“Blackbird” on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter was originally written by Paul McCartney: Everything to know about the track

On March 29, Beyoncé released her eighth studio album Cowboy Carter.

Beyoncé showcased her country roots in Cowboy Carter with a 27-track setlist featuring an impressive lineup of stars including Miley Cyrus and Post Malone. The album’s co-lead single, “Texas Hold ‘Em,”debuted during the Super Bowl in February 2024 and quickly reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. This accomplishment solidified Beyoncé’s status as the first Black woman to top the Billboard Country Music Chart.

Beyoncé Collaborates with Black Country Artists to Revamp “Blackbird”

The video can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSfFwLwRQwY.

Beyoncé, who is originally from Houston, Texas, recently entered the country music genre with her album Cowboy Carter. Honoring legends such as Dolly Parton and The Beatles, the renowned artist showcased her talents in this new venture.

Beyoncé collaborated with fellow black country artists, Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, and Reyna Roberts, to create a rendition of The Beatles’ Blackbird on her latest album. The track, titled Blackbiird, pays homage to the original and was recorded in the aftermath of Martin Luther King Jr’s tragic death. This soulful version captures the emotions felt during that time.

In his 2021 book titled Lyrics, former member of The Beatles, Paul McCartney, revealed the origin of the song according to his official website.

“At the time in 1968 when I was writing ‘Blackbird. I was very conscious of the terrible racial tensions in the US. The year before, 1967, had been a particularly bad year, but 1968 was even worse.”

Paul went on to say:

“The song was written only a few weeks after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. That imagery of the broken wings and the sunken eyes and the general longing for freedom is very much of its moment.”

Additionally, Paul mentioned that the inspiration behind the song came from a desire to connect with Black Americans and encourage them to maintain hope during the civil rights movement. The powerful lyrics of the song emphasize:

“All your life, you were only waiting. For this moment to arise.”

In the years following, Blackbird has remained deeply intertwined with Black history, as numerous Black artists have adopted the song and made it their own. Beyoncé’s rendition of the song honors disco singer Sylvester, whose 1979 rendition was hailed as “the most daring and unconventional version to date.”

The link to the video is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swiC4YUyrOI.

Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter”Follows Up on Her 2022 Album, “Renaissance”

On Instagram, Queen Bey announced that her 2022 hit album Renaissance will have a follow-up called Cowboy Carter, which she referred to as “Act II”.

“I focused on this album as a continuation of RENAISSANCE…I hope this music is an experience, creating another journey where you can close your eyes, start from the beginning and never stop. This ain’t a Country album. This is a “Beyoncé” album. This is act ii COWBOY CARTER, and I am proud to share it with y’all!”

Despite facing backlash when she delved into the country music genre, the singer persevered and released her latest album after five years of hard work. At 42 years old, she explained that the criticisms she faced pushed her to surpass limitations and blend genres in order to create this unique body of work.

Currently available for streaming on all music platforms is Cowboy Carter, which was released through Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records.