Bluebird (Paul McCartney and Wings song)
| "Bluebird" | ||||||||||||
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| Single by Paul McCartney and Wings | ||||||||||||
| from the album Band on the Run | ||||||||||||
| A-side | "Mrs Vandebilt" | |||||||||||
| Released | 28 January 1974 | |||||||||||
| Format | 7" single | |||||||||||
| Recorded | September 1973 | |||||||||||
| Genre | Soft rock, jazz rock | |||||||||||
| Length | 3:24 | |||||||||||
| Label | Apple Records | |||||||||||
| Writer(s) | Paul and Linda McCartney | |||||||||||
| Producer(s) | Paul McCartney | |||||||||||
| Wings chronology | ||||||||||||
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| 9 tracks |
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"Bluebird" is a song credited to Paul and Linda McCartney that was originally released on the Wings' album Band on the Run. According to author John Blaney, it was written during a vacation in Jamaica. However, author Vincent Benitz claims the song was written as early as 1970 or 1971, noting that Paul and Linda sang the song during a live interview in New York City in 1971. In Continental Europe it was also released as the B-side of the "Mrs Vandebilt" single.
"Bluebird" was probably composed by McCartney in 1971, during his vacation in Jamaica. Although much of the Band on the Run album was recorded in Lagos, Nigeria in August and September 1973, "Bluebird" was completed later in 1973 at AIR Studios in London. However, the percussionist on the song, Remi Kebaka, was from Lagos but happened to be in London when the song was being recorded. One highlight of the song is a saxophone solo played by session musician Howie Casey. Casey repeated his solo during the Wings Over the World tour in 1975 and 1976. Other musical elements of the song include acoustic guitars and calypso-like percussion.
In the lyrics, Paul McCartney compares himself in love to a bluebird. The opening lyrics are:
The refrain is simply a rhythmic chart based on the phrase "I'm a Bluebird" sung by McCartney with Linda and Denny Laine providing harmony. Blaney interprets the bluebird as "a metaphor for the transcendent power of love and the liberation of the human spirit from mental and physical bondage." Benitez regards the bluebird as a metaphor for love itself - love that is the only source of transcendent freedom. The song describes the singer's revitalization after having been upset at the beginning of the song.Jon Landau describes the song as "a simple love song" but sees in its "flying" motif a continuation of the theme of escape that runs throughout the Band on the Run album. The singer tells his lover that when he, as a bluebird, kisses her she can also become a bluebird, at which point they become absolutely free.
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Wikipedia