"the birds and the bees" was a 1964 single release by jewel akens with a lyric based on the "birds and the bees" idiom commonly referenced with regard to affording young people their introductory sex education. an international hit in 1965, "the birds and the bees" was reminiscent of such 1950s' honky tonk-style hits as "blueberry hill" by fats domino and "kansas city" by wilbert harrison.