Peak
2
Weeks
13
Score
3,089
Chart Year
1972
The R&B/pop singer Bobby Day originally recorded this song in 1958. His version also peaked at #2 in the US. Major irony: Bobby Day's real name is Robert Byrd. Bobby Day had a soulful Pop sound that suited a young Michael Jackson, who recorded this as just his second single as a solo artist, scoring a huge hit with the song. With the Jackson Five, Michael also scored with another Bobby Day song in 1972: "Little Bitty Pretty One," which went to #1 in the US. This song was inspired by a mockingbird, not a robin, that pestered composer Leon René with its incessant singing. René, who wrote the lyrics, is credited as Jimmy Thomas, which is his songwriting pseudonym. Rene owned the label Excelsior Records. The Indiana group The Rivieras, famous for their 1964 hit "California Sun," nicked the charts with their version of "Rockin' Robin" that same year when it hit #96.
He rocks in the tree tops all day long Hoppin' and a-boppin' and singing his song All the little birdies on Jaybird Street Love to hear the robin go tweet tweet tweet Rockin' robin, tweet tweet tweet Rockin' robin' Blow rockin' robin 'Cause we're really gonna rock tonight Every little swallow, every chick-a-dee Every little bird in the tall oak tree The wise old owl, the big black crow Flappin' their wings singing go bird go Rockin' robin, tweet tweet tweet Rockin' robin' Blow rockin' robin 'Cause we're really gonna rock tonight Yeah yeah Pretty little raven at the bird-band stand Told them how to do the bop and it was grand They started going steady and bless my soul He out-bopped the buzzard and the oriole He rocks in the tree tops all day long Hoppin' and a-boppin' and singing his song All the little birdies on Jaybird Street Love to hear the robin go tweet tweet tweet Rockin' robin, tweet tweet tweet Rockin' robin' Blow rockin' robin 'Cause we're really gonna rock tonight Pretty little raven at the bird-band stand Told them how to do the bop and it was grand They started going steady and bless my soul He out-bopped the buzzard and the oriole He rocks in the tree tops all day long Hoppin' and a-boppin' and singing his song All the little birdies on Jaybird Street Love to hear the robin go tweet tweet tweet Rockin' robin, tweet tweet tweet Rockin' robin' Blow rockin' robin
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mar 11, 1972 | 68 | 58 |
| 2 | Mar 18, 1972 | 33 | 93 |
| 3 | Mar 25, 1972 | 14 | 112 |
| 4 | Apr 1, 1972 | 9 | 117 |
| 5 | Apr 8, 1972 | 5 | 121 |
| 6 | Apr 15, 1972 | 4 | 122 |
| 7 | Apr 22, 1972 | 2 | 124 |
| 8 | Apr 29, 1972 | 2 | 124 |
| 9 | May 6, 1972 | 4 | 122 |
| 10 | May 13, 1972 | 5 | 121 |
| 11 | May 20, 1972 | 6 | 120 |
| 12 | May 27, 1972 | 26 | 100 |
| 13 | Jun 3, 1972 | 48 | 78 |