Paul McCartney Praises Beyoncé’s “Fabulous Version” of “Blackbird”

Paul McCartney has shared a statement praising Beyoncé’s cover of the Beatles’ 1968 ballad “Blackbird.” Bey put her own spin on the classic for her new album Cowboy Carter, which came out last week. “I am so happy with Beyoncé’s version of my song ‘Blackbird,’” McCartney wrote on Instagram. “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.” Find McCartney’s full remarks below.

McCartney added that during a FaceTime call, Beyoncé thanked him for writing “Blackbird” and for allowing her to cover it. “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,” he added. “Anything my song and Beyoncé’s fabulous version can do to ease racial tension would be a great thing and makes me very proud.”