Blackbird (song)
November 22, 1968
Blackbird ( German: Blackbird ) is the title of a song by the Beatles, which was composed by Paul McCartney, but was, as usual, attributed as copyright holders Lennon / McCartney. The piece was published on November 22, 1968 on page 2 of the first plate of the double album The Beatles.
Formation
Paul McCartney composing Blackbird on his farm in Scotland. He called as inspiration for a piece of music by Johann Sebastian Bach, George Harrison and he had played itself frequently on the guitar. This is to Bourrée in E minor BWV 996 from the volume
" On the structure of this piece is one of a special harmonious relationship between melody and bass accompaniment, what fascinated me from the beginning. "
The text was written with a view of the civil rights movement and the associated turmoil in the U.S. in spring 1968. It is about an African-American woman who is exposed to everyday discrimination in the United States. The Blackbird (English: Blackbird ) stands symbolically for this woman.
" Instead of being concrete and of a black woman in Little Rock ' to sing, this woman is a symbol that could then refer to their specific problem the audience was a bird. "
Recording
Paul McCartney took Blackbird without the participation of the other Beatles on 11 June 1968 in Studio 2 at Abbey Road Studios. He needed for 32 takes. The recording consists of a guitar track, for use was McCartney's Martin D -28, McCartney's song, which was added in a few places with overdubs and admixed blackbird singing, came the sound archives of the studio. In addition, you can hear a noise tappendes. The song was mixed down to a mono and a stereo version, which slightly differ in their effects blackbird.
An alternative version of Blackbird was released after the breakup of the group. In the third part of the Anthology Take 4 can be heard on 11 June 1968. On the remix album Love a guitar passage of Blackbird serves as an introduction for Yesterday.
Cover versions
Blackbird was one of the first Beatles songs that Paul McCartney played after the breakup of the group in his concerts - the first time during his U.S. tour with Wings 1975/1976. A live version of this concert was released on the album Wings over America. Here, Paul McCartney returned the copyright on the cover to " McCartney / Lennon" to. 1991 appeared another live version on the album Unplugged ( The Official Bootleg ), which had been recorded as part of the MTV Unplugged series. 2002 was followed by the third live recording, made during the McCartney U.S. tour in the same year, released on the albums Back in the U.S. and Back in the World. The piece was also in the program of McCartney's concert tour in 2009 and a version appeared on the album Good Evening New York City.
The band Alter Bridge used in some of their live performances, including on the DVD Live from Amsterdam, snippets of Beatles songs for the initiation of their eponymous song Blackbird.
Many other artists recorded the song, including Justin Hayward, Bobby McFerrin (solo on The Voice ), Sarah McLachlan and Carly Simon. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young sang the song during the 1969 Woodstock Festival.