Blackbird ( Beatles song ) - wikipedia Blackbird ( Beatles song ) This article is about the Beatles song. For other songs with similar titles, see Blackbird ( disambiguation ). `` Blackbird '' Sheet music Song by the Beatles from the album The Beatles Published Northern Songs Released 22 November 1968 Recorded 11 June 1968, EMI Studios, London Genre Folk Length 2 : 19 Label Apple Songwriter ( s ) Lennon -- McCartney Producer ( s ) George Martin Audio sample file help `` Blackbird '' is a song by the Beatles from their 1968 double album The Beatles ( also known as `` the White Album '' ), which was performed as a solo effort by Paul McCartney. The song was also written by McCartney, although it is credited to Lennon -- McCartney. McCartney has stated that the lyrics of the song were inspired by hearing the call of a blackbird in Rishikesh, India, as well as by the unfortunate state of race relations in the United States in the 1960s. Contents 1 Origins 2 Meaning 3 Composition and recording 4 Live performances 5 Personnel 6 Cover versions 7 References 8 Sources 9 External links Origins Lute Suite No,. 1 -- BWV 996, E Minor -- V Bourrée Performed on a lautenwerck by Martha Goldstein Problems playing this file ? See media help. McCartney explained on Chaos and Creation at Abbey Road, aired in 2005, that the guitar accompaniment for `` Blackbird '' was inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach 's Bourrée in E minor, a well - known lute piece, often played on the classical guitar. As teenagers, he and George Harrison tried to learn Bourrée as a `` show off '' piece. The Bourrée is distinguished by melody and bass notes played simultaneously on the upper and lower strings. McCartney adapted a segment of the Bourrée ( reharmonised into the original 's relative major key of G ) as the opening of `` Blackbird '', and carried the musical idea throughout the song. The first night his future wife Linda Eastman stayed at his home, McCartney played `` Blackbird '' for the fans camped outside his house. The fingerpicking technique that McCartney uses in the song was taught to him by folk singer Donovan. Meaning Since composing `` Blackbird '' in 1968, McCartney has given differing, contradictory statements regarding both his inspiration for the song and its meaning. In one of these scenarios, he has said he was inspired by hearing the call of a blackbird one morning when the Beatles were studying Transcendental Meditation in Rishikesh, India. In another, he recalls writing it in Scotland as a response to racial tensions escalating in the United States during the spring of 1968. In May 2002, following a show in Dallas, Texas, McCartney discussed the song with KCRW DJ Chris Douridas, saying : I had been doing some ( poetry readings ) in the last year or so because I 've got a poetry book out called Blackbird Singing, and when I would read `` Blackbird '', I would always try and think of some explanation to tell the people... So, I was doing explanations, and I actually just remembered why I 'd written `` Blackbird '', you know, that I 'd been, I was in Scotland playing on my guitar, and I remembered this whole idea of `` you were only waiting for this moment to arise '' was about, you know, the black people 's struggle in the southern states, and I was using the symbolism of a blackbird. It 's not really about a blackbird whose wings are broken, you know, it 's a bit more symbolic. Before his acoustic guitar set during the same US tour, McCartney explained that `` bird '' is British slang for girl, making `` blackbird '' a synonym for `` black girl ''. The lyrics have invited similarly varied interpretations -- as a nature song, a message in support of the Black Power movement, or a love song. Writing in the 1990s, Ian MacDonald dismissed the idea that `` Blackbird '' was intended as `` a metaphor for the black civil rights struggle ''. Noting instead the composition 's romantic qualities, MacDonald said that the early - morning bird song `` translates... into a succinct metaphor for awakening on a deeper level ''. However, during an informal rehearsal at EMI Studios on 22 November 1968, before he and Donovan took part in a Mary Hopkin recording session, McCartney played `` Blackbird '', telling Donovan that he wrote it after having `` read something in the paper about the riots '' and that he meant the black `` bird '' to symbolise a black woman. Composition and recording The song was recorded on 11 June 1968 at EMI 's Abbey Road Studios