Johann Sebastian Bach's work laid the foundation for much of Western music, influencing countless composers and genres that followed. His mastery of counterpoint and harmonic structures is unparalleled. His compositions are still studied and revered today.
Blackbird by Paul McCartney
The Music - The guitar accompaniment for "Blackbird" was inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach's Bourrée in E minor (BWV 996), a well-known lute piece, often played on the classical guitar.
The Bourrée (a 17th century French dance) is distinguished by melody and bass notes played simultaneously on the upper and lower strings. McCartney said that he adapted a segment of the Bourrée as the opening of the song and carried the musical idea throughout the song. The first three notes of the song, which then transitioned into the opening guitar riff, were inspired from Bach. A riff is a short, repeated, memorable musical phrase.
The Meaning - McCartney said, "I was in Scotland playing on my guitar, and I remembered this whole idea of "you were only waiting for this moment to arise," (thinking of) 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, it's a bit more symbolic." In 2018, McCartney further elaborated on the song's meaning, explaining that "blackbird" should be interpreted as "black girl," in the context of the civil rights movement in the 1960s in the US.
In 2024, Beyoncé covered the song for her album Cowboy Carter. Her version uses the original Beatles instrumental. McCartney expressed admiration for Beyoncé's cover, stating: "I think she does a magnificent version of it, and it reinforces the civil rights message that inspired me to write the song in the first place."
Sources © CC BY-SA 4.0 Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackbird_(Beatles_song) Blackbird cover - https://www.youtube.com/@AriaNanji