# Bye, Bye, Blackbird

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-bye-blackbird/76210>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [August 14, 2001, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-bye-blackbird/76210 "2001-08-14T16:41:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-bye-blackbird/76210/1 "2001-08-14T16:41:06Z")

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There are a few more lyrics, which I have in a version recorded in 1926 by Lucille Hegamin and Her Blue Flame Syncopators. The final verse goes,

Get my clothes and pack my bag, on my trunk there’s a tag:  
“Bye, Bye, Blackbird.”  
I won’t wait to catch no train, I’ll hop right on an aeroplane,  
Bye, Bye, Blackbird.  
Let a million bluebirds start a-hummin’,  
Tell my dear old mammy I’m a-comin’  
Make my bed and light the light, then I’ll say “nighty-night,”  
Blackbird, Bye-Bye!

OP link: [http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mblackbird.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mblackbird.html)

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**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-bye-blackbird/76210/2 "2001-08-14T17:45:35Z")

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Upon humming to myself on my lunch hour I realize I misquoted that first line, which should read,

"Pay my debts and pack my bag, on my trunk there’s a tag . . . "

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-bye-blackbird/76210/3 "2001-08-15T00:14:33Z")

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**Songbird**

I think **Mort Dixon** wrote the lyrics. I, too read that website which had the “Mae Arnotte” info, and if you read too quickly, you think Ferguson did the lyrics. But not so.

**Eve** …beginning to picture you as Gloria Swanson in Sunset Blvd, surrounded by all those pictures, records, etc.

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**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-bye-blackbird/76210/4 "2001-08-15T18:44:33Z")

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“Eve …beginning to picture you as Gloria Swanson in Sunset Blvd, surrounded by all those pictures, records, etc.”

—Everyone else is too polite to say so, but you’ve pretty much got me pegged . . . “I AM big—it’s the message board that got small!”

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**Author:** ![Songbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/35a633/32.png) [@Songbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Songbird)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2001, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-bye-blackbird/76210/5 "2001-08-29T18:13:59Z")

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Samclem,

After going back to the original site and checking several others, it does indeed appear that Mort Dixon wrote the lyrics. I’ll get that fixed in my answer. We at the Straight Dope prefer to be precise, and we appreciate your eagle eye. (Also, thanks for not giving ME the bird 😉 )

SDStaff Songbird  
Straight Dope Science Advisory Board