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Little Bird (Annie Lennox song)
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Little Bird
| cover = Annie Lennox - Little Bird+Love Song for a Vampire.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Annie Lennox
| album = Diva
| A-side = Love Song for a Vampire
| released =
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
* Dance
* pop rock
| length =
* 4:48 (album version)
* 4:32 (edit)
| label =
* BMG
* Columbia
* Arista (US)
| writer = Annie Lennox
| producer = Stephen Lipson
| prev_title = Cold
| prev_year = 1992
| title =
| title2 = Love Song for a Vampire
| next_title = No More I Love You's
| next_year = 1995
| misc =
}}
"'Little Bird'" is a song composed and recorded by Scottish singer-songwriter Annie Lennox. Taken from her debut solo album, 'Diva' (1992), it was released in 1993 as a double A-side with "Love Song for a Vampire" (which appeared on the soundtrack for the Francis Ford Coppola film 'Bram Stoker's Dracula') in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and various other European countries. In other territories, "Little Bird" was released alone.
Lennox performed "Little Bird" during the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony in London on 12 August 2012. A live version was played in the end credits to 'The Sopranos' episode "Eloise". The song was also featured in the film 'Striptease', where Demi Moore dances to it. The video for "Little Bird" does not appear on the video album for 'Diva', but is heard instrumentally over the end credits.
Critical reception
Swedish newspaper 'Aftonbladet' noted that "Little Bird" is based on "a vibrant sight loop not quite unlike many old Eurythmics songs".'Aftonbladet'. 3 April 1992. Larry Flick from 'Billboard' described it as "a synth-driven thumper that harks back to her early Eurythmics tenure. Icy cool instrumentation is contrasted by a passionate vocal and an elastic bass line," also deeming it "adventurous". Randy Clark from 'Cashbox' said it's a "beat-laden pop/rock ditty", adding, "although slightly less artsy musically than the first two singles, "Little Bird" has wings of its own." Dave Sholin from the 'Gavin Report' commented that Lennox' "hit streak is about to carryover into 1993 on the wings of a sensitively written and brilliantly produced song that expresses what many people feel from time to time. All that, and it's uptempo!"
Mike Ragogna from HuffPost said that in the song, "Lennox observes the creature's freedom as it glides across the sky. Though the song starts out with self-doubt, she concludes, "...this little bird's fallen out of that nest now...so I've just got to put these wings to test", and both she and the collection soar from that point on." Matthew Cole from 'Music Week's 'RM' Dance Update called it a "luscious tune". Another editor, James Hamilton described it as a "perky strutter". Pop Rescue noted that it "has a wonderful electro-pop feel to it the beat and swirling synth helps the song grow wonderfully as Annie sings over the top." Alec Foege from 'Spin' stated that "Little Bird" "is the album's finest track. Its call-and-response woo-woos exude genuine confidence, cleverness, and craft."
Chart performance
"Little Bird" / "Love Song for a Vampire" was successful on the charts on several continents, peaking at number one on both the 'RPM' Dance/Urban chart in Canada and the 'Billboard' Dance Club Songs chart in the United States. In Europe, it made it to the top 10 in Italy, Ireland (number three), Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom, as well as on the European Hot 100 Singles, where it hit number five. In the UK, the single peaked at number three in its first week at the UK Singles Chart, on 7 February 1993. But on the UK Dance Singles Chart, it hit number two. Additionally, it was a top-30 hit in Germany and Iceland, and a top-40 hit in Switzerland. In the United States, "Little Bird" also peaked at number 49 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100, while in Canada, it soared to number seven on the 'RPM' Top Singles chart. It earned a silver record in the UK, after 200,000 singles were sold. In 2012, after Lennox performed the song during the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony, it charted as a solo single for the first time, reaching number 96 on the UK Singles Chart.
Music video
The accompanying music video for "Little Bird" was directed by Sophie Muller and features eight Lennox lookalikes dressed as the many different personas that Lennox has used in her videos (both solo and as part of Eurythmics) over the past decade, with Lennox herself in a 'Cabaret'-esque setting acting as ringmaster. Gradually the personas begin to squabble for the spotlight, pushing aside one another and Lennox herself as she fights to maintain control.
The music videos referenced by the personas include:
*"Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)"
*"There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)"
*"Thorn in My Side"
*"Beethoven (I Love to Listen To)"
*"I Need a Man"
*"Why"
*"Walking on Broken Glass"
*The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert
Lennox was in late stages of pregnancy with her second daughter Tali during the filming of the video. The "ringmaster" persona, played by Lennox, wears a black dress designed to give the illusion of being close-fitting, with a fully sequinned front and a flowing matte back panel that together partially conceal her baby bump.
Track listings
All tracks were written by Annie Lennox unless otherwise noted.
'CD Arista (US)'
* The final three tracks were recorded live for 'MTV Unplugged' at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland, 3 July 1992.
'CD BMG (UK)'
'12-inch Arista (US)'
* House of Gypsies mixes by Todd Terry
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications and sales
See also
* List of number-one dance singles of 1993 (U.S.)
* List of RPM number-one dance singles of 1993
References
Category:1992 songs
Category:1993 singles
Category:Annie Lennox songs
Category:Arista Records singles
Category:Bertelsmann Music Group singles
Category:Columbia Records singles
Category:Music videos directed by Sophie Muller
Category:Song recordings produced by Stephen Lipson
Category:Songs written by Annie Lennox
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