An interesting new tidbit has emerged about Beyoncé’s recently released cover of The Beatles’ “Blackbird.” The track appears on the pop/R&B superstar’s new country-flavored album, Cowboy Carter, which she rechristened “Blackbiird.” According to Variety, the new song’s backing track includes elements lifted directly from the Fab Four’s original 1968 version.
Specifically, Paul McCartney’s acoustic guitar and foot tapping were taken from the original master recording of “Blackbird.” A rep for McCartney confirmed the information to Variety, noting that the info came from Beyoncé’s own team, as well as additional sources.
Official details released about “Blackbiird” credit McCartney as follows: “Associated Performer, Guitar, Composer, Lyricist, Producer.” However, there was no mention that the backing track included elements from the original Beatles version of “Blackbird.”
About The Beatles’ Original Version of “Blackbird”
McCartney recorded “Blackbird” by himself in June 1968. The song is credited to him and bandmate John Lennon. Yet, McCartney is believed to have written the tune with minimal lyrical input from Lennon. McCartney has said the “Blackbird” was partly inspired by the civil-rights struggles of women in the U.S. South.
The song appeared on The Beatles’ self-titled 1968 double album, a.k.a. “The White Album.”
As previously reported, Beyoncé’s “Blackbiird” features harmony vocals by four Black country artists—Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, and Reyna Roberts. The track also features new strings, violin, and bass parts played by Khirye Tyler.
On her Instagram, Beyoncé explained what inspired her to delve into country music on her latest album. She noted that the album, which was five years in the making, “was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed … and it was very clear that I wasn’t. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive.”
Beyoncé apparently was alluding to the 2016 Country Music Association Awards ceremony, where she performed “Daddy Lessons” with The Chicks. “Daddy Lessons,” which appeared on Beyoncé’s album Lemonade, was her first country tune. Many country music fans openly questioned whether Beyoncé’s performance belonged on the show.
“The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me,” Beyoncé added in her message. “act ii [Cowboy Carter] is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work.”
Previous Song That Used Original “Blackbird” Track
Variety also pointed out “Blackbiird” wasn’t the first time that an artist was given permission to use the original “Blackbird” track in a recording. In 2019, composer Rachel Fuller, Who guitarist Pete Townshend’s wife, composed an orchestral arrangement performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Chamber Choir of London that was added to the original tune. The augmented track was featured on her album Animal Requiem, which sought to raise awareness about abused and neglected animals.
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