BLACKBIRD

from Beatles on the Banjo by Jack Convery

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about

"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 the unfortunate state of race relations in the United States in the 1960s.
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.[1] The fingerpicking technique that McCartney uses in the song was taught to him by folk singer Donovan.

lyrics

Play "Blackbird"
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"Blackbird"

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
All your life,
You were only waiting for this moment to be free

Black bird fly, black bird fly
Into the light of the dark black night

Black bird fly, black bird fly
Into the light of the dark black night

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise

credits

from Beatles on the Banjo, released January 25, 2018
LENNON/MCCARTNEY

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about

Jack Convery Benicia, California

Winner of the 1973 United Artists best banjoist of Northern California contest, having performed and worked with such music legends as Bing Crosby. John Denver, Willie Nelson, Ella Fitzgerald, Howard Alden, and Perry Como, and band director of the S.F. 49ers band since 1987, Jack Convery has been hailed as “the best banjoist in the NFL.”
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