Current:Home > NewsPaul McCartney gushes about Beyoncé’s version of 'Blackbird' on her new 'Cowboy Carter' album-InfoLens
Paul McCartney gushes about Beyoncé’s version of 'Blackbird' on her new 'Cowboy Carter' album
View Date:2024-12-23 16:13:59
Not that she needed it, but Beyoncé has gotten Paul McCartney's official seal of approval for her recently released version of his song, "Blackbird," calling it "magnificent" and "fab."
The former Beatle said in an Instagram post on Thursday that he hoped Beyoncé's performance of the song might ease racial tension. "Anything my song and Beyoncé’s fabulous version can do to ease racial tension would be a great thing and makes me very proud," McCartney said in the post, which included a picture of him with Queen Bey.
The song, titled "Blackbiird" with two Is, is the second track on Beyoncé's latest album, "Cowboy Carter," released March 29. Four female black country artists − Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts and Brittney Spencer − join her on the song, adding rich harmonies and background vocals. The song's title has an additional "I" to reflect "Cowboy Carter" as the superstar's "Act II" album.
"I am so happy with @beyonce’s version of my song ‘Blackbird.' I think she does a magnificent version of it and it reinforces the civil rights message that inspired me to write the song in the first place," McCartney said on Instagram. "I think Beyoncé has done a fab version and would urge anyone who has not heard it yet to check it out. You are going to love it!"
Beyoncé:Artist sends flowers to White Stripes' Jack White for inspiring her on 'Cowboy Carter'
Paul McCartney on the original Beatles' version of 'Blackbird'
The original version of the song, a solo performance by McCartney, appeared on the 1968 double-album by The Beatles, known as "The White Album." McCartney's original acoustic guitar and foot tapping from the albums' original master recording was used on Beyoncé's new version, Variety reported.
McCartney said the two spoke on Facetime.
"She thanked me for writing it and letting her do it," he said. "I told her the pleasure was all mine and I thought she had done a killer version of the song."
The history of McCartney's 'Blackbird'
In the past, McCartney has said he wrote the song after hearing about nine Black students who were harassed and threatened by white students while enrolling in and desegregating Little Rock, Arkansas' Central High School in 1957.
"When I saw the footage on the television in the early 60s of the Black girls being turned away from school, I found it shocking and I can’t believe that still in these days there are places where this kind of thing is happening right now," McCartney continued on Instagram. "Anything my song and Beyoncé’s fabulous version can do to ease racial tension would be a great thing and makes me very proud."
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer also previously has said the idea of "you were only waiting for this moment to arise" symbolized Black women's plight during the Civil Rights Movement.
"The song was written only a few weeks after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.," McCartney wrote in his 2021 book "The Lyrics." "That imagery of the broken wings and the sunken eyes and the general longing for freedom is very much of its moment."
Contributing: Caché McClay and Marcus K. Dowling, USA TODAY Network.
Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.
What's everyone talking about? Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day
veryGood! (5522)
Related
- McDonald's Version: New Bestie Bundle meals celebrate Swiftie friendship bracelets
- South Dakota man accused of running down chief deputy during 115-mph police chase is charged with murder
- What’s next as Trump tries to stave off his 2020 election trial? All eyes are on the Supreme Court
- North Carolina court upholds life without parole for man who killed officers when a juvenile
- Best fits for Corbin Burnes: 6 teams that could match up with Cy Young winner
- Teen worker raped by McDonald's manager receives $4.4 million in settlement: Reports
- Man charged in drone incident that halted Chiefs-Ravens AFC championship game
- A booming bourbon industry has Kentucky leaders toasting record growth
- 'Dangerous and unsanitary' conditions at Georgia jail violate Constitution, feds say
- Former Audubon group changes name to ‘Bird Alliance of Oregon’
Ranking
- Kansas basketball vs Michigan State live score updates, highlights, how to watch Champions Classic
- Two years after deadly tornadoes, some Mayfield families are still waiting for housing
- South Dakota has apologized and must pay $300K to transgender advocates
- Did pandemic business support work?
- Drone footage captures scope of damage, destruction from deadly Louisville explosion
- Record hot oceans are causing havoc from California to Chile. Is climate change to blame?
- Man freed after nearly 40 years in prison after murder conviction in 1984 fire is reversed
- State of Play 2024: Return of Sonic Generations revealed, plus Silent Hill and Death Stranding
Recommendation
-
Texas’ 90,000 DACA recipients can sign up for Affordable Care Act coverage — for now
-
Teen worker raped by McDonald's manager receives $4.4 million in settlement: Reports
-
Did pandemic business support work?
-
FAA chief promises more boots on the ground to track Boeing
-
Inspector general finds no fault in Park Police shooting of Virginia man in 2017
-
Corruption raid: 70 current, ex-NYCHA employees charged in historic DOJ bribery takedown
-
Ship mate says he saw vehicle smoking hours before it caught fire, killing 2 New Jersey firefighters
-
Federal judge denies temporary restraining order in Tennessee's NIL case against NCAA