Paul McCartney proved he’s a full-fledged member of the BeyHive by applauding Beyonce’s version of his song Blackbird on Thursday.
The 81-year-old iconic musician took to his Instagram to share a heartfelt message praising the cover featured on Beyonce’s new album Cowboy Carter alongside a black-and-white photo of the singers together.
‘I am so happy with [Beyoncé’s] version of my song Blackbird,’ he wrote. ‘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. 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!’
McCartney added that he recently spoke with the Texas Hold ‘Em hitmaker about the song over FaceTime.
‘She thanked me for writing it and letting her do it,’ he added. ‘I told her the pleasure was all mine and I thought she had done a killer version of the song.’
McCartney has long stated that he wrote the song as a tribute to the Little Rock Nine, a group of Black students who faced racial discrimination when they integrated an all-white high school in 1957.
The incident gained national attention as it tested the Supreme Court ruling of Brown v. Board of Education, which declared school segregation unconstitutional.
‘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 added 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.’
McCartney composed and recorded the song solo in 1968 for the Beatles’ self-titled double-LP, also known as the White Album.
The remaining members of the group — John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr — refrained from participating while McCartney accompanied himself on acoustic guitar and percussive foot-tapping, per Variety.
On the Cowboy Carter version, Beyoncé utilized the master recording of the original guitar-and-foot-tapping backing track recorded by him as the foundation for her new rendition, according to the outlet.
McCartney previously discussed the origins of the song’s inspiration back in 2018.
‘I’d heard about the civil rights troubles that were happening in the 60s, in Alabama, Mississippi, Little Rock, in particular,’ he told GQ magazine.
‘I just thought it’d be really good if I could write something that if it ever reached any of the people going through those problems, it might give ’em a little bit of hope. So, I wrote Blackbird.’
McCartney went on to tell GQ how ‘in England, a bird is a girl [slang], so I was thinking of a Black girl going through this – you know, now is your time to arise, set yourself free, and take these broken wings.’
Beyonce’s rendition seems to align with the themes of the civil rights movement and women’s liberation.
The song showcases Black American country artists Brittney Spencer, Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy, and Reyna Roberts, who have faced challenges in gaining recognition within the country music industry, where women and Black artists are frequently marginalized.
Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter also presents a fresh rendition of Dolly Parton’s 1973 hit Jolene, featuring updated lyrics and song structure.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
