Extensions

Manhattan Transfer Extensions Lyrics
1.Birdland

birdland

5,000 light years from birdland
But i'm still preachin' the rhythm
Long-gone, uptight years from birdland
An' i'm still teachin' it with 'em

Years from the land of the bird
An' i am still feelin' the spirit
5,000 light years from birdland
But i know people can hear it

Bird named it, bird made it, bird heard it, then played it
Well-stated! birdland--
It happened down in birdland

Oh!

In the middle of that hub
I remember one jazz club
Where we went to pat feet
Down on fifty-secon' street

Everybody heard that word
That they named it after bird

Where the rhythm swooped and swirled
The jazz corner of the world

An' the cats they gigged in there
Were beyond compare

Birdland - i'm singin' birdland
Birdland - ol' swingin' birdland

Hey, man, the music really turns you on!
Y' turn me on,
Really, y' turn me aroun'
'n turn me on

Down them stairs, lose them cares - where?
Down in birdland
Total swing, bop was king - there
Down in birdland
Bird would cook, max would look - where?
Down in birdland
Miles came through, 'trane came too - there
Down in birdland
Basie blew, blakey too - where?
Down in birdland
Cannonball played that hall - there
Down in birdland
Yeah---

There may never be nothin' such as that
No mo' - no mo'
Down in birdland, that's where it was at
I know - i know
Back in them days bop was ridin' high
Hello! 'n goodbye!

How well those cats remember
Their first birdland gig
To play in birdland is an honor we still dig
Yeah---that club was like--
In another world, sure enough--
Yeah, baby
All o' the cats had the cookin' on
People just sat an' they was steady lookin' on
Then bird--he came 'n spread the word--
Birdland

Yes, indeed, he did
Yes, indeed, he did
Yes, indeed, he did
Yes, he did, parker played at birdland
Yes, he really did
Yes, indeed, he really did
Yes, he really did
Told the truth down in birdland
Yes, indeed he did, yardbird parker played in
Birdland

Yes, indeed, he really did
Charlie parker played in birdland

Bird named it, bird made it, bird heard it,
Then played it
Well-stated! birdland
It happened down in birdland

Everybody dug that beat
Everybody stomped their feet
Everybody digs be-bop
An' they'll never stop

Down them stairs, lose them cares - yeah!
Down in birdland
Total swing! bop was king - yeah!
Down in birdland

Bird would cook, max would look - yeah,
Down in birdland
Miles came through, 'trane came too - yeah!
Down in birdland
Basie blew, blakey too - yeah!
Down in birdland

Cannonball played that hall - yeah
Down in birdland

Down them stairs, lose them cares - yeah
Down in birdland
Total swing! bop was king - yeah
Down in birdland

Bird would cook, max would look - yeah,
Down in birdland
Miles came through, 'trane came too - yeah!
Down in birdland

Basie blew, blakey too - yeah!
Down in birdland
Cannonball played that hall - yeah
Down in birdland

Down them stairs, lose y' cares -yeah
Down in birdland
Total swing! bop was king - yeah
Down in birdland

Bird would cook, max would look - yeah,
Down in birdland

Background solo:
Come in pairs down them stairs, lose y' cares
Them that dares gits it!

Pay the gate, don't be late
It's a date! - whattay' know
If y' dig, then you'll dig, it's a groove
Quite a groove, 'cause y' t' move
Come in twos, pay your dues

What can you lose?
Just your blues!
So lose them!

The band swingin' one and all and what a ball!
Yeah!

Music is good, music is better than good
Pretty good
Very nice
Really very good - things are bein' like they should
Very good -- very good -- very good

All y' gotta do is lend an ear
An' listen to it
Then y' dig a little sooner than soon
You'll be diggin' everything diggin' all the music

What a ball!

How y' gonna figure out
A way t' bring it all about amid a
Lot o' other music on the set'n on
The scene know what i mean?
How y' gonna separate the music from the scene
'gonna have t' keep the memory clean
Y' gonna hear a lotta' sound -- a lotta soun'


2.Wacky Dust

They call it wacky dust
It's from a hot cornet
It gives your feet a feeling so breezy
And oh, it's so easy to get

They call it wacky dust
It brings a dancing jag
And once it starts, then only a
Sap'll refuse to big apple or shag

Oh i don't know just why
It gets you so high
Putting a buzz in you heart
You'll do a marathon
You'll wanna go on
Kickin' the ceilin' apart

They call it wacky dust
It's something you can't trust
And in the end the rhythm will stop
When it does, then you'll drop
From happy wacky dust

Instrumental

Oh we don't know just why
It gets you so high
Putting a buzz in you heart
You'll do a marathon
You'll wanna go on
Kickin' the ceilin' apart

They call it wacky dust
It's something you can't trust
And in the end the rhythm will stop
When it does, then you'll drop
From happy wacky dust


3.Nothin' You Can Do About It

It has begun
Nothin' in the world can stop it now.
It's in control,
We might as well just try to stop the wind.
Give up!
Give in!
You lose!
Love will always win.
Start surrendering:
Stop resisting!

