| "High Flying Bird" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byJudy Henske | ||||
| A-side | "Charlotte Town" | |||
| Released | December 1963 | |||
| Recorded | 1963 | |||
| Genre | Contemporary folk,folk-rock | |||
| Length | 2:55 | |||
| Label | Elektra | |||
| Songwriter | Billy Edd Wheeler | |||
| Producer | Jac Holzman | |||
| Judy Henske singles chronology | ||||
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"High Flying Bird" (sometimes "High Flyin' Bird") is a song written by Americanfolk andcountry singer-songwriterBilly Edd Wheeler, and first recorded byJudy Henske in 1963. It was performed and recorded by many musicians and groups in the mid and late 1960s, and was influential on thefolk rock genre. Also recorded by Zephyr on their third album Sunset Ride (1972). Sung by Candy Givens.
The song's first published recording was by Judy Henske, as theB-side of her late 1963Elektra single "Charlotte Town",[1] and then as the title track of her second album in 1964. CriticRichie Unterberger described the song as having "an arresting minor-key melody and brooding lyrics contrasting the freedom of a bird to the singer's earthbound misery."[2] Henske's powerful vocal was supported by acoustic guitarist John Forsha, electric guitarist Jack Marshall, Bill Montgomery on bass, and drummerEarl Palmer. Forsha reported that Henske learned the song from Wheeler, although Wheeler did not release his own version until 1967, on his albumPaper Birds.[3] Forsha said of Henske's version: "the song could be calledfolk-rock although that wasn't our intent. We took a country-folk song, head-arranged it, and gave it to a jazz combo."[4] Unterberger describes Henske's recording as "incredibly influential".[2]
The song was recorded by several other influential musicians and bands in the mid and late 1960s, some of whom amended the lyrics to place greater emphasis on the freedom of the flying bird.[5] Recordings included those by theAu Go Go Singers featuring then-19-year-oldStephen Stills, on the 1964 albumThey Call Us Au Go-Go Singers;Carolyn Hester on her 1965 albumAt Town Hall, One;The New Christy Minstrels on their 1966 albumNew Kick!; andRichie Havens on his 1967 albumMixed Bag.[4][6] Havens performed the song at theWoodstock Festival in 1969.[7] The song was also recorded byWe Five with the only vocal by their lead singerBeverly Bivens on their 1967 albumMake Someone Happy.
Psychedelic bandJefferson Airplane recorded the track at one of their first recording sessions in December 1965; it was eventually released in 1974 as part of theEarly Flight album. The band also played the song at theMonterey Pop Festival in June 1967, and their performance was included in the filmMonterey Pop. Other notable versions of the song were recorded by rock bandH. P. Lovecraft on their 1968 albumH. P. Lovecraft II; by Boston-based psychedelic rock outfitIll Wind on their only albumFlashes in 1968; by guitaristIsaac Guillory on his 1988 albumLive;[6] and byNeil Young & Crazy Horse on their 2012 albumAmericana.
The title of the song influenced the name ofNoel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. Gallagher was listening to the song, which appeared on Jefferson Airplane'sEarly Flight, when he decided to "borrow" the title.