"Blackbird" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles and was released on November 22nd 1968. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. "Blackbird" was inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach's Bourrée in E minor, a well-known lute piece, often played on the classical guitar. As teenagers, he and George Harrison tried to learn Bourrée as a "show off" piece. The Bourrée is distinguished by melody and bass notes played simultaneously on the upper and lower strings.