Blackbird is a 1968 folk song by The Beatles from the White Album. Written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon and McCartney, it is performed as a solo piece with McCartney singing and playing an acoustic guitar, and with a real blackbird singing in the background along with a foot tapping rhythm. It was recorded on 11 June 1968 at Abbey Road Studios, produced by George Martin, and lasts about 2 minutes and 19 seconds. McCartney has said the lyrics were inspired by hearing a blackbird during a stay in Rishikesh, India, and by the civil rights movement in the United States; interpretations range from a universal message of empowerment to a tribute to black women. The opening guitar figure is influenced by Bach, specifically Bourree in E minor from BWV 996. Blackbird is widely regarded as one of the Beatles' finest songs and has been covered by many artists, including Crosby, Stills & Nash, Sarah McLachlan, and Julie Fowlis. In 2024 Beyoncé released a version called Blackbiird on Cowboy Carter using the original instrumental, which charted on the Billboard Hot 100.
