Blackbird Singing
Poems and Lyrics, 1965-1999
When I was a teenager, for some reason I had an overwhelming desire to have a poem published in the school magazine. I wrote something deep and meaningful—which was prompty rejected—and I suppose I have been trying to get my own back ever since.
Years later, after having written many song lyrics with—and without—John Lennon, I wrote a poem on hearing of the death of my dear friend Ivan Vaughan. It seemed to me that a poem, rather than a song, could perhaps best express what I was feeling. This poem "Ivan" led on to others, many of which are included here.
I was persuaded by Adrian Mitchell that the book should also include song lyrics, which it does, so much so that I now agree with his opinion that both forms of writing have equal capacity to convey great depth of feeling. I hope you, the reader, feel the same.
—PAUL McCARTNEY
Return to Blackbird Singing Home Page