My iPod #109: The Beatles - Blackbird

When I look at my iPod and see that I have to write a post about a song by The Beales, a feeling of ambivalence arises. I like doing the blog, I wouldn't have started it if I thought it was a silly idea. However, in regards to songs by The Beatles... I can't really tell you anything new about them. Probably everything that can be said about them has been written by people, who know much more about music than me, on other sites. Wikipedia's full of information too. I can only repeat what I already know and what I think of it. That is what I shall do.

"Blackbird" is a pretty song. It's one of the few where it's just Paul playing by himself. It's him, his guitar, his foot tapping on the floor and a short break with a bird singing.

The music makes it seem very light, but McCartney was inspired to write it after racial tensions in the USA in 1968. For you Americans out there, the word 'bird' in the UK is slang for 'lady' and so the song is about a black girl, which makes lyrics such as 'waiting for this moment to arise' and 'waiting for this moment to be free' very thought-provoking. Once you find that the song isn't actually about a bird, it changes everything.

I enjoy it. I hope you do too.

Until tomorrow.

Jamie.