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Song · Icicle Works

“Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)” by Icicle Works

Released 1983

“Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)” by Icicle Works appears on 32 radio countdowns from 10 stations between 1983 and 2021. It was first released in 1983. Its best result is #22 on the WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1989). In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #33 alternative song of 1983, #476 alternative song of all time and #396 of the '80s.

32countdowns
10stations
#22best position
0#1 finishes
0top 10 finishes
1983–2021years charted

Watch

The Icicle Works - Birds Fly (Whisper To A Scream) HD

Video from YouTube (Beggars Banquet Records). Pressing play loads YouTube's player. Watch on YouTube

"Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)" was the Icicle Works' first single, out on Situation Two in June 1983 ahead of the British band's 1984 debut album The Icicle Works, and in some markets it wore its title back to front. Ian McNabb wrote it, sings it and plays guitar and keyboards, with Chris Layhe on bass and Chris Sharrock on drums and percussion, and Hugh Jones produced.

It went to number two on the UK independent chart but barely scratched the national one, even with John Peel spinning both sides that summer. After "Love Is a Wonderful Colour" became a hit, Beggars Banquet sent it out again in March 1984 with a new sleeve and B-side, and this time it got to 52.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

All Rock Formats

Year-end countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1983 41 KROQ Los Angeles, CA KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1983 107
1983 44 91X San Diego, CA / Tijuana 91X Top 91 Songs of 1983 91

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1988 46 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1988) 496
1988 96 Live 105 Live 105 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1988) 501
1989 99 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1989) 495
1989 22 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1989) 500
1991 259 CFNY 102.1 The Edge CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (1991 Edition) 1002
1992 160 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1992) 500
1994 231 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1994) 497
1994 55 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1994) 500
1995 206 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1995) 500
1996 382 Q101 Q101 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (1996) 500
1998 93 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1998) 488
1999 436 CD101 CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 2000
1999 246 CFNY 102.1 The Edge CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999) 1002
2000 436 CD101 CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000) 2001
2001 438 CD101 CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 2002
2002 438 CD101 CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002) 2003
2003 438 CD101 CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003) 2004
2004 438 CD101 CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 2005
2005 439 CD101 CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 1994
2005 989 99X 99X Freedom of Choice 1000 (2005) 1000
2007 1279 CD101 CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007) 2008
2008 1201 CD101 CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008) 2009
2009 1198 CD101 CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009) 2010
2010 1234 CD101 CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010) 2011
2011 1287 CD101 CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011) 2011
2013 1307 CD101 CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013) 2012
2014 1352 CD101 CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014) 2013
2019 520 WYEP WYEP Big Spring Countdown 2019 1017
2019 520 WYEP WYEP Labor Day Weekend Countdown 2019 1099
2021 472 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '80s 909

Also listed as: Whisper to a Scream (Birds Fly); whisper to a Scream (Birds Fly); Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly); Birds Fly (Whisper To A Scream); Birds Fly (From A Whisper To A Scream); Whisper To A Scream (birds Fly).

Charting alongside it in 1983

Best songs of 1983 →
  1. 1New Year's DayU2
  2. 2Let's DanceDavid Bowie
  3. 3The LovecatsThe Cure
  4. 4Every Breath You TakeThe Police
  5. 5Rebel YellBilly Idol
  6. 6In a Big CountryBig Country

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