Bluebird Memories: A Journey Through Lyrics & Life
Words + Music, Vol. 3
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Narrated by:
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Common
About this listen
“I’m an instrument, stay in tune with me.”
In a performance that combines the personal and poetic with the literary and the lyrical, Grammy, Oscar, Emmy, and Golden Globe-winning artist Common spins something entirely new and bold for both his old-school fans and those new to one of hip-hop’s most essential voices. This is Bluebird Memories, part of Audible's Words + Music that blends storytelling, music, and performance to create a one-of-a-kind listening experience.
Written and conceived by Common with Awoye Timpo and NSangou Njikam, originally recorded live at the Minetta Lane Theatre in New York City, and backed by a world-class band including special guest appearance by Robert Glasper and an ensemble of vocalists, Bluebird Memories tracks Common’s intimate journey from childhood to manhood. At its heart, it serves as both an open letter to his estranged father and a personal meditation on the quest for greater self-understanding, self-worth, and connection to the world that surrounds him.
As a young artist, introduced to the work of literary icons from James Baldwin and Gwendolyn Brooks to Rakim and Melle Mel, Common would grow to use their works as motivation and a high-water mark for what would become his life in words. In a performance that recounts stories about growing up in Chicago, discovering hip-hop, longing for a consistent father, and his awakening into Black consciousness, the evolution of Common, as son, as man, artist, and activist, is all here - unpacked and laid bare.
At just under two hours, Bluebird Memories is constantly in motion, soaring with emotion and pulsing with raw vitality. Seamlessly blending, stretching, and playing with forms, Common slides between poetry and candid conversation, kicks into one of his classic tracks, and backs out into a moment of nearly silent reflection. For those hip-hop heads, the treat of hearing Common bounce between bars of his own self-admitted cringey party raps to rapturously reciting classic hip-hop’s most revered verses is a joy to behold. (Yes, bumping human beatbox included.) In a performance that calls forth the spirit and legacy of so many artists, thinkers, and heroes who informed both his artistry and personal philosophy, Common invites listeners to experience him in his totality. A finely tuned instrument capable of conveying a sweeping breadth of power, range, and tone. Listen to a modern icon deliver at the top of his craft.
©2020 Common (P)2020 AO Media LLC
Common Answers the Audible Questionnaire
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The Energy Curfew Music Hour
- By: Chris Thile, Claire Coffee, Punch Brothers
- Narrated by: Chris Thile, Punch Brothers
- Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
- Original Recording
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It’s time to unplug with the Grammy-winning Punch Brothers, fronted by singer-mandolinist Chris Thile, as they bring you a multi-episode musical variety show with dazzling musical guests, like Kacey Musgraves, Jason Isbell, Jon Batiste, Norah Jones, James Taylor, and many more.
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Gifted musicians and storytellers right in their element and at the height of their powers
- By Megan G Kahl on 10-27-24
By: Chris Thile, and others
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Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon
- Laurel Canyon, Covert Ops, and the Dark Heart of the Hippie Dream
- By: David McGowan
- Narrated by: Bill Fike
- Length: 14 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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The very strange but nevertheless true story of the dark underbelly of a 1960s hippie utopia. Laurel Canyon in the 1960s and early 1970s was a magical place where a dizzying array of musical artists congregated to create much of the music that provided the soundtrack to those turbulent times. But there was a dark side to that scene as well. Many didn't make it out alive, and many of those deaths remain shrouded in mystery to this day.
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My first review. This book changed me.
- By Robert on 06-30-19
By: David McGowan
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A Streetcar Named Desire
- By: Tennessee Williams
- Narrated by: Carla Gugino, Audra McDonald
- Length: 2 hrs and 52 mins
- Original Recording
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With Emmy, Grammy, and six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald as Blanche DuBois alongside Carla Gugino as Stella, O’Hara takes a fresh and visceral look at the emotionally charged relationship between these two iconic sisters. Haunted by her past, Blanche seeks refuge with Stella and Stanley (Ariel Shafir) in New Orleans, where she wrestles with the nature of her sister’s husband, her sister’s denial, and her own unraveling mind.
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Classic With Fresh Insight
- By Talia Shafir on 12-04-20
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Song of the Northwoods
- By: Jessica Huang
- Narrated by: Michele Selene Ang, Quincy Dunn-Baker, Emma Kikue, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 48 mins
- Original Recording
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After a betrayal at work costs Song Kuan her job, she retreats to her friend Lucy’s idyllic family cabin on a lake in Minnesota to lick her wounds. She devotes herself to recording Ice Cold Cases, a true-crime podcast that she and Lucy cohost with the gleeful energy of obsessed fans—until an anonymous tip about a missing-person case disrupts their equilibrium. Then Lucy disappears, leaving Song alone in an unfriendly and unfamiliar town where locals don’t take kindly to strangers asking questions.
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Asians in MN! I loved it. The vivid sounds of Northern Minnesota totally took me there, and I was hooked into the mystery.
