Yellow Bird (harmonica by Paul)

A song by Hatian-US-American composer of the 19th century, Michel Mauleart Monton. It was originally called "Choucone" after a famous poem written by Oswald Durand in a jail cell. A cute little yellow bird appeared in the window of that cell and inspired the poet. But there's more to it. I'm realizing more and more the possibility that such birds help protect human beings from "evil". The little bird being the paradox of small is big and that humility vanquishes. Good to know when times get tough.

The mystery of "Choucone" is that the woman tends to react towards the survival of the progeny. In similarity to the bower bird, she gravitates instinctively towards the mate that can give valuables and supply domicile and entertainment. This seems to be the case. It is overridden only in the minds of extraordinary women, but not in the tragic outcome of the lady the poet had written about. Walk carefully through this mysterious world.

The song is played on harmonica by me on my cheap little Blues Band. I've been playing since 1957 when Dad bought me my first Honer Marine Band in Charleston, South Carolina. The harmonica's a humble instrument, but just one thing: you can give each note special attention, something that can't be done so effectively on any other instrument.

The feeble translation of the song is about a guy who had a pretty girlfriend that jilted him. Good riddance, kid. You should've been glad. Beauty is a handicap; not a virtue. It's as Bob Dylan Zimmerman wrote: "The princess and all the pretty people drinkin' thinkin' that they've got it made. Exchanging all precious gifts, but you better take your diamond ring, you better pawn it, babe." (Like a Roalin' Stone, 1965).

I lost a beautiful girl back in the eighties and that's when I really started to sing. That broken heart was the best thing to really put the heart into the song; It's as I wrote: "'Cause you can't do nothin' with a heart of stone; you'll only be cruel, be cruel and then be all alone with a heart of stone". (With Your Heart of Stone, 1982, Paul Hall)

So in the more shallow English version "Yellow Bird" (not the original by the poet and the composer) the guy lost the girl and oddly enough, the gossipy less intellectual version may have helped promote this beautiful melody.

The scenes are of Old San Juan here in Puerto Rico. In these shots, I get a chance to examine some of the character of the buildings and the architecture as well as the ornamentation.

Paul A. L. Hall
paulhallart.com
youtube.com/paulhallart

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Yellow Bird
• Michel Mauleart Monton
• Hatian-US-American
• Choucone
• Caribbean
• melody
• Oswald Durand
• harmonica
• beauty is a handicap
• broken heart
• Honer Marine Band
• Blues instrument
• note
• scenes
• Old San Juan
• Puerto Rico
• examine
• character
• buildings
• architecture
• ornamentation

[dunskie]

What a gorgeous tune.

There is a GREAT video on here of old Bonnie Guitar doing this in her old age.

Grea taste Jesse!

5*****

[CoolGilr123abc]

I like =)