“ Though a majority of the album is not as dark thematically, we really hoped to draw attention to what we felt was one of the most challenging yet gratifying songs we’ve ever written. It was inspired by a friend of mine who passed away as the song was completed; it’s a story about the struggle to move on to a better place. It was my wish for him to finally find his peace. ”
He also explains on the Wal-Mart bonus DVD that comes with the album:
“ Like when we were working on 'Blackbird,' we were all in a room and Mark had had that really haunting, killer guitar part that starts the song out. And we were trying to find a chorus for it, so we were banging it out for a few hours, not having [any] luck, so I went into the other room, and they were still working on something and there was an urban dance group in the next room because it's a rehearsal studio. And there was just this cacophony of sound - I heard them, and I heard this over here, and it was just noise. And it was weird; it was like, out of those two noises, even though they were playing something completely different, came this, you know, idea for the chorus of 'Blackbird.' ”
Mark Tremonti has also said that all four members consider this song to be their favorite song from Blackbird, which was why it was chosen to be the title track for the album. The song is the longest Alter Bridge song to date, coming in at 7 minutes and 58 seconds. Also worth noting is the fact that both Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti have a guitar solo on the song. Though Kennedy is the rhythm guitarist for the band, he provides the first half of the guitar solo, while Tremonti plays the second half. The song is also widely considered a favorite by many fans of the band.
On this note, it is worth mentioning that Kennedy hits his longest recorded vocal note on the song, a high F#(F#4) held for 31 seconds.
Blackbird
Alter Bridge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A breeze from the distance is calling your name
Unfurl your black wings and wait
Across the horizon it's coming to sweep you away
It's coming to sweep you away
[Chorus:]
Let the wind carry you home
May you never be broken again
The fragile cannot endure
The wrecked and the jaded a place so impure
The static of this cruel world
Cause some birds to fly long before they've seen their day
Long before they've seen their day
[Chorus:]
Let the wind carry you home
Blackbird fly away
May you never be broken again
Beyond the suffering you've known
I hope you find your way
May you never be broken again
Ascend may you find no resistance
Know that you made such a difference
All you leave behind will live to the end
The cycle of suffering goes on
But memories of you stay strong
Someday I too will fly and find you again
[Chorus:]
Let the wind carry you home
Blackbird fly away
May you never be broken again
Beyond the suffering you've known
I hope you find your way
May you never be broken again
May you never be broken again
"Blackbird" by Alter Bridge is a powerful song that speaks about hope and resilience, referencing the imagery of a blackbird as it spreads its wings and flies away. The song starts with the melancholic line, "The willow it weeps today," as if setting the tone for what's to come. The singer is calling out to someone who is feeling broken, asking them to rise up and wait until the time comes when they can leave their troubles behind, all the while encouraging them to not give up hope. The phrase "Unfurl your black wings and wait" is beautifully worded, as the black wings are a symbol of strength and determination to rise above the harsh realities of life.
The chorus repeats the same message of hope and freedom, asking the blackbird to fly away and never be broken again. It's a call to take control of one's own destiny and find a way out of the darkness. The second verse speaks about the fragility of the human spirit and how some people are not able to endure the struggles of life. The world can be cruel and unfair, causing some to lose their will to fight. The metaphor of birds flying away before their time is a poignant reference to suicide, suggesting that some people feel the need to leave this life behind without seeing what the future holds.
The bridge of the song is a tribute to the deceased, offering a sense of comfort to those left behind. The lyrics speak to the idea that even though we all suffer and experience loss at some point in our lives, the memory of those we've lost stays strong and serves as a source of inspiration. The blackbird is again referenced as a symbol of ascension, with the hope that those who have passed on now find a sense of peace.
Line by Line Meaning
The willow it weeps today
The tree is crying today
A breeze from the distance is calling your name
There’s a gentle wind calling out to you from afar
Unfurl your black wings and wait
Spread your dark wings and wait
Across the horizon it's coming to sweep you away
It's coming to take you away beyond the horizon
It's coming to sweep you away
It's coming to take you away
[Chorus:] Let the wind carry you home Blackbird fly away May you never be broken again
Let the wind take you home, blackbird. Fly away and may you never be hurt again
The fragile cannot endure
Those who are delicate cannot survive
The wrecked and the jaded a place so impure
Those who are shattered and cynical cannot live in this filthy world
The static of this cruel world
The noise of this brutal world
Cause some birds to fly long before they've seen their day
Causes some birds to leave the earth before they've experienced all it has to offer
Long before they've seen their day
Before they've had a chance to live out their lives
[Chorus:] Let the wind carry you home Blackbird fly away May you never be broken again
Let the wind take you home, blackbird. Fly away and may you never be hurt again
Beyond the suffering you've known
Beyond the pain you've experienced
I hope you find your way
I hope you discover your path
May you never be broken again
May you never be hurt again
Ascend may you find no resistance
Rise up without any hindrance
Know that you made such a difference
Know that you have made an impact in this world
All you leave behind will live to the end
Everything you leave behind will endure endlessly
The cycle of suffering goes on
The loop of agony continues
But memories of you stay strong
But memories of you remain robust
Someday I too will fly and find you again
One day I will also fly and reunite with you
[Chorus:] Let the wind carry you home Blackbird fly away May you never be broken again
Let the wind take you home, blackbird. Fly away and may you never be hurt again
Beyond the suffering you've known
Beyond the pain you've experienced
I hope you find your way
I hope you discover your path
May you never be broken again
May you never be hurt again
May you never be broken again
May you never be hurt again
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARK TREMONTI, MYLES KENNEDY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Camp3r
The willow it weeps today
A breeze from the distance is calling your name
Unfurl your black wings and wait
Across the horizons coming to sweep you away
It's coming to sweep you away
Let the wind carry you home
Blackbird fly away
May you never be broken again
The fragile can not endure
The wrecked and jaded
A place so impure
The static of this cruel world
'Cause some birds to fly long before they've seen their day
Long before they've seen their day
Let the wind carry you home
Blackbird fly away
May you never be broken again
Beyond the suffering you've known
I hope you find your way
May you never be broken again
Ascend, may you find no resistance
Know that you've made such a difference
And all you leave behind
Will live till the end
The cycle of suffering goes on
But the memories of you stay strong
Someday I too will fly and find you again
Let the wind carry you home
Blackbird fly away
May you never be broken again
Beyond the suffering you've known
I hope you find your way
May you never be broken again
May you never be broken again
N Thanatos
If this song isn't played at my funeral, I'm not dying.
Dogan Sever
In another universe u are immortal
Noah
im not sure this is how death works
Mr. Buentello
🤣🤣🤣well played sir!
Tolis
its funny cause your name means death in Greek "Thanatos"
Alex M05
that´s not how death works man :)
Just Some Guy without a Mustache
Saying this is a masterpiece of a song is still an understatement. This is beyond perfection.
Bjorn308
Agreed.
Moe Krause
I have a ritual to listen to this song at least once a month since it was released.
Sean Mac
It's awesome. It's amazing on headphones. This is one of "those" tracks, you know exactly what I mean!