The song “We All Love Birdy”, written in 1994, was inspired by the film “Birdy” by Alan Parker. The song and accompanying video encompasses nature preservation, love and individual freedom. It is also an Ode to the region “Meetjesland”, a rural region in northwest Belgium where the video was recorded. Birdy is a state of mind.
Listen to the number via Spotify, Amazon, Deezer, Apple, YouTube
Two hundred numbered and signed CDs of the song have been released. Each cover was painted by Wim Ricourt, that made it a unique copy. The poem by Paul De Blende was also included. All copies are sold out.
Wim studied art at the Royal Academy in Ghent, Belgium and has been a professional artist since 1996. Wim’s paintings radiate of energy, reflected in its intensity of colours and authenticity. Looking at this particular painting from a distance you perceive a clear picture, but when you move closer, you get sucked in by the abstract mass of colours.
Original painting – oil on canvas – 24×30 cm
Paul De Blende has a master Germanic philology and that comes through in his poetry! He is also a fervent sailor.
After seeing the “We All Love Birdy” live presentation, he was inspired to write a poem. At the event, Wim Ricourts paintings were displayed, accompanied by a live rendition of the Birdy song by Johan Beun (guitar) and Ellen Braeckman (sax). When he got home, the poem accompanying this project just came to him and he wrote it down in one big swoop.
He is currently working on a collection of poems.
If only I was
if only I could
if only I had
shall I then
fly far
to unknown ends
just without a goal to myself somewhere
wherever
and also vanish
in word and image and
sound and thought
first carefully
then fierce and fierce
over and over again
in all weather
and loose through everything
through haze and fog and film over and over
further and further
and deeper and deeper
and without ceasing
stripped of all burdens
itch and yoke
and duties and also
those damn booths
where we are supposed to live
Let me sing this wildly
put it into words
in a wide palette of colors imagining untamed
in a flight of fancy
like and as free as B i r d y
in my mind
in a reef
in a stroke
and on the painting a fragment
of my dream since
my birth
bloody honest especially
and then still free
and early rest too
still ignorant of
what was to come
Touchdown!
free at last
two of a kind
two in one
one in two
all alike
like
B i r dy
the sky is the limit unlimited and free as the bird in me …
Paul De Blende
and also vanish
in word and image and
sound and thought
first carefully
then fierce and fierce
over and over again
in all weather
and loose through everything
through haze and fog and film over and over
further and further
and deeper and deeper
and without ceasing
stripped of all burdens
itch and yoke
and duties and also
those damn booths
where we are supposed to live
Let me sing this wildly
put it into words
in a wide palette of colors imagining untamed
in a flight of fancy
like and as free as B i r d y
in my mind
in a reef
in a stroke
and on the painting a fragment
of my dream since
my birth
bloody honest especially
and then still free
and early rest too
still ignorant of
what was to come
Touchdown!
free at last
two of a kind
two in one
one in two
all alike
like
B i r dy
the sky is the limit unlimited and free as the bird in me …
STEIJE hillewaert
Steije was still a student at the Digital Design & Development at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent when he participated in the We All Love Birdy project.
In the meantime he has graduated and has created his own company Steije.be, where he shapes ideas into virtual masterpieces.
Sebastian has earnt his track record with music, both as frontman and producer. He works mainly from his own workplace “Number Nine Studios” in Ghent. Feel free to check out his own website!
Ellen originally hailed from the town of Melle but love brought her to rural Assenede. In her daily life she is a dentist assistant. Ellen took classes at the Art Academy Music, Word and Dance at Gentbrugge. Music and in particular playing the saxophone is still her life-long passion.
Currently Ellen is a member of the Royal Harmony Bassevelde, Capeau Noir, Harmony Vrank & Vrij Nazareth, Royal City marching band Izegem, The Lift, …
Davy is an occupational therapist but was raised on music by his father, who was a seasoned drummer. Later he studied percussion at the Academy in Eeklo, followed by a degree in HAFABRA conductor at the DKO Gentbrugge. He concluded both degrees cum laude.
He plays not only the drums, piano and keyboard, but also the triangle, xylophone, marimba and accordion. Davy plays in several bands as well as being a successful solo-artist.
Mario is a professional musician, in 1996 he won first prize for Instrument at the Conservatoir de Bruxelles. He also followed several master classes with Riccardo Del Fra and Dave Holland. Mario is the regular bass player of Jan De Wilde and Ronny Verbiest Trio. He also recorded with Johan Verminnen, Derek, Wigbert, Kommil Foo, Bruno Deneckere and others.
He often performs live but also does studio work. He is a master in different styles of music and easily blends into a variety of bands.
As inspirer of Peter Jordans Factory, I love stories that are carried together.
So how grateful I was that Tourism Flanders contacted me after hearing and seeing the “We all love Birdy” music video. They were touched by the mood of the song and the beautiful image the music video gave of creeks in the Meetjesland.
Tourism Flanders asked me to be part of Flourishing Destinations, a European exchange project between Barzinul Dornelor in Romania, Angus in Scotland and the Belgian Meetjesland. What an honour I felt that was. And how fantastic it was to be able to explore Romania and Scotland as part of this project. In Scotland, Cambo Smith (guitar) and Alison Elliot (violin) performed a beautiful version of the song “We All Love Birdy”. And during the trip, I also met Anna Pollock, inspirer of Flourishing Destinations and such an inspiring woman.
Copyright © Peter Jordans Factory 2024
