Cowboy Carter

Her personal life aside, all of this outrage is just clearly racism.

I am not a big fan of hers. I like some of her music and only own one of her albums (An earlier one). I thought her Coachella performance was incredible though (I thought using marching bands was brilliant and brought a whole different sound to her music) and I listened to it several times. I have, however listened to all of her albums at least once as I feel it is not fair to comment on music I haven't actually listened to. And it's music. I listened to the Renaissance album and found it to be a bit overproduced and didn't care for the explicit lyrics. It was an "homage" to black club/queer music. Music I listened to and danced to many a night in clubs back in the day. I will listen to the original music from back then that I still own. Artists have crossed genres in the past. Dolly just did it and the outrage on social media was nowhere near what is happening with this Beyonce' release.

I am black and grew up listening to country music. So did she. She performed at rodeos and even wore western wear as a youth. Even with a full explanation as to why she is doing a country album, people are still losing their minds over it. This album is also part of a trilogy project, The next rumored to be rock oriented, so we have that outrage to look forward to.

I say, just let her, and any other artist, do their thing. If you don't like it, just don't listen to it. It really is that simple. These days we have access to more music than we did years ago in every genre. It's entertainment and not something that is going to make a major impact on our personal lives. Same with her personal life and her husband. And yes, I have had "issues" with things some things entertainers have done or said and I choose just not to spend my money on their music or movies. (Tom Cruise it at the top of that list for me) But I don't jump online and trash him, I just don't watch anything he does or is involved with and move on.

Tonight I will be streaming this new album just to hear it. If I like it, or some tracks on it, I will put them in a playlist. And if any of the tracks on it that I may end up liking are played at the country bar I frequent, I will two step to them.  Just my random thoughts.

Zeppie2022 said: ""Artists have crossed genres in the past. Dolly just did it and the outrage on social media was nowhere near what is happening with this Beyonce' release."

Darius Rucker who is black crossed overto country music as a solo artist and it was no big deal, he became pretty successful after leaving band "Hootie and The Blowfish". Plenty of black artists like Prince and Lenny Kravitz have played several genres like rock with no outrage. Just curious, what do you think the reaction would be if Dolly Parton made a "soul" album?- lol

"And yes, I have had "issues" with things some things entertainers have done or said and I choose just not to spend my money on their music or movies. (Tom Cruise it at the top of that list for me) But I don't jump online and trash him, I just don't watch anything he does or is involved with and move on."

Tom Cruise may be a bit of a wacko, but he is very fine actor (amazed he has not won Oscar) and makes good movies for the most part that are huge money makers. He is rich beyond belief, so my few dollars spent seeing a "Mission Impossible" movie is not going to really make a difference even though I believe he is creepy personally.

"I am black and grew up listening to country music. So did she. She performed at rodeos and even wore western wear as a youth. Even with a full explanation as to why she is doing a country album, people are still losing their minds over it".

Put me in the camp of she can do any genre of music she darn pleasesto do. If you don't like it, don't buy it. It really is that simple."

 

I don't bring up Darius Rucker because he made a total switch. Although I do remember a bit of controversy over his switch but it didn't amount to much. Also, he made his switch in a less "volatile" time. People aren't going after him now. And he is quite established in the Country Music world at this point. There isn't even mention these nasty posts about other black country artists. 

As far as Tom Cruise, it is a personal thing I guess. Nope my few bucks may not make a difference but I just can't even look at him anymore. But that is just me.

I am going to listen to the album at midnight. May check back in on this thread with my thoughts! Thanks for the response to my comments!

 

Listened to it from beginning to end the moment it dropped at midnight....

Well, for people losing their minds over Beyonce' ruining Country music and telling her to "stay in her lane", they can all back off. Although I doubt they will. This is not what most of us would consider to be a Country album. But it is her version. There are banjos, guitars and a slight country sound. But it is blended in with her sound. And very well.

The only thing I didn't care for were the explicit songs. Kind of tired of hearing jump on it, ride on it, etc. All that really wasn't needed on the album. However, she could easily say it is the reverse of the songs Male Country singers sing about getting girls in the back of their pick-up trucks. But for me, we have heard this from her before.

