Bob Dylan - The cuckoo is a pretty bird

[@MerlePsyA]

What a pleasure to hear this recording of Bob Dylan from 52 years ago (today is August 6, 2014). He sure got the music then, and he sure does now. He's got the whole traditional style down cold.

[@scent-bubbles]

Definitely September 4th when you wrote that...

[@nancyparsons2243]

What a delight to get to hear Dylan performing this very old song! Thank you for making it available!

[@Chuck_W59]

The Biscuit Eaters brought me here! 🥰

[@dannyc1174]

In it's own way, this is a great version. Love the way Bob "warbles" with his voice. Almost a slight Native American vocal inflection to it. Bob probably learned this song from Tom Ashley, but Bob has come up with some different verses. And, yes, this song is VERY old from Great Britain.

[@susiefairfield7218]

❤️🎩♠️♣️♥️♦️🃏thank you

[@lloydhighton4549]

I didn’t even kno Dylan done a cover of this gem

[@mohrengineering]

I'm preaching the word of God, I'm putting out your eyes

[@ThorntonMeloni]

this song goes back to the 1840's. a lil before Woody's time....

[@robertdownham4176]

Probably closer to 1780, was published in a London Broadside around that time.

[@angelusdraven6101]

Been around a lot longer than that, just adapted to match the age of the day, was an old Scottish song, could go as far back as 15 or even 1400s

[@YorkyOne]

@@angelusdraven6101 Actually, it is English and the earliest references are as a late 1700's broadside ballad. No evidence whatsover that it has 1400 origins. Perhaps people are confusing this song with 'Sumer is acumen in' from the 1200's - also known as the 'Cuckoo Song'.

[@TheRealForrestGeorge]

Oh, the cuckoo she's a pretty bird She warbles as she flies But I never give her water Till the forth day of July It is often that I wonder Why women love men And I look back and I wonder Why men are men Oh, the cuckoo she's a pretty bird She warbles as she flies But I never give her water Till the forth day of July Gonna build me another castle On a mountain so high So then I can see my true love As she passes by Oh, the cuckoo she's a pretty bird She warbles as she flies But I never give her water Till the forth day of July

[@jeannetteguerra3139]

Gracias por compartir la letra de ésta canción y que mejor cantada por una leyenda. Un tesoro en la historia de la música.

[@singpeace.pushkara]

We sang it this way:...why women love men.... why men love them"

[@joannehack7588]

🙏

[@Bluesrainbluesrainbow]

The cuckoo is a pretty bird..............

[@ccSkydog]

10 people disliked this vid... I must assume they are such very pretty birds..

[@GVernon]

No…they’re cuckoo.

[@GVernon]

I remember reading that, like House of the Rising Sun, he got this from Ramblin’ Jack Elliot.

[@roygoad2870]

This is actually an old English folk song!

[@EricScottBloom]

Tape enthusiasts….god bless them….E

[@EricScottBloom]

DYNAMICS up the rump!!!!!~E

[@charleysax]

Not Woody Guthrie at all. This was recorded by Clarence Ashley and Doc Watson.

[@andgalactus1]

Predates that by quite a bit.

[@electrat8222]

Those nine people don't what good music is

[@sleepy4x]

This song is best from Rory Gallagher.

[@mickykraut6159]

Townes Van Zandt version is best

[@jorgeagsa2298]

The three versions are excellent.

[@uncorkedpants3595]

Good. But I'll take the Pepsi challenge any day for Janis Joplin

[@senseblossomxxx5260]

Totally agree, I also love best RG. But this version is lovely, too. Rory surely would have liked it...

[@philsooty5421]

Definitely influenced by Woody Guthrie on this one

[@Diegodelbosque100]

Barnaclephil i'd have to disagree, I have plenty of Woody's recordings and I have never heard him play this tune nor use this style of guitar playing... this sawmill style was likely mimicked off of Clarence Ashley, though I may be wrong.

[@philsooty5421]

you are definatley wrong I have almost everything Woody recorded and this Dylan recording has Guthrie stamped all over it, I'm a musician myself and have a good ear for these things, he "Dylan" travelled 1000's of miles to visit Guthrie in hospital so he must have been influenced by him, don't be so absurd..

[@Diegodelbosque100]

Barnaclephil i am well aware of the fact that a young Bob Dylan played several Woody Guthrie tunes. His first album (self titled) did not have a single Guthrie cover on it. He played more than just Woody's song, so how about you don't be so absurd. Plenty of Blind Lemon and Robert Johnson influence, very different from Woody Guthrie and appalachia carter family style. I play a lot of music myself and have been listening to Woody for several years and have not heard him play this song, please make a reference to where i can hear Woody play this song...

[@johnmiles5036]

Ramblin Jack here

[@TheIgnatzz]

No, this clearly takes off of Clarence Ashley's version of the same song. He seems to trying to do the same thing on the guitar that Ashley does on the banjo.

[@petipazmany9727]

This is better from Rory Gallagher.

[@scent-bubbles]

He is so off pitch, and this is supposed to be a three part song.

[@bbnnbb789]

so?

[@bbnnbb789]

It's Bob Freakin Dylan :P haha

[@svenlittlecross]

but hes not off pitch

[@scent-bubbles]

svenlittlecross To the original (and good) version, he is

[@svenlittlecross]

ok now hear docs version, now here townes van zandts version, here rory gallaghers version.. Jaysus they're not even singing the same lyrics... its a thing in folk music where song evolves, gets new tunes added to it, new lyrics and everybody plays it in their own style... off pitch means hes singing out of harmony, here, he is in harmony and hes a very good singer... why is he a very good singer? cause he knows what hes talking about and gets the emotion out... listen to roscoe holcomb, is he a great singer? he's revered by the bluegrass artists, who are very very good, technically, especially nowadays and they revere roscoe... hes not a perfect singer, but he gets it out like no one can

[@gigismith1362]

I personally do not like Bob Dillon ALOT of his music is copied from other cultures

[@TheIgnatzz]

Oh. All music is inspired by the music that preceded it.

[@bartdumolyn1262]

Well, he is actually part of that culture, no?

[@porterhall27]

you could at least get his name right

[@the_wind_sings]

That's how folk music used to be...until all the musicians in the 50's and 60's started copyrighting old folk and gospel tunes. (Looking at you, Bob Dylan and Led Zeppelin)

[@milascave2]

@@the_wind_sings I think it started in the 1920s. But they knew that many, many musicians play the same old folk songs. So they figured out exactly how different they needed to make their versions to avoid copyright infringement. Not the musicians, of course, The lawers would figure that out and then the musicians would be told how to change the songs.

[@marshmallowstrawberry4596]

He sound really bad 💀💀

[@aimeegelineau2451]

marshmallow strawberry I love that voice lol

[@Openmindsnowclosed]

No he doesn't