Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)
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Birds Fly (Whisper To A Scream) was a hit single in 1984 written by Ian McNabb, produced by Hugh Jones and performed by The Icicle Works (of whom McNabb was a member). Rather confusingly, the song was also released as "Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly)", and it became a hit under this reversed title as well.
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[edit] UK releases
The recording was initially released as a single in Britain in June of 1983 as "Birds Fly (Whisper To A Scream)" on the Situation Two label. This initial release failed to chart. However, after The Icicle Works' follow-up UK single Love Is A Wonderful Colour hit #15 on the UK charts in late 1983 and early 1984, Beggars Banquet Records re-released "Birds Fly (Whisper To A Scream)" in March 1984 with a new cover and B-side. This re-release climbed to #52 in the UK.
[edit] US release
In the US, Arista Records refused to release the record unless some changes were made. First, the track was remixed slightly in order to remove a brief spoken-word intro that was heard over the opening bars of music. (The woman performing this intro was identified only as "Mariella" on the original Situation Two single sleeve.) Then the song title was reversed, becoming "Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly)". This change was made so that the record's primary title would match the words sung repeatedly in the chorus, making it easier for radio listeners to track down the record in the stores.
Finally, Arista shortened the band's name to "Icicle Works", removing the initial "The". With these changes made, "Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly)" by Icicle Works reached #37 on the US charts in the summer of 1984.
[edit] Canadian release
Just to make things a little more confusing, the Canadian version of the single (credited to The Icicle Works) used the original UK mix with the spoken word intro, but the revised US title "Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly)". This was the most successful commercial release of the single, reaching #19 on the Canadian charts in the summer of 1984.
[edit] Sample lyrics
"We are, we are, we are ever helpless / take us forever / a whisper to a scream".
