Rachel Unthank & the Winterset was the initial name of an English folk grou… Read Full Bio ↴Rachel Unthank & the Winterset was the initial name of an English folk group from Northumberland formed in 2004. Since 2009, they have been known as The Unthanks. Known for their eclectic approach in combining traditional English folk with other musical genres, their debut album, "Cruel Sister", was Mojo magazine's Folk Album of the Year in 2005 and their second album, "The Bairns", was nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2008.

Rachel Unthank, and sister Becky, were raised in an environment permeated with music and folk song. Both of their parents are singers, and the sisters have been attending and performing at folk festivals for as long as they can remember. Later joined by two additional musicians, 'Rachel Unthank & The Winterset' came into being, and released an award-winning début album. Pianist / singer Belinda O'Hooley played an important part in pushing the harmonies, textures and sounds of the group beyond the usual folk boundaries, which rapidly made them stand out among their peers. Fiddle and vocals on their first album, 'Cruel Sister', were provided by Jackie Oates.

'Cruel Sister' was an excellent folk album; however, it is dwarfed as an achievement by its successor, 'The Bairns'. The lineup only changed by Niopha Keegan replacing Oates (who launched a highly successful solo career); but this is a much more confident, in some ways difficult, but compelling record. Originals appeared for the first time alongside traditional material and unexpected covers from elsewhere. 'The Bairns' picked up a Mercury nomination and the band surged to greater renown on the back of it and a relentless live schedule.

However, a little while later, O'Hooley decided to leave (she has since released solo material and formed the duo O'Hooley & Tidow), and after trying another couple of pianists, the quartet was eventually disbanded, the Unthank sisters and Keegan forming three-fifths of the nucleus of the bigger group The Unthanks, who have continued to equal artistic daring and greater success.

From the types of song they sing, to the unmissable passion in their performance, it is clear they believe in 'keeping folk alive'. Nominated for the Mercury Prize 2008 for the album The Bairns.

Since 2009, they have been known as The Unthanks.

Blackbird
Rachel Unthank & The Winterset Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I know why the blackbird sings
Song so pure that comes for his heart
He sings for his love that wont come back
He sings because hes sad

He sings because he is glad
He sings because he is free
Free to love some body else now he has abandoned me

I know why the baby cries
She cries for the love she'll never have
The love that would take us far away
So far she never comes back

Comes back x16

We are just a break in the waves
We are just a feather in the storm
Wind word or taken by the tide to places we call home

I know why the blackbird sings
Song so pure that comes from his heart
He sings for the love that wont come back

He sings because he's sad

Overall Meaning

The song "Blackbird" by Rachel Unthank & The Winterset is a melancholic and poignant ballad about loss and longing. The lyrics delve into the reasons why a blackbird sings such a pure and somber song from its heart. The blackbird sings because of his unreturned love, as he is left feeling sad and abandoned. However, he also sings because he is free, free to love someone else now that he has been let go. The sadness and longing evident in the bird's song is mirrored in the singer's voice, as both the bird and the singer are mourning the loss of love and the resulting heartbreak.

The song then shifts focus to a crying baby, who is weeping for a love that she will never have. This love would have taken her far away, and now she is left forever searching for what she can never have. The repetition of "comes back" highlights the unrelenting nature of the baby's longing, as she continues to cry for something that will never return. The third verse uses the metaphor of human existence as "just a break in the waves" and "just a feather in the storm". It speaks to the fleeting nature of our lives and the way we can be swept away by events beyond our control. The final verse brings the song back to the blackbird and his mournful song. He sings for the love that won't come back, a sentiment that is echoed in the singer's voice as the song comes to a close.

Line by Line Meaning

I know why the blackbird sings
The reason behind the melody of the blackbird.

Song so pure that comes for his heart
The heartfelt and genuine nature of the blackbird's song.

He sings for his love that wont come back
The blackbird's song is a longing for a lost love that will never return.

He sings because hes sad
The melancholy and sorrowful emotions that the blackbird is projecting through its song.

He sings because he is glad
The blackbird is expressing a sense of joy and freedom through its song.

He sings because he is free
The liberation and independence that the blackbird has gained in its current situation.

Free to love some body else now he has abandoned me
The blackbird has moved on and found love elsewhere, leaving the singer feeling abandoned.

I know why the baby cries
The reason for the tears of the young child.

She cries for the love she'll never have
The child is sorrowful for a love she will never experience.

The love that would take us far away
The love that is desired would allow for escape from the current situation.

So far she never comes back
The child's yearning for a love so distant that it may not ever return.

Comes back x16
Repetition of the phrase 'comes back' indicating the child's hopefulness and desperation.

We are just a break in the waves
The insignificance and fleetingness of human life in the grand scheme of things.

We are just a feather in the storm
The vulnerability and powerlessness of humans when faced with the unpredictability of the world.

Wind word or taken by the tide to places we call home
Humans are subject to the forces of nature, and are forced to adapt and find comfort in the changing environment.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BELINDA O'HOOLEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS

Genre not found

Artist not found

Album not found

Search results not found

Song not found

Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@manuelcabral1625

7y↑9

I know why the blackbird sings
A song so pure that comes from his heart
He sings for his love who won't come back
He sings because he is sad

He sings because he is glad
He sings because he is free
Free to love somebody else
Now he has abandoned me

I know why my baby cries
She cries for the love she'll never have
The love that will take her far away
So far she never comes back

We are just a break in the waves
We are just a feather in the storm
Windward or taken by the tide
To places we call home

All comments from YouTube:

@trevorlack1726

4y↑3

See them live and you'll be blown away. I loved the sessions that they used to do for RadMac years ago. And that's what got me into the the honeyed tones of The Unthanks.