'Magnificent, killer, fabulous': Paul McCartney praises Beyonce's 'Blackbird' cover
MANILA, Philippines — Singer-songwriter Paul McCartney praised fellow artist Beyonce's cover of The Beatles' "Blackbird," which is included in her latest album "Cowboy Carter."
"Blackbird," released in 1968, was written and performed by McCartney on The Beatles' sole double album, also known as "The White Album." The song is jointly credited to fellow band member John Lennon.
McCartney stated several times over the years that the song is partially inspired by the Civil Rights Movement and racial tensions in the United States during the 1960s.
The track feels an apt inclusion on "Cowboy Carter" which, along with Beyonce's previous album "Renaissance," sees the singer tapping into American music's Black roots with a modern lens.
A few days after the release of "Cowboy Carter" — which stylizes Beyonce's cover as "Blackbird" — McCartney released a statement admitting to be happy with the new version.
"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. "I think Beyonce 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 recalled a recent FaceTime conversation with Beyonce who thanked him for writing the song and letting her cover it. They talked about the track's origins as he praised the American singer.
"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 said.
He ended his statement with, "Anything my song and Beyonce's fabulous version can do to ease racial tension would be a great thing and makes me very proud."
Like the original, Beyonce's cover features McCartney's original acoustic guitar track and is credited to McCartney-Lennon, though she is joined by Black country singers Brittney Spencer, Reyna Roberts, Tanner Adell and Tiera Kennedy.
Beyonce also did a cover of country singer Dolly Parton's hit song "Jolene" with updated lyrics and structure on her 27-track album "Cowboy Carter."
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