Rockin' Robin

Written by Leon René under the pseudonym Jimmie Thomas and originally recorded by American singer Bobby Day in 1958, "Rockin' Robin" became Day's biggest single, reaching number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and spending one week at the top of the R&B sales chart. The history of the song reveals that Leon René conceived "Rockin' Robin" after being kept awake by a bird outside his window, and the title evolved from "rockin' mockin' bird" to its final form. For the original recording, Bobby Day collaborated with musicians from his former group, the Hollywood Flames, who changed their name to "The Satellites" for the performance, with notable instrumentalists on the track including Plas Johnson on piccolo, Earl Palmer on drums, and Barney Kessel on guitar. The song's lively, upbeat lyrics depicting a bird spreading musical joy, combined with its catchy chorus and handclapping rhythm, captured the energetic spirit of late-1950s rock and roll, and these elements have made it a children's favorite due to its bird theme and catchy rhythm. "Rockin' Robin" has been covered by numerous artists over the years, with one of the most famous renditions being by a 13-year-old Michael Jackson in 1972, whose version also reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100, and the song is notably in the public domain, as its copyright was not renewed.