"Blackbird," by the Beatles

Let us explore "Thirteen Ways of Looking at 'Blackbird'":

I
"Among twenty snowy mountains,
The only moving thing
Was the eye of the blackbird."

II
Our flight began with a piece by J. S. Bach, "Bourrée in E minor," a common piece for the lute. Paul McCartney and George Harrison tried to learn the song as children.

III
"Blackbird" was modeled from the Bourrée's simultaneous bass and melodic notes. In the spring of 1968, Paul composed the song as a reaction to the escalating racial tensions in America.

IV
"A man and a woman
Are one.
A man and a woman and a blackbird
Are one."

V
"I do not know which to prefer,
The beauty of inflections
Or the beauty of innuendos,
The blackbird whistling
Or just after"

VI
Paul not only wrote and recorded the vocals and guitar accompaniment, Geoff Emerick designated a mic to record Paul's celebrated foot tapping. The birdsong was overdubbed just after (And not credited to Paul.)

VII
Paul published a book of poetry and song lyrics titled, "Blackbird Singing."

VIII
You have probably listened to countless guitar players around campfires, amateur videos on YouTube, Sungha Jung, Glee, Crosby, Stills, & Nash, many other professional performances, or Dave Grohl's teasing;

IX
Thanks to on-line guitar tabs and YouTube videos, you too can learn to play this beautiful song, using this (self-acclaimed), "ultimate Blackbird lesson ever made." Or you can just blast the stereo and sing karaoke.

X
My personal three favorite covers are performed by Herbie Hancock and Corinne Bailey Rae together at the White House, Brad Mehldau - who first caught my attention with his Jazz trio's Radiohead covers, and a stirring, solo a cappella arrangement, Bobby McFerrin, the virtuoso vocalist.

XI
If you sit still and listen to any dark black night
You might hear the refrigerator, or the bugs outdoors.
I like to pretend they are blackbirds,
Singing us to sleep, into the light of hopeful dreaming
And as my heartbeat taps,
A guitar sounds in my ears

XII
"The river is moving.
The blackbird must be flying."

XIII
Written for the Civil Rights Movement,
Paul, reflecting while performing the 2009 Coachella, "It's so great to realize so many civil rights issues have been overcome."
Still, a timeless song lives on in the hardships, and in the victories, for all generations of dreamers.