This is an interesting contrast after the somewhat frenetic style of many of the Dixie jazz pieces. It was helpful that I had read the description to understand the role of the verse here, because it would otherwise be puzzling as to why it did not return at all. I have noticed this same pattern with some of the Christmas songs that also came out of the Tin Pan Alley tradition - a verse that serves merely as an introduction to the frequently repeated refrain. Now those make a bit more sense.
This recording makes an interesting use of the cello for both the introduction and the interludes between repetitions of the refrain. I also found the warbling whistling a bit unusual and am glad for the listening guide's coverage of the "bird" thematic elements to make it easier to place this all in context.
The form does seem much easier to follow than the Dixie jazz pieces - probably because this song and others like it are being "manufactured" to accommodate a more "white" audience.
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