in London, with George Martin as the producer and Geoff Emerick as the audio engineer. It is a solo performance with McCartney playing a Martin D 28 acoustic guitar. The track includes recordings of a male blackbird singing in the background. The accompaniment consists of guitar, tapping, and birdsong overdub. The tapping `` has been incorrectly identified as a metronome in the past '', according to engineer Geoff Emerick, who says it is actually the sound of Paul tapping his foot, which Emerick recalls as being mic 'd up separately. Footage included in the bonus content on disc two of the 2009 remaster of the album shows McCartney tapping both his feet alternately while performing the song. The mono version contains bird sounds different from the stereo recording, and was originally issued on a mono incarnation of The Beatles ( it has since been issued worldwide as part of The Beatles in Mono CD box set ). The song appears on Love with `` Yesterday '', billed as `` Blackbird / Yesterday ''. `` Blackbird '' provides an introduction to `` Yesterday ''. Live performances In 1973, McCartney included the song, along with the Beatles track `` Michelle '', as part of his acoustic medley in the television special James Paul McCartney. Starting with his 1975 -- 76 world tour with the band Wings, McCartney has performed `` Blackbird '' on every one of his concert tours. A solo performance of the song, followed by `` Yesterday '', appears on Wings ' 1976 live album Wings Over America. McCartney also included `` Blackbird '' in his set at the Party at the Palace concert in June 2002. In 2009, McCartney performed the song at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, commenting prior to singing it on how it had been written in response to the Civil Rights Movement, and added, `` It 's so great to realise so many civil rights issues have been overcome. '' A live version appears in the multi-CD collection Good Evening New York City, which was released in 2009 and recorded inside the American stadium Citi Field. Personnel Paul McCartney -- double - tracked lead vocal, acoustic guitar, tape loops, foot tapping Cover versions This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( January 2014 ) `` Blackbird '' Single by The Dandy Warhols Released July 31, 2009 ( 2009 - 07 - 31 ) Format Digital Length 3 : 36 Label Beat the World Songwriter ( s ) Lennon -- McCartney The Dandy Warhols singles chronology `` Horny as a Dandy '' ( 2006 ) `` Blackbird '' ( 2009 ) `` You Are Killing Me '' ( 2016 ) `` Horny as a Dandy '' ( 2006 ) `` Blackbird '' ( 2009 ) `` You Are Killing Me '' ( 2016 ) `` Blackbird '' is, by one count, one of the top ten most recorded songs of all time. The following artists have recorded `` Blackbird '' in a variety of styles : Pop rock / R&B singer Dionne Farris included an acoustic interpretation of the song on her debut album Wild Seed -- Wild Flower. Actor / Pop rock singer Drake Bell has performed Blackbird live on multiple occasions. `` Blackbird '' appears on the Crosby, Stills & Nash 1991 box set, having been recorded during the sessions for the album Crosby, Stills & Nash. They performed it often in concert, also at their performance at Woodstock festival 1969 and a live version appeared in 2014 on the CSNY 1974 album. The Dandy Warhols released a recording of the song in July 2009 following the death of Michael Jackson, fulfilling a promise made in the first and title track of their 2003 album Welcome to the Monkey House ( `` When Michael Jackson dies, we 're coverin ' ' Blackbird ' '' ). The line was thought to partially reference Jackson 's ownership of the Beatles ' back catalogue of songs when he bought Associated Television ( ATV ), which had previously acquired Northern Songs, in the mid-1980s. Sarah Darling recorded the song in November 2011 for the album Let Us In : Nashville -- A Tribute to Linda McCartney, and it was released as a single. Darling 's version was later featured in the 200th episode of Criminal Minds. Neil Diamond interpreted the song for his 2010 album Dreams. Ara Dinkjian recorded the song with Night Ark. Justin Hayward recorded the song for his 1994 Classic Blue album. In 2001, Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan recorded a cover version of `` Blackbird '' for the I Am Sam movie soundtrack. It also appears on her 2008 compilation album Rarities, B - Sides and Other Stuff Volume 2. Bobby McFerrin released an a cappella version on his 1984 album The Voice. Jazz pianist Brad