Beatlesongs.wiki
SongsThe Beatles (The White Album)Blackbird
The Beatles (The White Album) album cover

“Take these broken wings and learn to fly”

McCartney solo composition for the White Album, lead vocal and acoustic guitar by McCartney. Recorded in a single session at EMI Studio 2 with a blackbird call overdubbed from the EMI tape library.
VinylCD

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Year1968
AlbumThe Beatles (The White Album)
Track11 · Side 2
Duration2:18
Songwriter(s)McCartneyCredited as Lennon-McCartney
Lead VocalPaul
RecordedJune 11, 1968
ReleasedNovember 22, 1968
Song familyWritten in India

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Text131 tags

Motif

Social commentaryNatureSpiritualAnimalsTimeColorDarknessFreedomMusicAnatomyLightPoliticalPleaSadness

Influence

Literary influence

Title

One-word title

Vocabulary

Positive toneMinimal lyricsPoetic lyrics

Narrative

Second personImperativeConversational

Lyrical device

Extended metaphorAnaphoraPersonificationDouble meaning

Rhyme type

Internal rhymeHalf rhymePerfect rhyme

Song form

Verse-chorusAABA form

Sections

Has introStandard choruses (1-3)Has interludeHas outroStandard verses (2-4)Multiple instrumentals (2+)

Section links

Intro based on verseCoda based on verseInterlude based on verseOutro based on verseVerse variation

Repetition

Consecutive lineRecurring verseRecurring lineConsecutive verses
Word cloud

Recurring words

blackbrokendarkdeadflyinstrumentallightmomentwingsall youreyes andinto thethe deadthe lightthis momentto seewaiting foryour lifeto be free

Cover-shared words

alleyesfreelearnlifenightseesingingtakewaitingyouyourbe freeto beyou wereand learn to

Lyric shape

[ADJ] of[VERB] these[WORD] youronly [VERB]the [VERB][ADJ] of [NOUN][NOUN] [VERB] in[NOUN] to be[VERB] [WORD] and[VERB] in the[WORD] your [NOUN]a [NOUN] [ADJ]in the [ADJ]of a [NOUN]the [VERB] ofto be [ADJ][NOUN] to be [ADJ]in the [ADJ] of[VERB] in the [ADJ] ofin the [ADJ] of [NOUN]

Cover-shared shape

[NOUN] and[NOUN] to[VERB] for[VERB] in[VERB] of[VERB] to[WORD] anda [NOUN]and [VERB]be [ADJ]of [NOUN]the [ADJ]this [NOUN]to [VERB]your [NOUN][NOUN] and [VERB][NOUN] to [VERB][VERB] to [VERB][WORD] and [VERB]and [VERB] to[NOUN] and [VERB] toand [VERB] to [VERB][NOUN] and [VERB] to [VERB]

Rhyme scheme

ABCBAAAB

Line length

6-913-13Consistent line lengthsUnique line length

Distinctive word

ariseblackbirdsunken
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Music211 tags

Arrangement

Lead vocalsAcoustic guitarPercussionNoisesBody percussionSound effects

Instrument group

GuitarsPercussion

Guitar work

FingerpickingGuitar intro

Bass work

Chromatic bass lineStepwise bass lineDescending bassNo bass guitar

Drum work

No drums

Music genre

FolkBallad

Influence

Classical music influenceBaroque influence

Vocal work

Vocals on interludeBody percussion

Tempo

Moderate

Key

G major

Time signature

2/43/44/43+ time signatures

Song form

Verse-chorusAABBAAABA form

Sections

Has introStandard choruses (1-3)Multiple interludes (2+)Has instrumentalHas interludeHas outroStandard verses (2-4)Multiple instrumentals (2+)

Section traits

Guitar intro

Section links

Intro based on verseCoda based on verseInterlude based on verseInstrumental on verseOutro based on verseVerse variation

Repetition

Consecutive verses

Section transition

V to IUnique section transition

Harmony

Modal mixtureCircle of fifthsSecondary dominantPerfect cadenceChromatic mediantBorrowed chordHalf cadenceChromatic approachMinor plagalPlagal cadence

Composition

Tonic openingTonic endingRich harmonyChorus in ♭VIIVerse in ITonic verseNon-tonic chorus

Mode

IonianDorian

Chord type

majorminordom7min77sus4dimadd9slash chord6add4

Scale degree

III7ii7♭III6IViv♯ivdimVv♭VI♭vidimvi♭VIIV7sus4♭VIIadd9Unique scale degree

Chord degree

I–IV♭VI–V♯iv°–VV–IIV–II–IIII–V♭III–IVI–II–Vii–Iiv–IIV–♭IIIII–V–IIV–♭VII–viIV–ivvi–♭VIIV–♭VIIvi–♭VI–VV–I–IVIV–iv–IV–I–IV–Ivi–vI–iiIV–I–IIII–V–I–IVIV–I–II–V♭VII–viii–I–IVIV–iv–I–II–VII–V–I–IV–II–ii–I–IVIV–♭III–IIIV–♯iv°–VV–♭vi°–viV–♯iv°v–IV

Chord shape

C → DmAdim → B♭Am → GC → B♭ → C → FC → B♭C → F → B♭Am → GmAm → A♭C → BAm → A♭ → GC → CmC → G → A → DC → D → GC → DC → FC → F → EmAdim → A♭C → BdimAm → G → CC → BmC → G → AAm → EC → GC/E → FC → G/BC → F → B♭ → FC7sus4 → FC → Cm → GC → F → B♭ → E♭C6 → DC → B → EC → Dm7C → B♭ → AC → D♭dimC → Bm → AmAm → Gm → FC → Dm → C → FC → D♭dim → DAm → G → FC → F → B♭ → E♭ → B♭C → Cm → G → A → DC → Bm → Am → GC → D♭dim → DmC → F → C → DC → Fadd9C → F → B♭ → F → GAm → G → F → E → AAm → G → F → GC/E → D7

Chord literal

C → G → AC → FC → F → EmA → DC → GD → GG → CG → AF → EmA → D → GEm → DmC → B♭G → AmAm → G → CC → G/BCm → GB♭ → AB♭ → C → FD → G → CA → D → G → CD → G → C → GC → Cm → GE♭ → DG → Am7B♭ → CG → A → DAm → GC → G → A → DF → Em → DmDm → CC → B♭ → C → FG → Am → G → CB♭ → A → DG/B → C
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Sources & references

Tags on this page are original analysis, transcribed and cross-checked against the fine work of others: Alan W. Pollack's “Notes on…” series, the Beatles Complete Scores (Hal Leonard), Mark Lewisohn's session histories, Ian MacDonald's Revolution in the Head, Dave Rybaczewski's Beatles Music History and Andy Babiuk's Beatles Gear for the instruments and studio equipment, and others besides - then verified by ear against the recordings. Full bibliography: Sources & thanks.

External entity links: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz recording · MusicBrainz work · Wikidata

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