littlest birds sing the prettiest songs " There's been a huge load of tweets ( how appropriate) about this "thread" or whatever they call it. Most of them are rubbish.... just a bunch of amateurs mouthing off. Basically, most people seem to think it's true. Of course, there are a lot of issues around this ... [a] Birds aren't actually singing to appeal to us humans. We're latecomers on the scene. [b] What do people mean by "pretty ?" [c] Is there any "real" meaningful, scientific way to measure "prettiness?" [d] There may be areas of the globe where this is true. [e] ..and others where it's not. [f] ..does "song" have to be taken strictly .... can calls be included ? [g] Bullfinches have a beautiful call ...to my ears at least. [h] How do we define "littleness?" Weight, length, volume ... ? [i] Do different cultures experience " prettiness" in the same way ? All those points, and many more, have been bashed about over the last few years without much of an "answer." No surprise there. Though there does seem to be a general feeling that it "should" be the case. But here's a few of my own thoughts ... [1] Hummingbirds must be the first port of call .... their songs are pretty feeble. Here's an Anna's hummingbird singing ... it's OK, but nothing special. So ... that's made a right mess at the bottom of the graph. However .. [2] If we go to the BIG birds .... their songs are crap ... in fact, singing isn't really their thing. So at the "gross" top end of the graph you've got to agree.... the biggest birds do sing the crappiest songs. [3] Wrens ... they're pretty small.... I wouldn't call their song "pretty" .... striking, yes. Effective ...yes. [4] Warblers ...well, that's a big field ! Lesser Whitethroats ... a fine song ID-wise, but pretty ? Nah. Whereas your Willow Warbler .... sad ... but nice. And all stations in between. [5] Some of the finest singers.... well, at least to my Caucasian, middle-class ears .... are thrushes. They're a good way up the "size" range. Certainly not the littlest birds. [6] Let's put it another way ... what's the biggest bird with a decent song ? Suppose we stick to the UK.... I've no idea !! Golden Oriole ? It's a sweet song ... but not the best by any means. Well, I've not got very far with this really .... so I think we ought to go to the source .... who started all this debate about, essentially, an unsolvable issue ..... ? They're the ones to blame for all this. They knew in the first place that it would only cause arguments ... as if the world hasn't got enough of those already ! So here they are .... Well I feel like an old hobo, I'm sad lonesome and blue I was fair as a summers day Now the summer days are through You pass through places And places pass through you But you carry 'em with you On the souls of your travellin' shoes Well I love you so dearly I love you so clearly Wake you up in the mornin' so early Just to tell you I got the wanderin' blues I got the wanderin' blues And i'm gonna quit these ramblin' ways one of these days soon And I'll sing The littlest birds sing the prettiest songs... Well it's times like these I feel so small and wild Like the ramblin' footsteps of a wanderin' child And I'm lonesome as a lonesome whippoorwill Singin these blues with a warble and a trill But I'm not too blue to fly No I'm not too blue to fly cause The littlest birds sing the prettiest songs... Well I love you so dearly I love you so fearlessly Wake you up in the mornin' so early Just to tell you I got the wanderin' blues I got the wanderin' blues And I don't wanna leave you I love you through and through Oh I left my baby on a pretty blue train And I sang my songs to the cold and the rain I had the wanderin' blues And I sang those wanderin' blues And I'm gonna quit these ramblin' ways One of these days soon And I'll sing... The littlest birds sing the prettiest songs.... I don't care if the sun don't shine I don't care if nothin' is mine I don't care if I'm nervous with you I'll do my lovin' in the wintertime Bloody troublemakers ....
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AuthorThat's the author up there ... I was young and sprightly then. Archives
October 2022
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