It's A Beautiful Day - "White Bird" (1969)

It's a Beautiful Day was a band formed in San Francisco, California in 1967, the brainchild of violinist David LaFlamme.

LaFlamme, a former soloist with the Utah Symphony Orchestra, had previously been in the band Orkustra, and unusually, played a five-string violin. The other members were his wife Linda (keyboards), Pattie Santos (vocals), Hal Wagenet (guitar), Mitchell Holman (bass) and Val Fuentes (drums). Although they were one of the earliest and most important San Francisco bands to emerge from the Summer of Love, It's a Beautiful Day never quite achieved the success of their contemporaries such as The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane and Santana, with whom they had connections. It's A Beautiful Day created a unique blend of rock, jazz, folk, classical and world beat styles during the seven years the band was officially together.

The group's original manager, Matthew Katz, had previously worked with Jefferson Airplane and Moby Grape. The members of It's a Beautiful Day were unaware that the other two groups were already trying to end their business relationships with Katz. During 1967 and early 1968 Katz prevented It's a Beautiful Day from performing in San Francisco, telling them they were not ready. He booked their first public appearances at a club he controlled in Seattle, Washington formerly known as the Encore Ballroom. Katz renamed the club "San Francisco Sound". While in Seattle the group lived in the attic of an old house owned by Katz while writing and rehearsing new songs in between club performances. Few customers came to the club during It's a Beautiful Day's engagement in Seattle during December 1967.

The group's signature song "White Bird" was inspired by the experiences David and Linda LaFlamme had while living in Seattle. In an ironic twist on the band's name, the sad song was partly inspired by Seattle's rainy winter weather. In a later interview, David LaFlamme said:

"Where the 'white bird' thing came from ... We were like caged birds in that attic. We had no money, no transportation, the weather was miserable. We were just barely getting by on a very small food allowance provided to us. It was quite an experience, but it was very creative in a way."

By the time the group members returned to San Francisco they were broke and frustrated at Katz's attempts to manipulate their career. In desperation they began playing at a few clubs without Katz's approval. The band gradually began to gain some recognition and earn money. It's a Beautiful Day got their first big break when offered a chance to open for Cream at the Oakland Coliseum on October 4, 1968. Around this time the group first began a long process of trying to disentangle themselves from Katz.

The band's debut album, It's a Beautiful Day, was produced by David LaFlamme in Los Angeles and released by Columbia Records in 1969. It featured tracks such as "White Bird", "Hot Summer Day", and "Time Is". The theme from the song "Bombay Calling" was later used, at a slower tempo, by Deep Purple as the intro to "Child in Time" on its In Rock album. The vocals and violin playing of David LaFlamme plus Pattie Santos' singing attracted attention including FM radio play, and nationally, "White Bird" bubbled under Billboard's Hot 100 chart, peaking at #118.

By 1970 the original lineup of the band had changed somewhat; the LaFlammes had split up and Linda left the band, replaced by Fred Webb. The following album, Marrying Maiden, released in 1970, was a chart hit.

The band continued on to record Choice Quality Stuff/Anytime in 1971 and the live album Live At Carnegie Hall in 1972, touring until 1974 when they split up. In 1976, LaFlamme's solo version of "White Bird" finally cracked the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #89. Pattie Santos was killed in a car crash on December 14, 1989.

Artist - It's A Beautiful Day
Song - White Bird
(Lyrics)

White Bird
In a golden cage
On a winter's day
In the rain
White bird
In a golden cage
Alone

The leaves blow
Cross the long black road
To the darkened skies
In its rage
But the white bird
Just sits in her cage
Unknown.

White bird must fly
Or she will die

White bird
Dreams of the aspen tree
With their dying leaves
Turning gold
But the white bird
Just sits in her cage
Growing old.

White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird must fly
Or she will die

The sunsets come
The sunsets go
The clouds Float by
And The Earth Turns slow
And the Young Birds Eyes
Do always Glow
And She must fly
She must fly
She must fly

White bird
In a golden cage
On a winter's day
In the rain
White bird
In a golden cage
Alone

White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird must fly

Category:

Music

Tags:

• It's
• Beautiful
• Day
• White Bird
• 1969
• doves
• birds
• folk
• rock
• jazz
• classic
• Bacmaster
• Music
• Videos

[9111Alan]

Just ordered the CD cant get enough of of it

[Bacmaster]

@9111Alan You made a wise choice. You'll never hear music like this ever again.

[123karenkay]

One of my favorite songs from one of my favorite vinyls. I can get lost in this song

[chinzebo]

Thank you....!!!!!

[Blackdog38616]

Let Roll the old times

never forget this.

[MrFrogg46]

ahhhhhh fuck i'm sittin here smokin ajoint and the memories scream into my head and its endless

[KayeEle13]

thankyou,(by the way, mine goes to 11:message to crazybear 65)This was a good song to do so many things I'd have been grounded for doing.

[msgoakleaf]

Have played this for years from an e-version I somehow acquired. Never knew the name of the song or the group. Just LOVE the voices and the way they blend together! One of my all time favorites. THANKS FOR SHARING!!

[SheChoosesReason]

I've always loved this song. Thank you for sharing : )

[CrazyBear65]

You need to hear this in true quadrophonic, with four foot high Fisher tower speakers from the late 70s, cranked up to ten...

[JPG1972FFM]

Thanks for uploading this song! I loved this song when I was young but have never known who played it. This is awesome!

[TheLachic]

@charleyoneal1  Absolutely a brilliant time in music, especially with Tearson and his late night show in Philly.So many different artists; so widely divergent So few can compare and so few do anything like it today. Peace!

[Sugarpie192]

Hope David LaFlamme is well. I've been out of orbit for a while but I will always love him and his fiddle!.