Birdland (The Yardbirds album)

Birdland
Studio album by the Yardbirds
Released	22 April 2003 (2003-04-22)
Recorded	2002-03
Genre	Blues rock psychedelic rock
Length	56:52
Label	Favored Nations
Producer	Ken Allardyce
The Yardbirds chronology
Reunion Jam (1999) Birdland (2003) Live! Blueswailing July '64 (2003)

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Birdland is the fifth and most recent studio album by English blues rock band the Yardbirds, released in 2003. Their first studio album in over 35 years, the only band members from the 1960s group who appear are drummer Jim McCarty and rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja (former lead guitarist Jeff Beck has a cameo on "My Blind Life"). Newer members are lead singer and bassist John Idan, lead guitarist Gypie Mayo and harmonica player Alan Glen. Notable lead guitarists make cameos throughout the album, including Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Slash and Brian May.

The album contains seven new originals (composed mostly by McCarty or Dreja), and eight remakes of classic songs from the 1960s. The song "An Original Man (A Song for Keith)" was dedicated to Keith Relf, original Yardbirds singer who died in 1976.

Track listing

1. "I'm Not Talking" (Mose Allison) – 2:44
2. "Crying Out for Love" (Jim McCarty) – 4:36(*)
3. "The Nazz Are Blue" (Chris Dreja, Jeff Beck, Jim McCarty, Keith Relf, Paul Samwell-Smith) – 3:15
4. "For Your Love" (Graham Gouldman) – 3:20
5. "Please Don't Tell Me 'Bout the News" (Jim McCarty) – 4:00(*)
6. "Train Kept A-Rollin'" (Howie Kay, Lois Mann, Tiny Bradshaw) – 3:38
7. "Mr. Saboteur" (Jim McCarty) – 4:55(*)
8. "Shapes of Things" (Jim McCarty, Keith Relf, Paul Samwell-Smith) – 2:38
9. "My Blind Life" (Chris Dreja) – 3:33(*)
10. "Over Under Sideways Down" (Chris Dreja, Jeff Beck, Jim McCarty, Keith Relf, Paul Samwell-Smith) – 3:16
11. "Mr. You're a Better Man Than I" (Brian Hugg, Mike Hugg) – 3:22
12. "Mystery of Being" (Jim McCarty) – 4:08(*)
13. "Dream Within a Dream" (Jim McCarty/ Edgar Allan Poe) – 4:44(*)
14. "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" (Jeff Beck, Jim McCarty, Jimmy Page, Keith Relf) – 3:22
15. "An Original Man (A Song for Keith)" (Chris Dreja, Gypie Mayo, Jim McCarty, John Idan) – 5:20(*)

(*) denotes a new song

Personnel

The Yardbirds

• Chris Dreja – rhythm guitar
• Alan Glen – harmonica, percussion
• John Idan – bass guitar, lead vocals
• Gypie Mayo – lead guitar
• Jim McCarty – drums, percussion, vocals

Additional musicians

• Jeff "Skunk" Baxter – guitar on "The Nazz Are Blue"
• Jeff Beck – guitar on "My Blind Life"
• Steve Lukather – guitar on "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago"
• Brian May – guitar on "You're a Better Man Than I"
• Joe Satriani – guitar on "Train Kept A-Rollin'"
• Slash – guitar on "Over Under Sideways Down"
• Steve Vai – guitar on "Shapes of Things"
• Johnny Rzeznik – guitar & backing vocal on "For Your Love"
• Martin Ditchum - additional percussion