Blackbird
Otter Anne Sofie Von; Mehldau Brad Lyrics

"Blackbird" is a song that invites the listener to contemplate the theme of overcoming difficulties and taking flight. The "blackbird," a bird commonly associated with freedom and transformation, serves as a metaphor for the journey of personal growth. In the first two stanzas, the bird is speaking to someone who has been waiting for this moment, and encourages them to take their broken wings and sunken eyes and learn to fly and see. This can be interpreted as a metaphor for rising above life's difficulties and seeing the world with a new perspective.

The third and fourth stanzas, with the repetition of "Blackbird fly into the light of the dark black night," appear to be a message of hope and encouragement. The blackbird, symbolic of the possibility for change, guides the listener to move forward into the unknown with confidence. The final stanza reinforces this message of hope, that after all the waiting and overcoming, the listener was only waiting for this moment to arise.

One interesting fact about "Blackbird" is that Paul McCartney wrote it in response to the civil rights struggles in America during the 1960s. Another fun fact is that the tapping sound heard in the song is actually McCartney tapping his foot on the floor while he played the guitar. Additionally, the song was initially inspired by Bach's Bourrée in E minor, and McCartney learned the fingerpicking style from folk guitarist Donovan. "Blackbird" has been covered by many artists throughout the years, and has become one of McCartney's most popular and enduring songs.

Chords used in "Blackbird," as played by Brad Mehldau, are Am, G, D, F, and E7.