Liam has said of the song: "I like beautiful things . . . It's not all dark in Liam World. I take me shades off every now and again and have a look at the world and see some nice things." Noel Gallagher stated jokingly in an interview with Patrick Kielty that Liam decided to "write a song about his bird", and states the title "Song . . . bird" in a cave man like manner. The song was written as a tribute to then-fiancée Nicole Appleton. "Songbird" was composed in the key of G major using common time at 132 beats per minute.