BLACKBIRD

I would like to tell you about a unique song that really spoke to me with its melody who was written by non other than the famous band – The Beatles.

The song was written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon-McCartney, And recorded on June 11th 1968,

but was only released on November 2nd that same year.

The song was part of the ninth album of the Beatles – The White Album, who was released on November 22nd 1968.

The song was supposed to give hope to the black people who were fighting for their rights in the southern areas in the 60’s.

There were multiple explanations as into why was this song was even written and mainly what was it written about.

In one interview McCartney explains: “I had in mind a black woman, rather than a bird. Those were the days of the civil rights movement, which all of us cared passionately about, so this was really a song from me to a black woman, experiencing these problems in the States: “Let me encourage you to keep trying, to keep your faith; there is hope.

Yet in another interview he claims to have owned a book called

“Blackbird Singing”. And meanwhile in Scotland he was thinking about the black peoples struggle in the Southern states and using the symbolism of a blackbird.

Lyrics:

The Songs Popularity:

Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of its release, Jacob Stolworthy of The Independent listed “Blackbird” at number five in his ranking of the White Album’s 30 tracks.

Covers To The Song:

There have been hundreds of covers of this song. Perhaps the most enduring is Brad Mehldau’s instrumental jazz version, released in 1997.

The only charting version of the song was by the Cast of Glee, which took it to #37 in 2011.

Other notable covers include renditions by José Feliciano, Billy Preston, Sarah Vaughan, Jaco Pastorius, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Bobby McFerrin and Dwight Twilley.

The Doves did a cover in 2002 for the soundtrack to the TV series Roswell.

The singer-guitarist Kenny Rankin recorded it for his 1974 album Silver Morning.

One of the more ‘famous’ covers to the song BlackBird was at the Musical comedy-drama TV show – Glee. Glee features many covers to music from decades ago, and the song was featured on its second season when Kurt’s {a character played by the actor Chris Colfer} bird passes away. And at its funeral the schools choir sings along with him. The show also features a full soundtrack album of many Beatles songs who were featured along the show as well. This helped my generation who didn’t get to know the beatles, get the exposure to them and their music, through modern views and perspectives.

A cover to the song blackbird by Alisha Keys 10 years ago. {2011}

The Melody:

Only three sounds were recorded: Paul’s voice, his Martin D-28 acoustic guitar, and a tapping that keeps time on the left channel.

This tapping sound is a bit of a mystery, although in the Beatles Anthology video McCartney appears to be making the sound with his foot. Some sources have claimed it is a metronome.

The birds were dubbed in later using sound effects from the collection at Abbey Road, where the song was recorded.

The information provided is from a website called songfacts.

The guitar accompaniment for this song was inspired by Bach’s Bourrée in E minor for lute.

This is often played on classical guitar, an instrument Paul McCartney and George Harrison had tried to learn when they were kids.

McCartney told Mojo magazine October 2008: “We had the first four bars (of the Bourrée in E minor) and that was as far as my imagination went.

I think George had it down for a few more bars and then he crapped out. So I made up the next few bars, and (sings his four-note variation Bach’s theme) it became the basis of ‘Blackbird.'”

The information provided is from a website called songfacts.