Man Gave Names To All The Birds

by Larry Fyffe

The Untold Corporation has decided to release some more of its vast collection of Bob Dylan archived material to the public. Below are the lyrics of a song by Bob Dylan that he sang at a special meeting of the National Audubon Society held to honour member and poet John Geenleaf Whittier. The American singer/songwriter later revises the words to the song, and changes the title to “Man Gave Names To All The Animals”:

Man Gave Names To All The Birds

Man gave names to all the birds
In the beginning, in the beginning
Man gave names to all the birds
In the beginning, long time ago

He saw a bird that liked to hoot
Had very sharp claws, and liked pursuit
Great round eyes that were always on the prowl
"Ah, think I'll call it an owl"

Man gave names to all the birds
In the beginning, in the beginning
Man gave names to all the birds
In the beginning, long time ago

He saw a bird peckin' at some roadkill
Chewin' up the carrion until she was filled
'Twas a squashed porcupine if you wanna know
"Ah, think I'll call it a crow"

Man gave names to all the birds
In the beginning, in the beginning
Man gave names to all the birds
In the beginning, long time ago

He saw a bird carryin' a baby to you
Looked like there was nothin' that he wouldn't do
His legs  were long, and his neck wasn't short
"Ah, think I'll call it a stork"

Man gave names to all the birds
In the beginning, in the beginning
Man gave names to all the birds
In the beginning, long time ago

He saw birds covering Moses' camp
There was dew on the ground, and it was damp
Brown and white with a short little tails
"Ah, think I'll call it a quail"

Man gave names to all the birds
In the beginning, in the beginning
Man gave names to all the birds
In the beginning, long time ago

Next bird that he did meet
Had a very long tail, and long claws on its feet
Eating berries and bananas that tasted so sweet
"Ah, think I'll call it a parakeet"

Man gave names to all the birds
In the beginning, in the beginning
Man gave names to all the birds
In the beginning, long time ago

He saw a bird with feathers smooth as glass
Waddling his way through the grass
Saw him disappear by a tree near a lake
"Ah, think I'll call it a drake"

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