The Bird in the Bush (Traditional Erotic Songs)

"The Bird in the Bush" is a title frequently associated with collections of traditional English folk songs, particularly those with erotic or suggestive lyrics. The phrase itself is an old euphemism for female genitalia, making it a direct indicator of the collection's contents. These collections often aimed to preserve and disseminate songs that were considered too risqué for mainstream publication or polite society.

While the exact contents of a collection titled "The Bird in the Bush" can vary, they typically include songs dealing with themes of courtship, seduction, sexual encounters, and sometimes broader aspects of love and relationships, presented in a frankly suggestive or explicit manner. Many of these songs utilize bawdy language, double entendres, and folk imagery to convey their meaning.

The collections themselves were often circulated privately, sometimes in manuscript form, or printed in limited editions to avoid censorship or social disapproval. Their existence provides insight into the social attitudes towards sexuality in past eras, offering a contrasting view to the more sanitized and publicly acceptable expressions of love and romance. Studying these songs allows researchers and enthusiasts to understand the historical context of sexuality and folklore, and how those two elements intertwined in popular culture. The phrase "The Bird in the Bush" continues to be recognized as shorthand for a collection of explicitly erotic folk songs.