“Blackbird” is a gentle, acoustic song dedicated to the fighters of the civil rights movement in the ‘60s. I remember reading somewhere that it was dedicated specifically to Angela Davis, but I don’t know if that’s accurate. It’s undeniably poetic without being cloying (a reasonably major feat for McCartney even then), and is soothing enough that it’s as much a lullaby as it is a protest song.

Interesting that the last two Beatles songs I’ve posted on this list have been from The White Album, one of my lesser-enjoyed works from theirs. Shows how amazing the Fabs were even if they were having an off-day.