Skylark
Al Cohn · Other Songs - Al Cohn
Have you anything to say to me?
Won't you tell me where my love can be?
Is there a meadow in the mist
Where someone's waiting to be kissed?
Skylark
Have you seen a valley green with spring?
Where my heart can go a journeying
Over the shadows and the rain
To a blossom covered lane
And in your lonely flight
Haven't you heard the music in the night?
Wonderful music, faint as a will o' the wisp
Crazy as a loon, sad as a gypsy serenading the moon
Oh skylark
I don't know if you can find these things
But my heart is riding on your wings
So if you see them anywhere
Won't you lead me there?
Oh skylark
I don't know if you can find these things
But my heart is riding on your wings
So if you see them anywhere
Won't you lead me there?
About Skylark
Al Cohn's "Skylark" stands as a quintessential example of the cool jazz idiom, showcasing his mastery of lyrical phrasing and harmonic subtlety. Recorded in the mid-1940s, the track exemplifies Cohn's role as a pivotal figure in the transition from swing to bebop, blending sophisticated improvisation with a melodic approach that prioritized emotional nuance over technical flash. As a tenor saxophonist and composer, Cohn often utilized standard forms like this one to explore complex rhythmic structures and fluid tonal centers, influencing a generation of players who valued musical conversation over soloistic dominance. The recording captures the intimate, smoky atmosphere characteristic of the Birdland era, where the interplay between melody and rhythm defined the genre's evolving sound. This composition remains a vital reference point for understanding the evolution of jazz expression during its most transformative period.