Chirpy chirpy cheep cheep means 'bird' or 'baby bird'. It is a song that was written by Lally Stott, a singer from Lancashire.
Originally released in 1970, it was only a minor hit in Italy, Australia and America, but it became an international chart topper after it was recorded by Scottish folk-pop quartet Middle of the Road. It was a number 1 single for five weeks in June 1971 and is fondly remembered by music fans everywhere.
It is a happy-go-lucky, toe-tapping, sing-along song seemingly untroubled by deep lyricism.
But if you listen carefully, there's actually quite a lot of lyrical content to the song. It is about a bird being abandoned and its 'chirpy' chorus makes it sound like a child who is feeling lonely.
There's also a little bit of a war theme to the song, with the line 'Little baby Don' suggesting an infant boy who has been abandoned. It's an interesting idea and one that is not always interpreted correctly online.
The 'Chirpy' version was originally recorded by Liverpudlian Lally Stott, but it was released under the name of Middle of the Road after they were recommended the song by BBC Radio 1. It was a hit in Europe and it reached the top 20 in Australia.
It is a great example of how pop songs can have a rhythm so infectious that the lyrics are irrelevant. It is a happy-go-lucky, sing-along song that was incredibly catchy and made millions of people smile.
