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Paul McCartney and Beyoncé applaud (at the 2015 Grammy Gala): Hope for reducing racial tension

Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage/Getty Images

Former Beatle Paul McCartney, 81, praises the cover version of his song "Blackbird" by Beyoncé, 42. The Brit wrote on Instagram next to a photo with the American singer that he was "so happy" with this "great" new version. »I would strongly recommend that anyone who hasn't heard it give it a listen. You’ll love it!”

With her “Blackbird” cover, Beyoncé underlines the message of the black civil rights movement, which inspired him to write the song in the late 1960s, explained McCartney. »Anything my song and Beyoncé's fabulous version can do to help ease racial tensions would be a great thing and makes me very proud.«

In interviews, McCartney has reported that he was particularly impressed by the “Little Rock Nine”: African-American students who attended a previously white high school in Arkansas in 1957 under the protection of the National Guard. At a performance in Little Rock, Paul McCartney met two of the students and tweeted about it.

Beyoncé's version of the Beatles song is part of her new album "Cowboy Carter," which was released last week. She added an extra "i" to the song title "Blackbiird" because the album is conceived as the second act of a trilogy.

McCartney writes that the two had previously spoken to each other via FaceTime and Beyoncé thanked him for the song. The American also uses original sound tracks on her version, including McCartney's acoustic guitar and the sound of his foot, which sets the beat. A spokesman for McCartney confirmed this to the US magazine “Variety”. In addition to her own vocals, Beyoncé also added the voices of black country singers Reyna Roberts, Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer and Tiera Kennedy, among others.

On “Cowboy Carter,” Beyoncé covers “Blackbird” as well as Dolly Parton’s country classic “Jolene” – in this case even with introductory words from Parton. When accepting an "Innovator Award" at the iHeart Radio Music Awards on Tuesday, Beyoncé made it public that the harmonica was played by another prominent guest: Stevie Wonder.

Feb/dpa