Bluebird > Redbird, Redbird > Reef
words and music by Lloyd Miller (c)(p)2011
arrangement by Ari Dolegowski, Chris Johnson, Ely Levin, and Lloyd Miller
appears on Strange Dees, Indeed by the Deedle Deedle Dees (release date: October 31, 2011)
Bluebird flies tonight
Climb the stairs it's time to say goodbye
goodbye Dinoland
Goodbye brontosaurus
Real cool meeting you
Will you wait here for us?
Bluebird flies tonight
Our crowded train rides on the 7 line
Goodbye giant rockets pointed up at space and
Goodbye giant globe
Do you see me waving?
Bluebird painted red
A fast train taking us to see the Mets
I see you, giant Globe
Globe, do you remember
How cold it gets out here
In November?
Gb Db Bbm Cb
Bluebird turned to silver blue
they wrote their names all over you
They hid those tags in white then red
The red changed shades
We met again
My bluebird was a redbird now
Headed west
Manhattan bound
Redbird takes a dive
The ocean floor is where you'll end your ride
You went in with a splash
And now you're slowly sinking
I should get a scuba mask
And come ask what you are thinking
Bluebird redbird redbird reef
A subway car beneath the sea
Goodbye bluebird
Can you see
The sun in the waves
Up here?
Inspired by a trip my daughter and I took to the NYC Transit Museum. In the 1960s, the World's Fair came to Queens and the Bluebirds --painted light blue -- were the cars of a special express train that took you right to it. These cars remained in service after the World's Fair and continued to run along the 7 line -- the line that takes you to Shea Stadium / now Citi Field.
In the 80s, these cars were painted a graffiti-resistant red and started being called Redbirds.
These cars were finally retired starting in the late 90s. Many of them were then submerged to be used as artificial reefs off the coasts of New Jersey, Delaware, and elsewhere.
Dinoland, giant rockets = exhibits at the World's Fair
giant globe = that globe that was built for the World's Fair but still lives in Flushing Meadows Park and shows up in lots of movies
Gb Db Bbm Cb = the chords for this section. I always forget them so I decided to just leave them there so I can always find them on this blog.
Who does what on "Bluebird > Redbird, Redbird > Reef"
Booker Dee (Chris Johnson): electric bass, stylophone, toy piano
Moby Dee (Ari Dolegowski): acoustic lead guitar
Ulysses S. Dee (Lloyd Miller): acoustic rhythm guitar, vocals
Dean Jones: recording, mixing