Mehldau recorded what has been described as a `` haunting version of the Beatles ' classic '' for his 1997 album The Art of the Trio Volume One. Swedish classical mezzo - soprano Anne Sofie von Otter recorded the song in her `` Love Songs '' album, with Brad Mehldau in 2010. The Paragons featuring Rosalyn Sweat recorded a ska / rocksteady version in 1973. Jaco Pastorius recorded the song in 1981. `` Blackbird '' is performed by Phish on the band 's 1994 Halloween album, Live Phish Volume 13, which includes a rendition of each song on the Beatles ' White Album. The song is sung by various members of the Templeton family in the animated movie The Boss Baby. In 1972, Billy Preston released a version of the song on his Music Is My Life album. Carly Simon recorded a version for her 2007 album Into White. Sylvester included the song on his live Living Proof album in 1979. Evan Rachel Wood vocalized the song in the 2007 film Across the Universe. Dave Grohl performed the song during the In Memoriam tribute at the 88th Academy Awards. Sara Gazarek recorded it as part of a jazz medley with Bye Bye Blackbird on her 2005 album Yours and her 2016 album Dream in the Blue Jon Batiste performed a version of the song during a taping for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, in honor of The Beatles ' 52nd anniversary of their American television debut at The Ed Sullivan Theatre. Marillion did a version for their live album Unplugged at the Walls. Jon Lajoie did a parody version for YouTube depicting the breakup of the Beatles being John and Yoko Ono 's fault, Paul McCartney being the star of the group and Paul 's life and career post-Beatles. Petula Clark covered the song on her 2016 album From Now On. References Jump up ^ MacDonald 1989, p. 256fn. Jump up ^ Flemming, James ( 11 November 2009 ). `` The Records, Day Four : 1968 -- 1969 ''. PopMatters. Retrieved 21 December 2015. Jump up ^ Turner 1999, p. 160. Jump up ^ Everett 1999, p. 190. Jump up ^ Paul McCartney, Interview with KCRW 's Chris Douridas, 25 May 2002 episode of New Ground ( 17 : 50 -- 19 : 00 ) Jump up ^ KCRW, `` New Ground '' with Chris Douridas, 25 May 2002 ( 17 : 50 -- 19 : 00 ), `` KCRW Archive '', `` Audio '' Jump up ^ Miles 2001, p. 317. Jump up ^ MacDonald 1998, p. 256fn. Jump up ^ MacDonald 1998, pp. 256, 256fn. Jump up ^ `` Paul McCartney & Donovan -- Postcard Sessions 1968 ''. 13 April 2016. Jump up ^ MacDonald 1998, p. 255. ^ Jump up to : Lewisohn 1988, p. 137. Jump up ^ `` ' Blackbird ' ''. Rolling Stone. Jump up ^ Recording the Beatles, pg. 484 Jump up ^ Madinger & Easter 2000, p. 180. Jump up ^ Badman 2001, p. 96. Jump up ^ Womack 2014, p. 153. Jump up ^ Bychawski, Adam ( 18 April 2009 ). `` Paul McCartney gets emotional during marathon Coachella set ''. nme.com. Retrieved 21 December 2015. Jump up ^ `` The 10 Most Covered Songs ''. The Independent. Jump up ^ Hoffman, K. Ross. `` Michael Jackson 's death causes The Dandy Warhols to cover The Beatles ''. NME. IPC Media. Retrieved 3 June 2014. Jump up ^ `` The Dandy Warhols Are Sound -- The Dandy Warhols ''. AllMusic. Retrieved 3 June 2014. Jump up ^ Price, Deborah Evans ( April, 2012 ). `` Cover Set Soars ''. Billboard - The International Newsweekly of Music, Video and Home Entertainment. Retrieved 5 February 2017. CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list ( link ) Jump up ^ Tamashiro, Tim ( 3 August 2012 ). `` Jazz for Dabblers : ' Blackbird, ' the Beatles and Brad Mehldau ''. CBC Music. Retrieved 22 January 2014. Jump up ^ The Art of the Trio, Vol. 1 at AllMusic. Retrieved 22 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Live Phish, Vol. 13 : 10 / 31 / 94, Glens Falls Civic Center, Glens Falls, NY - Phish ''. AllMusic. Retrieved 7 September 2017. Jump up ^ `` Watch Jon Batiste 's gorgeous cover of The Beatles ' ' Blackbird ' on ' Colbert ' ''. For The Win. 2016 - 02 - 11. Retrieved 2016 - 12 - 14. Jump up ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7jMIL4uabA Jump up ^ Frometa, RJ. `` The Iconic Petula Clark Releases ' Blackbird ' Ahead of New Album ''. Vents Magazine. Vents Magazine. Retrieved 11 October 2017. Sources Badman, Keith ( 2001 ). The Beatles Diary Volume 2 : After the Break - Up 1970 -- 2001. London : Omnibus Press. ISBN 978 - 0 - 7119 - 8307 - 6. Everett, Walter ( 1999 ). The Beatles as Musicians : Revolver through the Anthology. New York, London : Oxford University Press. ISBN 978 - 0 - 19 - 512941 - 0. Lewisohn, Mark ( 1988 ). The Beatles Recording Sessions. New