Hayward was born in Dean Street, Swindon, Wiltshire, England, and educated at Shrivenham School in Berkshire and the Commonweal School in Swindon. He was playing in several bands as early as age 15 when he bought his Gibson 335, a guitar that appears on nearly all of his records throughout his career, and a Vox AC30 amplifier. All previous guitars were "unsatisfactory" and required modification. He performed with local Swindon groups in clubs and dance halls playing mostly Buddy Holly songs. One of Hayward's early groups was All Things Bright, which opened for The Hollies and Brian Poole and the Tremeloes. At age 17, he signed an eight-year publishing contract as a songwriter with the skiffle artist and record producer Lonnie Donegan, a move Hayward later regretted, as it meant the rights to all his songs written before 1974 would always be owned by Donegan's Tyler Music. In 1965 he answered an advertisement in Melody Maker and auditioned as guitarist for Marty Wilde and he went on to work with Wilde and his wife in The Wilde Three.
For the most part, Hayward has used a red Gibson ES-335, though he also uses other guitars in both performing and recording, including a 1955 Martin D-28 "Dreadnought", a James Olson six-string acoustic, a black Guild acoustic, a Squier Stratocaster (essentially an inexpensive Fender Stratocaster, as Squier is a subsidiary of Fender), a Fender Telecaster, a blonde Guild 12-string acoustic (tuned to "open C" for "Question"), and in 1967 a black Gibson Les Paul. Between 1965 and 1968, he was without his Gibson 335 and relied on other instruments, most notably a 1964 Fender Telecaster and a hand-built 12-string guitar he had renovated for Donegan (he eventually bought this guitar from Donegan's widow). However, in an interview included on the Lovely to See You concert DVD (2005), Hayward says the 1963 Gibson 335 has been with him since 1967. Recently, he has played a Collings D3 on stage and on recordings. Among other instruments, Hayward also played mandolin on A Question of Balance and sitar on In Search of the Lost Chord.
Written at the end of one love affair and the beginning of another, the song "Nights in White Satin" was, according to Hayward, "in adoration of all women". Hayward married model Ann Marie Guirron on 19 December 1970. His daughter Doremi, who sings on the track "Raised on Love" on Hayward's 1977 album Songwriter, was born on 3 December 1972.
In 2013, Hayward spoke of his learning Transcendental Meditation in 1967, along with other members of the Moody Blues.
Blackbird
Justin Hayward Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
Black bird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
All your life
Blackbird fly, blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night.
Blackbird fly, blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night.
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All 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
The song "Blackbird" by Justin Hayward is an incredibly poignant, introspective piece that explores themes of new beginnings, freedom, and self-discovery. The opening line, "Blackbird singing in the dead of night," sets a somber tone as the singer of the song is faced with darkness and solitude. The bird serves as a metaphor for new life, with the singer instructing the bird to "Take these broken wings and learn to fly."
The lyrics continue to delve deeper into the idea of renewal and growth, with the singer urging the bird to "Take these sunken eyes and learn to see." The notion of starting anew is prevalent throughout the song, with the observation that "All your life/You were only waiting for this moment to be free."
The repetition of the chorus, "Blackbird fly, blackbird fly/Into the light of the dark black night," reinforces the idea that darkness is a necessary part of the journey towards newfound freedom and light. The final verse repeats the opening lines, drawing the song to a close with the hopeful reminder that "All your life/You were only waiting for this moment to arise."
Overall, Justin Hayward's "Blackbird" is a powerful, inspiring message of hope and resilience that encourages listeners to embrace the challenges they face in order to grow and thrive.
Line by Line Meaning
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Amidst the darkness and silence of the night, a blackbird is singing
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
Use your setbacks and challenges to grow and become strong enough to soar
All your life
Throughout your existence
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You have been anticipating this pivotal moment to arrive, the time to finally break free and reach your full potential
Black bird singing in the dead of night
The bird persists in its song despite the gloomy conditions surrounding it
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
Improve your perspective and outlook on life by learning from your past experiences
You were only waiting for this moment to be free
You have been yearning for this moment, the opportunity to break free from whatever has been holding you back
Blackbird fly, blackbird fly
Take flight and transcend the situation you are currently in
Into the light of the dark black night.
Embrace the darkness and come out stronger, wiser, and enlightened
All your life
For your entire existence
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
This pivotal moment in time has been what you have been patiently waiting for, to finally soar towards your potential
You were only waiting for this moment to arise,
Throughout all your life, this moment was what you strived and hoped for
You were only waiting for this moment to arise,
This moment represents your chance to turn your life around, to take flight in the right direction
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind