- Album This song officially appears on the Kisses On the Bottom Official album.
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
Recording "Kisses On The Bottom"
May 2011 ?
Recording "Kisses On The Bottom"
October 2011 ?
Related interviews
Ich lag auf dem Teppich und lauschte
Jan 26, 2012 • From Die Zeit
Interview from the "Kisses On The Bottom" booklet
February 2012
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Song facts
“Bye, Bye, Blackbird” is a 1926 song written by the American composer Ray Henderson and lyricist Mort Dixon. It is considered a popular standard and was first recorded by Gene Austin in 1926. Ringo Starr recorded it in 1970 for his album “Sentimental Journey“, and Paul McCartney covered it on his 2012 album “Kisses On The Bottom“.
[All those old songs,] I never learned how to play them. All I ever did was sing them, at the family sing-songs. They’re quite complicated, the chords and things. I’d have a bash, and I did eventually become the sort of family piano player, at New Year, as my Dad got a bit older and I got a bit more capable. But I was always busking it; he knew the real chords, and I had to busk my way around. But it was good enough for the family sing-song. A lot of these songs, like Bye Bye Blackbird, were ones that I’d sung along with.
Paul McCartney – from the “Kisses On The Bottom” liner notes
I do think [those old songs] did have quite an influence on [John Lennon and I] melodically. A lot of these old songs had what they called a “verse”. Anyone else would call it an introduction. It’s always the bit that you never knew. […]
Then it goes, “Pack up all my cares and woe” and you go, “Oh, I know this song!” You finally recognise it. John and I liked that. We used to talk about that as one of things it would be good to do. We gave a kind of nod to it on Here,There And Everywhere: “To lead a better life, I need my love to be here … ” Whereas in the old days they would have extended that: “She was here, and I was there, and I think she’s everywhere … “
Paul McCartney – from the “Kisses On The Bottom” liner notes
Last updated on November 1, 2020
Lyrics
Blackbird, blackbird singing the blues all day
Right outside my door
Blackbird, blackbird gotta be on my way
To where the sun shines once more
Pack up all my care and woe
Here I go singing low
Bye, bye blackbird
Where somebody waits for me
Sugar's sweet, so is she
Bye, bye blackbird
No one here can love or understand me
Oh what hard luck stories they all hand me
Now make my bed and light the light
I'll arrive late tonight
Blackbird, bye, bye
~ SOLO ~
No one here can love or understand me
Oh what hard luck stories they all hand me
Make my bed and light the light
‘Cause I'll be home late tonight
Blackbird, oh blackbird ooh
Blackbird
Bye, bye
Officially appears on
Official album • Released in 2012
4:26 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Vocals
- Tommy LiPuma :
- Producer
- Diana Krall :
- Piano, Rhythm arrangement
- Karriem Riggins :
- Drums
- Robert Hurst :
- Bass
- John Pizzarelli :
- Guitar
- London Symphony Orchestra :
- Orchestra
- Alan Broadbent :
- Orchestra arrangement, Orchestra conductor
- Roman Simovic :
- Concertmaster
- Sam Okell :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Paul Pritchard :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Al Schmitt :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Steve Genewick :
- Additional engineering
- Gordon Davidson :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Fernando Lodeiro :
- Assistant engineer
- Elliot Scheiner :
- Additional engineering
- Brian Montgomery :
- Additional engineering
- Kris Burton :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Session Recording:
- May 2011 ?
- Studio :
- Avatar Studios, New York, USA
- Session Orchestra overdubs:
- October 2011 ?
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Kisses On the Bottom (Deluxe version)
Official album • Released in 2012
4:26 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Vocals
- Tommy LiPuma :
- Producer
- Diana Krall :
- Piano, Rhythm arrangement
- Karriem Riggins :
- Drums
- Robert Hurst :
- Bass
- John Pizzarelli :
- Guitar
- London Symphony Orchestra :
- Orchestra
- Alan Broadbent :
- Orchestra arrangement, Orchestra conductor
- Roman Simovic :
- Concertmaster
- Sam Okell :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Paul Pritchard :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Al Schmitt :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Steve Genewick :
- Additional engineering
- Gordon Davidson :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Fernando Lodeiro :
- Assistant engineer
- Elliot Scheiner :
- Additional engineering
- Brian Montgomery :
- Additional engineering
- Kris Burton :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Session Recording:
- May 2011 ?
- Studio :
- Avatar Studios, New York, USA
- Session Orchestra overdubs:
- October 2011 ?
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
iTunes Live from Capitol Studios
Official live • Released in 2012
4:44 • Live • L1
- Paul McCartney :
- Vocals
- Tommy LiPuma :
- Producer
- Diana Krall :
- Piano
- Karriem Riggins :
- Drums
- John Pizzarelli :
- Guitar
- Alan Broadbent :
- Orchestra conductor
- John Clayton :
- Bass
- Anthony Wilson :
- Guitar
- Gayle Levant :
- Harp
- Joel Derouin :
- Violin
- Al Schmitt :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Vanessa Freebairn-Smith :
- Principal cellist
- Jodi Burnett :
- Cello
- Songa Lee :
- Violin
- Katia Popov :
- Violin
- Michele Richards :
- Violin
- Kathleen Sloan :
- Violin
- Marcy Vaj :
- Concertmaster
- Josefina Vergara :
- Violin
- Rob Brophy :
- Viola
- Rudy Stein :
- Cello
- Sid Page :
- Violin
- Mario DeLeon :
- Violin
- Henry Gronnier :
- Violin
- Tammy Hatwan :
- Violin
- Serena McKinney :
- Violin
- Evan Wilson :
- Principal violist
- Thomas Diener :
- Viola
- Leah Katz :
- Viola
- Jennifer Kuhn :
- Cello
Concert From "Live From Capitol Studios" in Los Angeles, USA on Feb 09, 2012
Kisses On The Bottom - Complete Kisses
Official album • Released in 2012
4:26 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Vocals
- Tommy LiPuma :
- Producer
- Diana Krall :
- Piano, Rhythm arrangement
- Karriem Riggins :
- Drums
- Robert Hurst :
- Bass
- John Pizzarelli :
- Guitar
- London Symphony Orchestra :
- Orchestra
- Alan Broadbent :
- Orchestra arrangement, Orchestra conductor
- Roman Simovic :
- Concertmaster
- Sam Okell :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Paul Pritchard :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Al Schmitt :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Steve Genewick :
- Additional engineering
- Gordon Davidson :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Fernando Lodeiro :
- Assistant engineer
- Elliot Scheiner :
- Additional engineering
- Brian Montgomery :
- Additional engineering
- Kris Burton :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Session Recording:
- May 2011 ?