- By Sheila Morris on 04-26-22
By: Jessica Huang
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Coreyography
- By: Corey Feldman
- Narrated by: Corey Feldman
- Length: 8 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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In this brave and moving memoir, Corey Feldman is revealing the truth about what his life was like behind the scenes: His is a past that included physical, drug, and sexual abuse, a dysfunctional family from which he was emancipated at age fifteen, three high-profile arrests for drug possession, a nine-month stint in rehab, and a long, slow crawl back to the top of the box office.
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Didn't like the Two Coreys, but liked this.
- By ricketsj on 04-29-14
By: Corey Feldman
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Petty: The Biography
- By: Warren Zanes
- Narrated by: Warren Zanes
- Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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No one other than Warren Zanes, rocker and writer and friend, could author a book about Tom Petty that is as honest and evocative of Petty's music and the remarkable rock and roll history he and his band helped to write. Born in Gainesville, Florida, with more than a little hillbilly in his blood, Tom Petty was a Southern shit kicker, a kid without a whole lot of promise. Rock and roll made it otherwise.
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Tom Petty gets some bio love
- By tru britty on 12-15-15
By: Warren Zanes
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The Chris Farley Show
- A Biography in Three Acts
- By: Tom Farley, Tanner Colby
- Narrated by: Therese Plummer, L. J. Ganser, Mark Boyett
- Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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The New York Times best-selling biography of an American comedy legend. After three years of sobriety, Chris Farley's life was at its creative peak until a string of professional disappointments chased him back to drugs and alcohol. He fought hard against them, but it was a fight he would lose in December 1997. Farley's fans immediately drew parallels between his death and that of his idol, John Belushi. Without looking deeper, however, many failed to see that Farley was much more than just another Hollywood drug overdose. In this officially authorized oral history, Farley's friends and family remember his work and life.
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Incredibly sad....
- By Marie B on 04-12-15
By: Tom Farley, and others
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And Then We Rise
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And Then We Rise is about Common’s journey to wellness as a vital element of his success. A testimony to the benefits of self-care, this book is composed of four different sections, each with its own important lessons: "The Food" focuses on nutrition. "The Body" focuses on fitness. "The Mind" focuses on mental health. And "The Soul" focuses on perhaps the most profound thing of all—spiritual well-being.
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I believe he wrote this for me…
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By: Common
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Surrender
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As one of the music world’s most iconic artists and the cofounder of the organizations ONE and (RED), Bono’s career has been written about extensively. But in Surrender, it’s Bono who picks up the pen, writing for the first time about his remarkable life and those he has shared it with. In his unique voice, Bono takes us from his early days growing up in Dublin, including the sudden loss of his mother when he was fourteen, to U2’s unlikely journey to become one of the world’s most influential rock bands, to his more than twenty years of activism.
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Fantastic!
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Interview without questions
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What listeners say about Bluebird Memories: A Journey Through Lyrics & Life
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- camille
- 08-08-20
I felt like I was in the Room!
what an amazing piece of art. I felt like I was in the room with Common. what an awesome lyricist.
thanks so much for publishing this wonderful piece of art.
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15 people found this helpful
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- Jennifer Roderiques
- 08-21-20
LOVE
I was excited when I saw this by Common. Always loved his music this definitely did not disappoint! 🧡
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10 people found this helpful
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- Jerica B
- 09-11-20
Common is amazing
A very candid journey through the life of Common with some of the hits. Beautifully told story, great vocals, easy to listen to and groove along with.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Renee Sioch
- 01-16-21
absolutely fabulous
I love common I'm a big follower truly enjoyed this artistic expression from him I highly recommend
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- majjaqui
- 04-06-21
Awesome!
Really enjoyed the interweave of the music with these moving memory glimpses, as well as gaining some insight into Common.
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- CJ
- 08-27-20
IN LOVE
I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS! I will listen over and over again. Love Common's poetic style and love the musical interludes. This brings back memories and speaks to the present. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys poetry and music mixed at it's finest. COMMON YOU DID THAT!
CON: Not long enough. I could listen to audibles like this ALL day.
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- Anonymous User
- 11-13-20
WOW
I have been a long time fan of Common. I hope I get to meet him one day in my lifetime. This audiobook started off slowly, but pleasantly progressed. It was poetically inspiring and a feel-good, and I love the he ended it with my favourite classics.
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- Amazon Customer
- 01-17-21
Beautiful Listen
Another example of Common's amazing talents. Bluebird Memories goes beyond a showcase of his abilities and gives the listener a glimpse into his soul, both past, present, and hopefulness for the future. Accompanied by a multitude of other gifted musicians, Bluebird Memories is truly a special offering by Common, Audible, and all who collaborated on this.
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- Sabrina Hughes
- 11-02-20
A beautiful, loving, and honest tribute
A beautiful, loving, and honest tribute. The storytelling was engaging and thoughtful. The transitions were masterful done.
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- Malinda Upton
- 01-03-21
Outstanding
This is an outstanding performance. The sound and production quality of the music is fantastic. Common does an excellent job of weaving his songs into the story of his relationship with his father.
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