Personnel:
Louise Wilson: Vocals
Cliff Wilson: Guitar
Why this song is on the album:
I suggested this for Louise’s solo, and I think it’s quite a good song for her.
Performance notes:
I had a lot of trouble with the guitar part. It’s not really that hard, and it’s a song lots of intermediate guitar players know. But I’m primarily a bassist and don’t play much guitar these days. And I never was especially good at it. I wish I could have given Louise a cleaner accompaniment.
The tapping on the left track is a small drum, whereas on the Beatles’ recording, that’s McCartney’s tapping foot, with a separate mic.
How it’s different from the Beatles’ version:
The bird sounds, though all blackbirds, are quite different on the two recordings. The Beatles recording uses sounds from the Eurasian blackbird, which is actually a thrush. Our recording uses sounds of the red-winged blackbird, one of the most abundant birds in North America. Not a thrush, its song is not as pretty as that of the Eurasion blackbird.
Fun Fact:
The song is an allegory about the struggles of African American women.
CCW