BLACKBIIRD

Album

Cowboy Carter

Label

Parkwood Entertainment

Genre

Country pop

Composer(s)

Lennon;McCartney

Entered Chart

Apr 13, 2024

Peak Date

Apr 13, 2024

"Blackbiird," recorded by Beyoncé' for her 2024 album Cowboy Carter, is a unique take the classic Beatles number written by Paul McCartney. Given the album's embrace of country influences and its themes concerning race in American music history, the song was chosen pointedly. Beyoncé' chose to cover the song not just for its timeless melody, but for its inspiration: A group of nine black students, known as the Little Rock Nine, who faced discrimination after enrolling in an all-white high school in Arkansas back in 1957. The Civil Rights movement in general was also an influence. A key element of "Blackbiird" is the addition of four Black female country singers: Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy and Reyna Roberts. Their harmonies create a five-part vocal performance reminiscent of early Destiny's Child. This collaboration highlights the under-representation of Black artists in country music. "Blackbird" originally carried a message of hope during the Civil Rights Movement. The emphasis on Beyoncé's version of the words "learn to fly" and "moment to arise" stresses the positive messaging of the original track. By featuring Black artists and keeping the original lyrics, Beyoncé subtly reinforces that message within the context of country music. The four women recorded their four parts together without Beyoncé in the studio. Despite knowing each other (some are even close friends!), they hadn't sung together before. The final product left them awestruck, as Reyna Roberts highlighted: "It's amazing just to hear the blend of all of our voices together and just how impactful it is - the fact that Beyoncé is lifting all of our voices simultaneously and taking it to the next level," she told Billboard. "I've been listening to it kind of nonstop, but it was definitely crazy to hear all of us together. It just sounded so beautiful, angelic and powerful." The four singers' collaboration extends beyond "Blackbiird." Kennedy, Spencer, and Roberts lend their voices to "Tyrant," another track on Cowboy Carter. Adell sings on the album's opening song, "Ameriican Requiem." Beyoncé used instrumental elements taken directly from the Beatles' original master recording of "Blackbird." Paul McCartney is listed as playing guitar on the song, as well as one of the producers. The reimagining earned his praise. "I spoke to her on FaceTime and she thanked me for writing it and letting her do it," Macca said. "I told her the pleasure was all mine and I thought she had done a killer version of the song." Cowboy Carter is the second part of Beyoncé's trilogy project that began with the release of Renaissance. The retitled "Blackbiird" (with two i's) aligns with the album's "Act II" theme, mirroring the connection to Renaissance.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
(You were only waiting for this moment to arise)

Blackbird singing in the dead of night (dead of night, night)
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see (learn to see all of your life)
All your life (life)
You were only waiting for this moment to be free

Blackbird fly (blackbird, blackbird, fly, fly, fly, fly)
Blackbird fly (blackbird, blackbird, fly, fly, fly, fly)
Into the light of a dark, black night

Blackbird fly (fly)
Blackbird fly (fly)
Into the light of a dark, black night

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly (learn to fly, learn to fly)
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise

You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise