History of Yellow Bird - Harry Belafonte, Lawrence Welk, Kingston Trio

[animefanfreak4u]

my grandmother recently passes away and they played this at the funeral. it brought tears of happiness to everyones eyes. she loved this song so much seh even named her dog after it

[25centQuarter]

Sure beats the garbgage that heard today

[maurice935]

@25centQuarter  It is spelled garbage

[orosol]

I don't understand how narrowed minded people, may narrow a piece of music that is so beutiful, to political discussion, why just don't enjoy and relax, if there is heavenly music this piece is part of it. This is a real master piece. The first time I listen to it I understood it was part of Jamaican's folklor.

[Mollywoo18]

@orosol Haitian hun x I agree why not just enjoy it. My husband has ruined many a good song by telling me what it is all about - I could cheerfully throttle him at times ;o)

My Dad used to sing this to me when I was little. First a stroke robbed him of his voice them pancreatic cancer robbed him of his life, almost a year ago. I miss him so so much and would give anything to hear him sing this song. He had a beautiful voice.

[beenn15]

This brings back memories. My grandmother used to sing this song in creole when I as a kid.

[geoh7777]

@garybsg Sorry, that was a poor attempt at wry humor. "We are the greatest country in the world." I believe that is true, but it is not hard to find evidence that a lot of people around the world are getting really tired of hearing that and are desiring to cut us down a notch or two, or worse. "Communist don't pay people..." So very true, and there is mountains of evidence for that. Communists, especially the big ones, are more on the receiving end.

[geoh7777]

youtube.com/watch?v=06eyqLosXj­U&feature=related for a steel pan version.

[garybsg]

I love Belafonte's voice but bummed out that he is anti-American and communist

[geoh7777]

@garybsg I wonder how much the communists paid him vs. the dirty americans.

[garybsg]

@geoh7777 Why would consider Americans dirty? We are the greatest country in the world. Besides Communist don't pay people, they do their work for the glory of the state. That's why no one works.

[pho2]

Hmm, surley the term "yellow bird " must be related to the origins of the song

"yellow rose of Texas "

The term yellow bird being a euphemism for a dark skinned beauty ?

[cfhincal]

hea hea frm above its still sound sweet 2 me after 30 or more yrs

[fanchbrezoneg]

it's a mistake, the Kingston Trio has never recorded this song.

[jackr2010]

@fanchbrezoneg Who recorded it?

[fanchbrezoneg]

@jackr2010 I dont know, but it's not the Kingston Trio's sound, I know it perfectly well since always.

Other argument,this song is never mentioned in the book by Ben Blake "the K T on record" 1986. Why ?

May be is the sound "Brothers four " ?

[whml28]

northeast airlines use a version of this for a tv and radio commercial does anyone remember it?

[djbullet985]

Thank you so much for the history of this song. It's important that we know the history and background of every song, or they will be lost and blow away with the wind. It would be a tragic loss to future generations.

[GSMovieMoments]

@djbullet985 For sure. It's a good thing Google /YouTube have made the arrangements so that people's rarities can be presented to everyone.

[jackr2010]

This music is a traditional Haitian folk song that called Ti'zwazso "little bird". Harry Belafonte made the original English version "yellow bird". I love this song. It reminded me of my childhood.

[mkl163]

THE ORIGINAL VERSION OF THIS SONG IS KNOWN AS: CHOUCOUNE FROM AN 19TH CENTURY HAITIAN POET NAMED, OSVALD DURAND. HE WAS BORN DURING 1800S. THIS SONG WAS MADE POPULAR UNTIL 20TH CENTURY BY A HAITIAN SONG WRITER. THE MELODY OF THIS SONG IS VERY POWERFUL . MANY HAITIAN WOMEN KNOW A GREAT DEAL OF SECRET THAT HIDES BEHIND THIS SONG. NO MATTER HOW SPOIL A LITTLE BABY IS , ONCE A HAITIAN WOMAN STARTS SINGING THIS SONG, THIS SPOIL CHILD WILL FALL DEAD ASLEEP. I STILL NEED TO FIND OUT MORE.

