“ 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
Alterbridge 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]
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]
Beyond the suffering you've known
I hope you find your way
May you never be broken again
May you never be broken again
The lyrics of Alterbridge's "Blackbird" are a tribute to a friend who committed suicide. The song is essentially an encouragement to their friend or anyone who may be struggling to find hope and strength to keep going despite the challenges of life.
The opening verses use symbolic language to paint a picture of a weeping willow, with the wind calling the name of the blackbird. The blackbird is encouraged to unfurl its black wings and wait to be carried away by the wind. The chorus reassures the blackbird that they should let the wind carry them home, never to be broken again.
The second verse speaks of the fragility of life and how some birds may not see their day before flying away. The song's message is that one must overcome the suffering they face and find their way in life. The final verse speaks to the blackbird, "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."
Overall, "Blackbird" encourages anyone who may be going through tough times to hold on and find the strength to keep going. The song reassures listeners that there is hope and that they will make it through their struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
The willow it weeps today
The surroundings are melancholic and sad, almost like nature itself is grieving.
A breeze from the distance is calling your name
Something or someone is calling for the attention of the listener from afar.
Unfurl your black wings and wait
Get ready to face something difficult and important, be prepared to take flight
Across the horizon it's coming to sweep you away
There is something coming from the distance that will change the life of the listener completely
It's coming to sweep you away
The changes are inevitable and powerful, and the listener must be ready to face them
Let the wind carry you home
Allow yourself to be guided by the forces of nature and trust them to take you where you need to go
Blackbird fly away
Take flight, leave behind what holds you down and restricts your growth
May you never be broken again
Wish for the listener to stay strong and resilient, even in the face of difficult circumstances
The fragile cannot endure
Weakness and fragility are not sustainable traits when faced with harsh realities
The wrecked and the jaded a place so impure
Living in a situation where everything seems hopeless and negative can be detrimental to one's spirit
The static of this cruel world
The listener is surrounded by a world that can be harsh and unrelenting, without much sympathy for their plight
Cause some birds to fly long before they've seen their day
Difficult circumstances can force a person to mature and grow up earlier than expected
Beyond the suffering you've known
After going through great struggles, there is a hope for a brighter future
I hope you find your way
Wishing for the listener to find a path that leads them to a better place
Ascend may you find no resistance
Advancing and moving forward should not be met with too much pushback or obstacles
Know that you made such a difference
Acknowledgement that the listener has done some good and had a positive impact on others
All you leave behind will live to the end
The effects of the listener's life and actions will live on even after they are gone
The cycle of suffering goes on
The world is often unrelenting and doesn't give anyone a break from struggles and pain
But memories of you stay strong
Even in difficult times, happy memories of the people and experiences that matter will keep the listener going
Someday I too will fly and find you again
Hope that the listener and the artist will meet again someday, even if they must go through trials and tribulations to get there
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!