Nothin' you can do about it
It's too strong to be denied
Nothin' you can do about it,
Relax enjoy the ride.

Destiny!
We are what fate intended us to be.
Can't you see?
We're all a part of some eternal plan
So give up!
Give in!
You lose!
Love will always win.
Start surrendering, oh!
Stop resisting!

Nothin' you can do about it
It's too strong to be denied
Nothin' you can do about it,
Relax enjoy the ride.

Don't you try to understand it.
Leave it as a mystery.
It's bigger than the both of us,
We're each other's history!

Nothin' you can do about it
It's too strong to be denied
Nothin' you can do about it,
Relax enjoy the ride.


4.Coo Coo U

Coo coo u i think you're coo coo, coo coo u
How did you get so coo coo -- how did you?

They say it's a fact that your head is cracked
(i think that you are loco)
You have blown your stack you're a maniac
(i think that you are loco)
I just heard the news that you blew a fuse
(i think that you are loco)
You're a paranoid and your head's a void
(i think that you are loco)

(look in the mirror)
You are in a fog since you slipped a cog
(i think that you are loco)
They will set you free with lobotomy
(i think that you are loco)
Your cerebral vault has a single fault
(i think that you are loco)
It is quite well known you've become a clone
(i think that you are loco)

Coo coo u i think you're coo coo, coo coo u
How did you get so coo coo - how did you?

(what's on the news?)
Seen any good games shows lately?
I like the news.
I like game shows!

Psychoneurasthenic too much t.v.


5.Body And Soul

Don't you know, he was the king of saxophones
Yes indeed he was;
Talkin' 'bout the guy that made it sound so good
Some people knew him by the bean
But hawkins was his name

He sure could swing and play pretty too
Sounds good to me -- should sound good to you
I love to hear him playing body and soul
Very pleasing to the ear

When i first heard it on the record
I just stopped-- right there,
Sounded like a band of angels in the sky,
And i have never ever heard a sweeter tone
I fact i pay no 'ttention to the saxophone
'til coleman hawkins came along and spoke to everyone --
Saying better listen won't you hear me,
While i play for you --

Sometimes it's hot
Then again it's blue
My soul just seems to wander,
Pleasing each and everyone --
It's what i've long been craving for

The doors have not been always open,
But i am trying to please you.
Please don't stop me.
Hope you like it folks

And then he started cookin' --
Everytime he played
Some melodic melody fast or slow
You could tell that it was hawkins --

No other one ever has
Quite captured his tone
Just he alone --
Has the sound that penetrates
It will sure go right through you
Yes it will --
And every chorus gives you just another thrill

Then along came eddie jefferson
He sang the melody like hawkins played it
He sang it true
He sang it blue
Made words for it too

All his fans in new york loved him
There's no one above him
Here in the usa
I've heard 'em say ol' eddie was the man

Oh how he could sing
Man did he swing
Sang on the wing, did his own thing
Yes he did

Throughout the country --
Music lovers are still wiggin' on eddie's singin'
All around the world -- he is known
Rhythm was his special joy --
He swung it like a horn

He must have been born to be a singer
'cause his lyrics were so sincere and true
Funny sad or blue
Oh yeah!

And we've got to remind you
Many years it took him
Singing every day to achieve his first claim to fame

He was twenty years ahead of his time
And he knew it
But he kept right on-a singing
He went all around the world making rhythm
'cause music sure was in him and he knew it was

Sang with moody and richie cole
He could sing it just like bird
But his forte was the words he wrote to
Music that he sang

So he sang, and he sang
And he sang his words so clever
And i know they'll silence him never
'cause he cut this masterpiece

And now we're trying to sing it for you
Hope the bean and eddie both would still approve
There we go
We didn't mean to reminisce
You can surely bet
That we won't forget
'cause we hear them yet
Goodbye


6.Twilight Tone

When i hear this melody
This strange illusion takes over me
Through a tunnel of the mind
Perhaps a present or future time oh, oh
Out of nowhere comes this sound
This melody that keeps spinning 'round & 'round
Pyramidal locomotion
From a mystic unknown zone

Hearin' the twilight
Hearin' the twilight tone

Unpretentious girl from memphis
Saw the future through her third eye
People came with skepticism
Picking, testing her precision, no, wo, oh, oh
Suddenly they heard this sound
This melody that keeps spinning 'round & 'round
A signpost up ahead is calling
Through the mystic unknown zone

Hearin' the twilight
Twilight swept away, feelin' the rhythm
Hearin' the twilight
Twilight swept away, ba da, loo da, ba da loo da
Hearin' the twilight
Twilight tone

Submitted for your approval. one mr. miller, who's about
To take a trip into oddness and obsolescene, through a
Zone whose boundaries are that of imagination.
Accompanying him on this journey is the mesmerizing
Sound of the twilight tone.

