John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 1940 – 8 Decem… Read Full Bio ↴John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 1940 – 8 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame as the founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. His work included music, writing, drawings and film. His songwriting partnership with Paul McCartney remains the most successful in history.

Born in Liverpool, Lennon became involved in the skiffle craze as a teenager. In 1956, he formed The Quarrymen, which evolved into the Beatles in 1960. Sometimes called "the smart Beatle", Lennon initially was the group's de facto leader, a role he gradually ceded to McCartney. Through his songwriting in the Beatles, he embraced myriad musical influences, initially writing and co-writing rock and pop-oriented hit songs in the band's early years, then later incorporating experimental elements into his compositions in the latter half of the Beatles' career as his songs became known for their increasing innovation. Lennon soon expanded his work into other media by participating in numerous films, including How I Won the War, and authoring In His Own Write and A Spaniard in the Works, both collections of nonsense writings and line drawings. Starting with "All You Need Is Love", his songs were adopted as anthems by the anti-war movement and the larger counterculture of the 1960s. In 1969, he started the Plastic Ono Band with his second wife, multimedia artist Yoko Ono, held the two-week-long anti-war demonstration Bed-ins for Peace and left the Beatles to embark on a solo career.

Between 1968 and 1972, Lennon and Ono collaborated on many works, including a trilogy of avant-garde albums, several more films, his solo debut John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and the international top-10 singles "Give Peace a Chance", "Instant Karma!", "Imagine", and "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)". Moving to New York City in 1971, his criticism of the Vietnam War resulted in a three-year deportation attempt by the Nixon administration. Lennon and Ono separated from 1973 to 1975, during which time he produced Harry Nilsson's album Pussy Cats. He also had chart-topping collaborations with Elton John ("Whatever Gets You thru the Night") and David Bowie ("Fame"). Following a five-year hiatus, Lennon returned to music in 1980 with the Ono collaboration Double Fantasy. He was murdered by a Beatles fan, Mark David Chapman, three weeks after the album's release.

As a performer, writer or co-writer, Lennon had 25 number-one singles in the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Double Fantasy, his best-selling album, won the 1981 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. That year, he won the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music. In 2002, Lennon was voted eighth in a BBC history poll of the 100 Greatest Britons. Rolling Stone ranked him the fifth-greatest singer and 38th greatest artist of all time. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame (in 1997) and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (twice, as a member of the Beatles in 1988 and as a solo artist in 1994).

Studio albums
John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970)
Imagine (1971)
Some Time in New York City (with Yoko Ono, 1972)
Mind Games (1973)
Walls and Bridges (1974)
Rock 'n' Roll (1975)
Double Fantasy (with Yoko Ono, 1980)
Milk and Honey (Posthumous with Yoko Ono, 1984)

Experimental studio albums with Yoko Ono
Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins (1968)
Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with the Lions (1969)
Wedding Album (1969)

Blackbird
John Lennon Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

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

Blackbird fly, blackbird fly
Into the light of a dark black night
Blackbird fly, blackbird fly
Into the light of a dark black night
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
cll 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

Overall Meaning

"Blackbird" is regarded by many as one of Paul McCartney's most significant and powerful compositions. The lyrics appear to be addressed to a struggling woman, called "Blackbird" who is urged to rise up from the difficulties she's facing on her own. The song's opening words, "Blackbird singing in the dead of night", evoke a powerful image. McCartney's use of the word "blackbird" suggests the woman is all alone in her dark and lonely place but the image of the "singing" Blackbird suggests that she still has hope. The lyrics suggest that this hope can grow into something greater if the woman can "learn to fly".

McCartney's advice to the woman is to look inside herself, to "take these sunken eyes and learn to see" and "take these broken wings and learn to fly," suggesting that she has the power within herself to break out of her confinement. Overall, the song is about rising above adversity, overcoming limitations, and finding the courage to free oneself. The repetition of the lines "you were only waiting for this moment to arise" reinforces the song's message of hope and perseverance.

Line by Line Meaning

Blackbird singing in the dead of night, take these broken wings and learn to fly
This line describes a blackbird singing during the night and encourages it to learn how to fly, even with broken wings. The line holds deeper meaning and is about encouraging someone to overcome their troubles and persevere.

All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arise
This line suggests that the person has been waiting their whole life for a moment of change or enlightenment, and that they have finally found it. It advises them not to waste this opportunity.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night, take these sunken eyes and learn to see
The line again mentions the blackbird singing at night, but this time it is asking the bird to learn to see with its sunken eyes. We can interpret that as an invitation to look beyond appearances and perceive the real essence of things.

All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to be free
This line indicates that the person has had a longing for freedom their entire life and that this is the moment they've been waiting for. The stanza inspires the listener to break free of the bonds that have kept them captive.

Black-bird fly, into the light of a dark black night
This statement could be interpreted as a call to action to rise above the darkness and negativity in life and to fly towards the light. It is a reminder to have courage and face our fears.

Black-bird fly, into the light of a dark black night
This line repeats the previous one, emphasizing the message that we should not be afraid of the darkness and that we should pursue a brighter future.

you were only waiting for this moment to arise
This line is repeated to reinforce the idea that the listener has been waiting for a special moment their entire life and now that it has finally arrived, they should seize it and make the most of it.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SCOTT WILLIAM MATTHEW

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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