“Tennessee Bird Walk”
Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan
Written by Jack Blanchard
Billboard
#1 (2 weeks)
April 4 – April 11, 1970
Country music has its fair share of novelty songs, and they’re usually very much of their era. Humor doesn’t always translate over time, as references become less familiar to newer audiences.
That’s not much of a problem with “Tennessee Bird Walk,” which is just nonsensical. It’s awfully fun to listen to, though, with Misty Morgan giving the most memorable line reading from the husband-and-wife duo: “Chirp chirp.”
They knew they struck gold there, because they have her whispering it again as the song fades out. I don’t know why it’s so funny and endearing, but any novelty song that can still crack a smile 55 years after it topped the chart was built to last.
Blanchard & Morgan only had one other top ten country hit – “Humphrey the Camel” – but they continued to record throughout the seventies and resurfaced a few times over the decades to come with new material and live performances.
“Tennessee Bird Walk” gets a B+.
Every No. 1 Single of the Seventies
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I did not know this song existed for the longest time. Imagine my shock when I discovered not only its existence, but that it topped the charts. Utterly ridiculous, the epitome of a novelty song, but a funny listen nonetheless.
Just wondering, will Radio and Records charts lead to this column covering any songs that didn’t reach #1 on Billboard like with the 80s and 90s?
Yes, starting in 1973.
I thought I was pretty familiar with the hits of the 1970s, but I can’t recall ever hearing this song before. Love it!
Bonus Beats:
Later in 1970, Buck Owens and Susan Raye recorded a cover of “Tennessee Bird Walk” for their album “The Great White Horse.” Here’s Buck and Susan performing it live:
https://youtu.be/P5MMVNj_bks
There’s also this video that claims to be of people dancing to “Tennessee Bird Walk” on Soul Train. It’s almost certainly fake, but it’s entertaining, and it would make sense due to the heavy presence of wah-wah guitars:
https://youtu.be/NWD83yLacSY