If you've noticed a familiar sound in Beyoncé's latest rendition of the Beatles' classic 'Blackbird,' you're not mistaken. The cover version featured on her 'Cowboy Carter' album incorporates instrumental elements from the original 1968 Beatles master recording. The backing track includes Paul McCartney's acoustic guitar and foot tapping, confirmed by a representative for McCartney and other sources.
Although McCartney is credited for playing guitar on the track and listed as one of the producers, there is no explicit mention that his contributions were not newly recorded. The original 'Blackbird' was written and recorded solely by McCartney for the Beatles' White Album, with him accompanying himself on acoustic guitar and percussive foot-tapping.
Beyoncé's rendition, titled 'Blackbiird' to align with the album's 'Act II' theme, pays homage to McCartney's original intent behind the song. McCartney wrote 'Blackbird' in response to the civil rights movement, particularly in support of Black women.
Adding a contemporary touch, Beyoncé's version credits additional harmony vocals to four Black women in the country music scene. The track also features strings, a violin, and bass part, credited to Khirye Tyler, who co-produced alongside McCartney and Beyoncé.
Notably, this isn't the first time McCartney has allowed the use of 'Blackbird' in another artist's recording. In a previous instance, Rachel Fuller incorporated the original Beatles track with new orchestral elements.
While Beyoncé's version includes additional musical layers, the iconic guitar and tapping sounds remain true to McCartney's original recording from June 11, 1968. The new rendition omits the bird noises present in the White Album version, sparking curiosity about the audio technology used to separate elements for the 'Get Back' documentary.
