How Many Birds How Many Birds "How Many Birds" is a song written by Barry Gibb, recorded by the Bee Gees in 1966 for the "Spicks and Specks" album. Recording took place at St. Clair Studios, Hurstville outside Sydney. The song was recorded on one-track tape machines and required the use of sound-on-sound for all overdubs. "How Many Birds" was recorded around April and May 1966 as part of the sessions for what became the Spicks and Specks album. The song starts with a guitar riff and the chord became E as Barry sings the introduction. After Barry sings the lines, the song
How Many Miles to Babylon? good and your spurs be bright. How mony men have ye? Mae nor ye daur come and see.</poem> Various places have replaced Babylon in the rhyme, including London town, Barberry and Berry Bright. The rhyme was not recorded until the nineteenth century, but the reference to Cantelon in the Scottish version has led some to conclude that it refers to Caledon in the time of the Crusades. Babylon may be a corruption of 'Babyland', but the city was a common allusion particularly in seventeenth-century England and 'Can I get there by candlelight?' was a common saying in the sixteenth century.