Jean the Birdman


"Jean the Birdman" is a song recorded in 1993 by Robert Fripp and David Sylvian, and co-written by Trey Gunn. It was released on 16 August 1993 and is the only single from Fripp and Sylvian's first collaborative album The First Day (David [Sylvian and Robert Fripp album)|The First Day]. It was released as two separate CDs, each including exclusive b-sides.

Music video

The dreamlike music video for "Jean the Birdman" was directed by British director Howard Greenhalgh a year before he became famous for his work on Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun". It was produced by Megan Hollister for Why Not and released on 9 August 1993. The video features an abstract caged environment harbouring a mysterious bird man.

Exclusive B-sides

"Earthbound " was co-written by Fripp and Sylvian, and was effectively in two parts, Sylvian singing a melodic verse and chorus over a simple acoustic guitar, which then gave way to a 6-minute Fripp soundscape of guitar and Frippertronics.
"Endgame" was a simple piece, again dominated by Sylvian's verse chorus vocal over a simple acoustic guitar accompaniment. Sylvian explained: "These pieces were written after the completion of the Rain Tree Crow project. Lyrically, there is still this connection with that early material. I guess I hadn't worked the themes out of system entirely with Rain Tree Crow."
On "Tallow Moon" Sylvian spoke the lyrics of a poem. The lyrics are taken from Rimbaud's "Lettre au directeur des Messageries maritimes", released on Hector Zazou's album Sahara Blue. "Dark Water" is an ambient soundscape by Fripp.

Track listing

Part 1

  1. "Jean the Birdman" - 4:12
  2. "Earthbound " - 10:14
  3. "Endgame" - 2:22

Part 2

  1. "Jean the Birdman" - 4:12
  2. "Gone to Earth" - 3:04
  3. "Tallow Moon" - 5:44
  4. "Dark Water" - 6:45