Paul McCartney Says Beyoncé’s Rendition of ‘Blackbird’ is ‘Magnificent’
Paul McCartney issued a statement in response to Beyoncé and her rendition of “Blackbird” on her new album, Cowboy Carter.
Sir Paul said, in part, “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!”
Macca added that he spoke with Beyoncé via FaceTime, and she thanked him for allowing her to cover the classic Beatles song. He told her “the pleasure was all mine” and praised her rendition.
He concluded, “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. Anything my song and Beyoncé’s fabulous version can do to ease racial tension would be a great thing and makes me very proud.”
As previously reported, Beyoncé’s rendition of “Blackbird” is the second track on her new country-themed album. The original Beatles version was featured on their 1968 self-titled double album (aka: “The White Album”). Beyoncé is joined by four country singers who provide backing vocals on the track: Brittney Spencer, Reyna Roberts, Tanner Adell and Tiera Kennedy.
The Inspiration Behind “Blackbird”
The story behind “Blackbird” is incredibly moving. In 2016, Paul McCartney shared a photo via social media with Thelma Mothershed Wair and Elizabeth Eckford. He captioned it, “Incredible to meet two of the Little Rock Nine — pioneers of the civil rights movement and inspiration for ‘Blackbird.'”
The Little Rock Nine were the first nine Black students to attend Little Rock, Arkansas’s Central High School in September 1957. This followed the landmark Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education, which ruled in 1954 that segregated schools were illegal.
Incredible to meet two of the Little Rock Nine--pioneers of the civil rights movement and inspiration for Blackbird. pic.twitter.com/QrnOQnqrFX
— Paul McCartney (@PaulMcCartney) May 1, 2016
The photo above was taken when Sir Paul’s tour came to Little Rock, Ark. Naturally, he performed “Blackbird” at the show.
He prefaced the performance by saying, “Way back in the Sixties, there was a lot of trouble going on over civil rights, particularly in Little Rock. We would notice this on the news back in England, so it’s a really important place for us, because to me, this is where civil rights started.”
He continued, “We would see what was going on and sympathize with the people going through those troubles, and it made me want to write a song that, if it ever got back to the people going through those troubles, it might just help them a little bit, and that’s this next one.”