When discussing the song, McCartney has said that the lyrics were inspired by hearing the call of a blackbird in Rishikesh, India, and by the civil rights movement in the Southern United States.

Considered one of the best songs by the band, it has been covered by several artists, including Agua De Annique, Judy Collins, Neil Diamond, Billy Preston, Sia, and on the American musical series Glee.

McCartney said that he 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.

[1][2][3][4] The first night his future wife Linda Eastman stayed at his home, McCartney played "Blackbird" for the fans camped outside his house.

[10]In 2018, McCartney further elaborated on the song's meaning, explaining that "blackbird" should be interpreted as "black girl",[11] in the context of the civil rights troubles in southern 1960s US.

[14] Along with McCartney's "Helter Skelter", "Blackbird" was one of several White Album songs that Charles Manson interpreted as the Beatles' prophecy of an apocalyptic race war that would lead to him and his "Family" of followers ruling the US on countercultural principles.

Manson interpreted the lyrics as a call to black Americans to wage war on their white counterparts, and instructed his followers to commit a series of murders in Los Angeles in August 1969 to trigger such a conflict.

[15] The song was recorded on 11 June 1968 at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London,[16] with George Martin as the producer and Geoff Emerick as the audio engineer.

[20] Footage included in the bonus content on disc two of the 2009 remaster of the album shows McCartney tapping both his feet alternately while performing the song.

[18][25][26][27][28] Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of its release, Jacob Stolworthy of The Independent listed "Blackbird" at number five in his ranking of the White Album's 30 tracks.

He said that its "beautiful calmness" was at odds with the growing racial tensions that allegedly inspired the song, and concluded: "For many, it's the apotheosis of McCartney's career and remains a standout in his solo live shows.

[42] In 2021, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr released their first new studio album in over a decade, titled Blackbird Lennon-McCartney Icons.

[46] 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.

[54] On December 25, 2024, Beyoncé, Brittney Spencer, Reyna Roberts, Tanner Adell and Tiera Kennedy debuted "Blackbiird" live as part of her 2024 NFL Halftime Show set list.