Blackbird by the Beatles was released on November 22nd 1968, 45 years ago and has certainly stood the test of time as a classic piece. In fact as Paul McCartney explained on “Chaos and Creation at Abbey Road”, aired in 2005, that the guitar accompaniment for “Blackbird” was inspired by J.S. Bach’s Bourrée in E minor, a well known lute piece, often played on the classical guitar.
As children, he and George Harrison tried to learn Bourrée as a “show off” piece. The Bourree is distinguished by melody and bass notes played simultaneously on the upper and lower strings. McCartney adapted a segment of the Bourrée (reharmonised into the original’s relative major key of G) as the opening of “Blackbird”, and carried the musical idea throughout the song.
The Lyrics were explained by Mc Cartney as; ” I was in Scotland playing on my guitar, and I remembered this whole idea of “you were only waiting for this moment to arise” was about, you know, the black people’s struggle in the southern states, and I was using the symbolism of a blackbird. It’s not really about a blackbird whose wings are broken, you know, it’s a bit more symbolic.”
This piece is attainable by intermediate student so let me know if you want to add it you your repertoire.
Cheers….Leigh
Glenelg Guitar Studio 
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