[ccaammiiittoo1]

@mkl163 I was fortunate to hear "Choucoune" done by the late cosmopolite, Josephine Premice. And although my French was not such that I could follow the lyric, the melody was so commandingly beautiful that one really didn't have to know the language!

[josesuarezegas]

there is a versión of CELIA CRUZ too.

[lazarsavic]

super

[actrapid9]

Johnny Tillotson done a Version to wich is not bad either will put it on one day...

[hairepy]

"Choucoune" (Haitian Creole: Choukoun) is a 19th century Haitian song composed by Michel Mauleart Monton with lyrics from a poem by Oswald Durand. It was rewritten with English lyrics in the 20th century as "Yellow Bird."

[charliekucharski]

I'm pretty sure this is the version recorded by the Brothers Four, contemporaries and friends of the Kingston Trio. Of course Harry Belafonte and Lawrence Welk follow up.

[qb63]

I think the Mills Brothers had this out in 1952?

[GeoSilverAway]

They had #70 in 1959. Then some kind if reissue in 1961.

[millsbrothers]

@qb63 no 1958

[elliniwendy]

Oh what a beautiful melodic voice ,

[chris68167]

wonderful

[kostgian]

wonderful........

[HengistTheGreat]

Thanks for posting this informative video.

[HengistTheGreat]

Although there are videos here on YT suggesting that te Kingston Trio never recorded this song..

[GeoSilverMore]

This identity question is a tough one. It sounds to me like the Kingston but I don't find it in their discography. Show me where the Easy Riders recorded it?

[wonderingstar1936]

Hello sorry for the time past in repliying. as soon as I can I would send to you this wonderfull song "Yellow bird", only please let me know which way I should sent it to you, perhaps via msn?

yours faithfully

[Bernisister]

Hello, Can you post your versions here on utube and point me to where I can find them, please.

[wonderingstar1936]

sorry, sorry but i d'nt know the steps to do to put the music on youtube, never done it before.

[helenabril]

love this video.

[whpw]

My father used to play that song a lot.

[sttepyip40]

I lv yellow bird, i sang it when i was small in a concert <3

[wonderingstar1936]

if anyone would like I can give to anyone who ask me these fantastic versions of Yellow bird.

[Bernisister]

Yes please - This is a fantastic song and I would love the two versions that you have. Thanks Bernisister

[wonderingstar1936]

for Bernisister.

Hello! sorry for the time last. please let me know where I should send the Yellow bird versions songs to you?

[wonderingstar1936]

Yellow bird is the sound of the classic movie "Son of fury" 1942 with Tyrone Power, Gene Tierney, George Sanders. personally I don't like all the versions here in Youtube. I have two for me the most fantastic versions ever made of Yellow bird.

[GeoSilverMore]

They must have used the melody from old versions of the folk song. Sounds interesting.

[kalisgram]

@wonderingstar1936 where are your versions .. can I hear them?

[kalisgram]

@wonderingstar1936

[RJKT1]

Yes I did hear Choucoune by Nina and Frederick way back in early 1964. It was beautiful .

[danishdelite]

Nina & Frederik recorded their version of Choucounne in Autumn 1957, maybe inspired by the version sung by Irene Lusan of the Massie Patterson Calypso group released on the Columbia LP-album 'Calypso Carnival CL 1007 from 1957.

[GSMusicMoments]

@RJKT1 Can someone tell which Lp of Nina and Frederick this was on.

[RJKT1]

@GSMusicMoments I am sorry I don't remember .

[xidp]

I doubt that's the Kingston Trio. It sounds like one of the other groups of the time - the Easy Riders.

[fanchbrezoneg]

Yes old fellow. It's Yellow Bird by BROTHERS FOUR not KINGSTON TRIO. The title by Belafonte is "Don't ever love me". I don' t the third version. Horrible.

[GeoSilverMore]

I have a copy of Brothers Four and it's not this.

[fanchbrezoneg]

Excuse me EASY RIDERS is correct

[GeoSilverMore]

My source might be wrong, I'm curious about the Easy Riders. They are hard to find and hear. Would also like to hear their Memories Are Made Of This.