The album is full of some incredible layered harmonies. Her voice stands out more, to me, on this album than it did the last one. And I appreciated her voice more on this one. Her version of Jolene is very well done. Dolly's intro to the song is quite cute. She does a few duets. My favorite being the one she does with Miley Cyrus. Miley does Miley and it was cool to hear her slightly slide into and out of, flawlessly, Beyonce's sound and style. She nails it as only Miley can. Also, her cover of "Blackbird" is near flawless.

So as far as the country part. Along with the instruments there are a lot of mentions of Country things and some country like lyrics, but she weaves her message through it and some of her more sexual lyrics have country references. (If I remember correctly) She also has a number of Black Country artists performing with her.

In the end, I really like this recording. I wasn't quite expecting this. I was bracing for a mostly full on Country album. I will be listening to it more. It will be the first Beyonce studio album I will listen to for a while. Beyonce did say that this is not a country album, it's a Beyonce album. And she's right. The song "Daddy Lesons" from her Lemonade is more country than pretty much anything on this album.

Just my random thoughts on it for now.

 

Updated On: 3/29/24 at 02:13 AM

Zeppie2022 said: ""Also, her cover of "Blackbird" is near flawless."

Being a long time Beatle/Paul McCartney fan, I will be interested in hearing her version. McCartney has said this song was about the Civil rights movement, so it is a nice choice for her to do. Almost as important as the vocal on this song is the guitar picking on acoustic guitar, you need to nail it."

 

Yes, he has said that and she enlists some black country artists that are "under the country radar" so to speak to do backing vocals. It is nicely done and also making a statement.

 

See Rolling Stone magazine review below.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/beyonce-cowboy-carter-review-1234996919/

"In comment sections I have been reading, a lot of the "veiled" racist comments that were flying around before the album dropped have now turned into just direct attacks on Beyonce and her, talent. And people have singled out her version of "Jolene" saying nobody wants her ugly husband."

There are idiots everywhere and that sadly will not change. Anybody who knows anything about music would not question her vocal talent. Now, her husband is IMO not a very likeable person and has alienated people with his very crass lyrics. 

Anyway, good for her doing something different and it having success.

Updated On: 3/31/24 at 02:00 PM

I finally listened to the Beyonce cover of "Blackbird" and I will share my thoughts. She has a lovely voice and sings the song perfectly. The beauty of the song "Blackbird" is that it is supposed to be a very simple song musically, one voice and one guitar. IMO George Martin was correct when producing the song not to add anything to McCartney's voice and acoustic guitar playing. Beyonce's version with backup singers just does not work for me, would have preferred just her voice. That being said, if Sir Paul McCartney is very happy with her version who am I to disagree -lol. One final thought, I never thought "Blackbird" was a country song. 

" So Beyonce's recording was tying it all in with black female singers, the Little Rock Nine and the CMA performance backlash.I really like this version. More than her remake of "Jolene". 

Her version is wonderful and part of doing a cover of a song is doing your take of that song. In this case, I am old school and like the simple one voice, one guitar version of the musical icon himself. See below from 20 years ago. "Blackbird" is better song than "Jolene" IMO.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDxfjUEBT9I#ddg-play

Updated On: 4/5/24 at 03:38 PM

"I have seen him do it live in concert. I understand you like his version better and a lot of us like original versions of songs better than remakes. At least she didn't "ruin" it. "

Thanks. Once again, she did a very nice version of it just my preference is the original version. Years ago, the "Dixie Chicks" did a cover version of the "Fleetwood Mac" song "Landslide" and it became a huge hit. They did an excellent version but I still liked the original better. It was kind of funny that some young fans of the "Dixie Chicks" at the time thought this was an original song of the "Dixie Chicks".

There are plenty of covers of 50's rock that I like cover versions of the songs better than the song done by the original artist. 

"Well it is rumored that her next album, the last in this trilogy, will be rock oriented. " 

Her song choices should be interesting.