On a cold & rainy night
One mister miller had a rare flight
Glen was up there boppin' a rhythm
Then the engine stopped to listen with him
Play that beat, oh, oh
Suddenly he heard this sound
This melody that keeps spinning 'round & 'round
Now he resides and plays trombone
In the mystic unknown zone

Hearin' the twilight
(ooooooh, twilight)
Hearin' the twilight
(hearin' the twilight)


7.Trickle Trickle

Chorus:
Trickle, trickle, splash, splash
Tell me how long will this rain last
The rain keeps droppin', there ain't no stoppin',
Tell me how long will this rain last

Trickle, trickle, slop, slop
Just got to see my sweet gum drop
She's there waitin' and i'm hesitatin'
Tell me just when this rain will stop

Ronnie, dig my clothes here boy,
One button row
Well, you know i'm sharp, as a tack,
Say can you lend me your cadillac
Gotta go, gotta go to a party - yeah
Please lend me your show
Well if i can't take it,
You know i can't make it,
I won't see my baby no more.

Chorus

Ronnie, she's sweet, she's fine yeh boy,
And i love her so.
Well if i don't make the party,
Man - she sure to blow.
Gotta go, gotta go to the party - yeh,
Please lend me your show,
Well if i can't take it, you know i can't make it,
I won't see my baby no more.

Chorus
Trickle, trickle, slop, slop
Just got to see my sweet gum drop
She's there waitin' and i'm hesitatin'
Tell me how long will this rain last
Tell me how long will it last


8.Shaker Song

The fool screams, 'no more!'
He grabs his shirt and hits the door
What she needs from him he ignores.
It's a bore. oh it's a bore. oh it's a bore. oh it's a bore.
(oh it's a ...)

Blast the radio.
The hits just come and go.
Block out what he knows that he has blown
(that he has blown...)

The night hangs its head
As the fool crawls into bed.
Still his hungry heart begs to be fed
All the words she once said
(that she said. that she said. that she said.)

So then he grabs his chevrolet
In one more attempt to get away
But the thoughts of all the crimes of passion lay in his way.

He can shake the blues,
But you know he still can get confused.
It seems like such a waste
'cause he can't shake her.
He can shake his tail,
But you know his moves are getting stale
He's on the make, but oh, his heart can't fake
That he can't shake her.
He can't shake her.
No, he can't shake her.

Romance falls like rain
But all the motives are insane
Everytime that he plays the game he feels the pain
(he feels the pain. who is to blame? who is to blame?)

He finds a joint that's jive
Guys are spinning girls like 45's.
All of the live bait sink for his lines they are so high

He knows he is beat
As his heart puts on the heat
Run from the street that don't even fit his feet
(don't fit his feet. now he can see. now he can really see)

Tell him here's a telephone
He can beg to let the fool come home
He tells her that his life's a drag alone
(can't be alone)

He can shake the blues,
But you know he still can get confused.
It seems like such a waste
'cause he can't shake her.
He can shake his tail,
But you know his moves are getting stale
He's on the make, but oh, his heart can't fake
That he can't shake her.
He can't shake her.
No, he can't shake her.


9.Foreign Affair

When traveling abroad in the continental style
It's my belief that one must attempt to be discreet
And subsequently bear in mind your transient position
Allows you a perspective that's unique
Though you'll find your itinerary's a blessing and a curse
Your wanderlust won't let you settle down
And you wonder how you ever fathomed that you'd be content
To stay within the city limits of a small midwestern town
Most vagabonds i knowed don't ever want to find the culprit
That remains the object of their long relentless quest
The obsession's in the chasing and not the apprehending
The pursuit you see and never the arrest

Without fear or contradiction bon voyage is often hollered
In conjunction with a handkerchief from shore
By a girl that drives a rambler and furthermore
Is overly concerned that she won't see him anymore
Planes and trains and boats and buses
Characteristically evoke a common attitude of blue
Unless you have a suitcase and a ticket and a passport
And the cargo that they're carrying is you
A foreign affair juxtaposed with a stateside
And domestically approved romantic fancy
Is mysteriously attractive due to circumstances knowing
I will only be parlayed into a memory