Birds Do It, Bees Do It

Caldera Records is proud to present Gerald Fried's Oscar-nominated score for the motion picture Birds Do It, Bees Do It from 1974, directed by Nicolas Noxon and Irwin Rosten.

Narrated by Lee Bergere, a beloved actor who had guest roles in every major television series in the 60s, Birds Do It, Bees Do It examines the reproductive habits of bacteria, frogs, lions, kangaroos, elephants, monkeys, birds, rhinos, and others by showing in graphic detail how animals behave before, during and after sexual intercourse. The documentary did not shy away from its sensitive topic. Instead, it discussed sex as a natural part of life and aimed to educate its viewers. In fact, several college campuses decided to show the film to its students in the mid-70s, using the moving images of copulating animals as an educational tool.
Fried had already worked on a number of Wolper productions when he was offered to score the documentary. It would be one of the most satisfying experiences of his career. Not only was he not subjected to a hair-rising deadline, he also had sufficient funds to execute his creative vision. When he saw the rough cut for the first time, the germ of an idea evolved – human beings portrayed in the film would musically be treated with tonal themes (Man Intrudes), while animals would get less organized, less thematic, but nonetheless tonal music (Kangaroos). Insects would be portrayed with electronic music and/or percussion instruments (Talking Insects), amoebas only with noises produced by synthesizers (Primal Ooze). In 1976, Birds Do It, Bees Do It received an Oscar nomination for Best Dramatic Score. It failed to win, but Gerald Fried's glorious music for Birds Do It, Bees Do It stands the test of time and is not only one of Fried's very best scores but also one of the best scores ever written for a documentary.

The 32nd CD-release of Caldera Records – a world premiere – features a detailed booklet-text by Stephan Eicke and elegant artwork by Luis Miguel Rojas. The CD was mastered by Richard Moore and produced by Stephan Eicke and John Elborg.