- Studio :
- Avatar Studios, New York, USA
- Session Orchestra overdubs:
- October 2011 ?
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Kisses On The Bottom - Complete Kisses
Official album • Released in 2012
4:45 • Live • L1 • Live From Capitol Studios
- Paul McCartney :
- Vocals
- Tommy LiPuma :
- Producer
- Diana Krall :
- Piano
- Karriem Riggins :
- Drums
- John Pizzarelli :
- Guitar
- Alan Broadbent :
- Orchestra conductor
- John Clayton :
- Bass
- Anthony Wilson :
- Guitar
- Gayle Levant :
- Harp
- Joel Derouin :
- Violin
- Al Schmitt :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Vanessa Freebairn-Smith :
- Principal cellist
- Jodi Burnett :
- Cello
- Songa Lee :
- Violin
- Katia Popov :
- Violin
- Michele Richards :
- Violin
- Kathleen Sloan :
- Violin
- Marcy Vaj :
- Concertmaster
- Josefina Vergara :
- Violin
- Rob Brophy :
- Viola
- Rudy Stein :
- Cello
- Sid Page :
- Violin
- Mario DeLeon :
- Violin
- Henry Gronnier :
- Violin
- Tammy Hatwan :
- Violin
- Serena McKinney :
- Violin
- Evan Wilson :
- Principal violist
- Thomas Diener :
- Viola
- Leah Katz :
- Viola
- Jennifer Kuhn :
- Cello
Concert From "Live From Capitol Studios" in Los Angeles, USA on Feb 09, 2012
Bootlegs
Kisses on the bottom - Ultimate Archive Collection
Unofficial album • Released in 2015
4:26 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Vocals
- Tommy LiPuma :
- Producer
- Diana Krall :
- Piano, Rhythm arrangement
- Karriem Riggins :
- Drums
- Robert Hurst :
- Bass
- John Pizzarelli :
- Guitar
- London Symphony Orchestra :
- Orchestra
- Alan Broadbent :
- Orchestra arrangement, Orchestra conductor
- Roman Simovic :
- Concertmaster
- Sam Okell :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Paul Pritchard :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Al Schmitt :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Steve Genewick :
- Additional engineering
- Gordon Davidson :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Fernando Lodeiro :
- Assistant engineer
- Elliot Scheiner :
- Additional engineering
- Brian Montgomery :
- Additional engineering
- Kris Burton :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Session Recording:
- May 2011 ?
- Studio :
- Avatar Studios, New York, USA
- Session Orchestra overdubs:
- October 2011 ?
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Kisses on the bottom - Ultimate Archive Collection
Unofficial album • Released in 2015
4:45 • Live • L1
- Paul McCartney :
- Vocals
- Tommy LiPuma :
- Producer
- Diana Krall :
- Piano
- Karriem Riggins :
- Drums
- John Pizzarelli :
- Guitar
- Alan Broadbent :
- Orchestra conductor
- John Clayton :
- Bass
- Anthony Wilson :
- Guitar
- Gayle Levant :
- Harp
- Joel Derouin :
- Violin
- Al Schmitt :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Vanessa Freebairn-Smith :
- Principal cellist
- Jodi Burnett :
- Cello
- Songa Lee :
- Violin
- Katia Popov :
- Violin
- Michele Richards :
- Violin
- Kathleen Sloan :
- Violin
- Marcy Vaj :
- Concertmaster
- Josefina Vergara :
- Violin
- Rob Brophy :
- Viola
- Rudy Stein :
- Cello
- Sid Page :
- Violin
- Mario DeLeon :
- Violin
- Henry Gronnier :
- Violin
- Tammy Hatwan :
- Violin
- Serena McKinney :
- Violin
- Evan Wilson :
- Principal violist
- Thomas Diener :
- Viola
- Leah Katz :
- Viola
- Jennifer Kuhn :
- Cello
Concert From "Live From Capitol Studios" in Los Angeles, USA on Feb 09, 2012
Live performances
“Bye Bye Blackbird” has been played in 1 concerts.
Latest concerts where Bye Bye Blackbird has been played
Feb 09, 2012 • USA • Los Angeles • Capitol Records Building
Contribute!
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Keith R 5 years ago
The best version I know of "Bye Bye Blackbird" is in "Liza With a Z" (available on You Tube)
The PaulMcCartney Project 5 years ago
Thanks Keith - will listen to it !
Philip Mortlock 1 year ago
the string arrangements on this song/album are simply devine. a melancholy so suited to the songs