Artists
David LaFlamme – lead vocals, violin
Pattie Santos – vocals, tambourine, bells, block, gourd
Linda LaFlamme – organ, piano, electric piano, celeste, harpsichord
Hal Wagenet – guitar
Mitchell Holman – bass
Val Fuentes – drums
Written by David LaFlamme & Linda LaFlamme. Produced by David LaFlamme, engineered by Brian Ross-Myring, recorded 1968–69, CBS Studios, Los Angeles.
The band’s signature song, “White Bird,” was written in December 1967 while David and Linda LaFlamme were living in Seattle, inspired by the view from a small attic window during a dreary winter. Despite missing the main singles chart, the song became a favorite among FM radio DJs, and a nearly ten-minute live version later appeared on the 1972 album It’s a Beautiful Day at Carnegie Hall. It’s also featured in the 1972 concert documentary Fillmore. David LaFlamme later recorded a solo remake in 1976 that did reach the Hot 100, at No. 89, and the song has since been covered by artists including Judy Collins, who released her own version in 2021.
It’s A Beautiful Day – 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
Across the long, black road
To the darkened skies
In it’s 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 trees
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 roll by
And the earth turns old
And the young bird’s eyes
Do always glow
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
To listen to other songs from the the Teleskop 20 program click here.