Beyoncé's latest album, "Cowboy Carter," features a unique and historically significant cover of the Beatles' classic song "Blackbird." The track, titled "Blackbird" in keeping with the album's spelling alterations, has garnered attention not only for its powerful vocals and additional harmonies from four Black women in the country music scene but also for its use of the original Beatles backing track.
Representatives for Paul McCartney confirmed that Beyoncé's version of the song incorporates instrumental elements from the Beatles' 1968 master recording. The acoustic guitar and foot tapping heard on "Blackbird" are the same ones McCartney recorded 56 years ago for the Beatles' self-titled double LP, also known as the White Album. While the credits for "Cowboy Carter" list McCartney as a guitarist and producer on the track, there is no explicit mention that his contributions were taken from the original recording rather than newly recorded.
The decision to use the original backing track was made with McCartney's blessing, as he wrote and recorded "Blackbird" entirely by himself in 1968, accompanied only by his acoustic guitar and percussive foot-tapping. The song's lyrics and context were inspired by the civil rights movement in America at the time, with McCartney associating the song particularly with Black women. Beyoncé's version extends this theme by featuring additional harmony vocals from Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts, and Brittney Spencer, all Black women in the country music arena.
This is not the first instance of McCartney and other rights-holders allowing the use of the original "Blackbird" tracks in another artist's recording. In 2019, Rachel Fuller added lush new parts by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Chamber Choir of London to the original Beatles track with McCartney's permission.
Beyoncé's "Blackbiird" also includes additional strings, violin, and bass parts credited to Khirye Tyler, who is listed as a co-producer alongside McCartney and Beyoncé. However, the guitar and tapping, which some have mistaken for a metronome in the past, are entirely McCartney's work, recorded on June 11, 1968, just a week before his 26th birthday.
Interestingly, the new track omits one element from the White Album version: bird noises. It remains unclear whether the audio technology developed by Peter Jackson's team for the "Get Back" documentary, which allowed for the separation of audio elements, was necessary to remove the bird sounds from the original recording.
The use of the original Beatles backing track in Beyoncé's "Blackbiird" adds a layer of historical significance to the already powerful cover version. It serves as a testament to the enduring influence of the Beatles' music and the ongoing relevance of the themes addressed in "Blackbird." By incorporating McCartney's original instrumental work and collaborating with contemporary Black female artists, Beyoncé has created a unique and meaningful tribute that bridges generations and genres while highlighting the song's important message of empowerment and resilience in the face of adversity. Thanks for listening to Quiet Please. Remember to like and share wherever you get your podcasts.