York : Harmony Books. ISBN 0 - 517 - 57066 - 1. MacDonald, Ian ( 1998 ). Revolution in the Head : The Beatles ' Records and the Sixties. London : Pimlico. ISBN 978 - 0 - 7126 - 6697 - 8. Madinger, Chip ; Easter, Mark ( 2000 ). Eight Arms to Hold You : The Solo Beatles Compendium. Chesterfield, MO : 44.1 Productions. ISBN 0 - 615 - 11724 - 4. Miles, Barry ( 2001 ). The Beatles Diary Volume 1 : The Beatles Years. London : Omnibus Press. ISBN 0 - 7119 - 8308 - 9. Sounes, Howard ( 2010 ). Fab : An Intimate Life of Paul McCartney. London : HarperCollins. ISBN 978 - 0 - 00 - 723705 - 0. Turner, Steve ( 1999 ). A Hard Day 's Write : The Stories Behind Every Beatles Song ( 2nd ed. ). New York, NY : Carlton / HarperCollins. ISBN 0 - 06 - 273698 - 1. Womack, Kenneth ( 2014 ). The Beatles Encyclopedia : Everything Fab Four. Santa Barbara, CA : ABC - CLIO. ISBN 978 - 0 - 313 - 39171 - 2. External links Wikiquote has quotations related to : The Beatles ( album ) Cover versions and notes Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics The Beatles ( White Album ) Songs Side one `` Back in the U.S.S.R. '' `` Dear Prudence '' `` Glass Onion '' `` Ob - La - Di, Ob - La - Da '' `` Wild Honey Pie '' `` The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill '' `` While My Guitar Gently Weeps '' `` Happiness Is a Warm Gun '' Side two `` Martha My Dear '' `` I 'm So Tired '' `` Blackbird '' `` Piggies '' `` Rocky Raccoon '' `` Do n't Pass Me By '' `` Why Do n't We Do It in the Road ? '' `` I Will '' `` Julia '' Side three `` Birthday '' `` Yer Blues '' `` Mother Nature 's Son '' `` Everybody 's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey '' `` Sexy Sadie '' `` Helter Skelter '' `` Long, Long, Long '' Side four `` Revolution 1 '' `` Honey Pie '' `` Savoy Truffle '' `` Cry Baby Cry '' `` Revolution 9 '' `` Good Night '' Non-album single `` Hey Jude Revolution '' Outtakes `` A Beginning '' `` Child of Nature '' `` Circles '' `` Etcetera '' `` Junk '' `` Not Guilty '' `` Sour Milk Sea '' `` What 's the New Mary Jane '' Related articles The Beatles discography The Beatles in India Mother Nature 's Son The Grey Album Please Please Me With the Beatles A Hard Day 's Night Beatles for Sale Help ! Rubber Soul Revolver Sgt. Pepper 's Lonely Hearts Club Band Magical Mystery Tour The Beatles ( White Album ) Yellow Submarine Abbey Road Let It Be Past Masters The Dandy Warhols Courtney Taylor - Taylor Peter Holmström Zia McCabe Brent DeBoer Eric Hedford Studio albums Dandys Rule OK... The Dandy Warhols Come Down Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia Welcome to the Monkey House Odditorium or Warlords of Mars... Earth to the Dandy Warhols... The Dandy Warhols Are Sound This Machine Distortland Compilation albums The Black Album / Come On Feel the Dandy Warhols The Capitol Years 1995 -- 2007 Singles `` Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth '' `` Get Off '' `` Bohemian Like You '' `` Godless '' `` We Used to Be Friends '' `` You Were the Last High '' `` Plan A '' `` Horny as a Dandy '' `` Primary '' `` Blackbird '' `` You Are Killing Me '' Other songs `` All I Have to Do Is Dream '' `` Inside the Outside '' Related Discography Dig ! The Brian Jonestown Massacre Kahlil Gibran Novels Broken Wings ( 1912 ) The Prophet ( 1923 ) The Garden of The Prophet ( 1933 ) Adaptations The Prophet ( 2014 ) Inspirations `` Blackbird '' ( 1968 ) `` Broken Wings '' ( 1985 ) `` River of Deceit '' ( 1995 ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Blackbird_(Beatles_song)&oldid=831982440 '' Categories : 1960s ballads 1968 songs Folk ballads The Beatles songs Song recordings produced by George Martin Songs written by Lennon -- McCartney Songs about birds Songs published by Northern Songs Songs against racism and xenophobia Hidden categories : CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list EngvarB from October 2014 Use dmy dates from October 2014 Articles with hAudio microformats Articles needing additional references from January 2014 All articles needing additional references Talk Contents About Wikipedia Asturianu Čeština Deutsch Español Français Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית ქართული Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Norsk nynorsk Polski Português Русский Suomi Svenska Tiếng Việt 10 more Edit links This page was last edited on 23 March 2018, at 03 : 32. 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Question: what movie was blackbird by the beatles in
Answer: I Am Sam