Here’s The Cowboy Carter Samples and Cover Songs from Iconic, Mostly White Artists

Cowboy Carter samples and covers songs from iconic, mostly musicians

Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter is laced with samples and covers of iconic songs, but are you catching on to them? We definitely did on our own but TikTok creator and human Shazam, Jarred Jermaine, has pointed out some samples and possible similarities of Cowboy Carter songs and other famous tunes from various mostly white artists. Do you agree with the similarities, and did you catch the samples and covers?

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JOLENE

AUSTIN, TEXAS – MARCH 18: Dolly Parton performs on stage at ACL Live during Blockchain Creative Labs’ Dollyverse event at SXSW during the 2022 SXSW Conference and Festivals on March 18, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for SXSW)

Let’s start with a no-brainer, “Jolene.” Beyoncé covered this iconic song by Dolly Parton and put her spin on it. While the original song was more of a helpless plea for Jolene not to steal her man, Beyoncé’s version was more of a warning.

AMERIICAN REQUIEM

Promotional portrait of American folk-rock group Buffalo Springfield, 1960s. From left, American Richie Furay, Canadian Dewey Martin, American Stephen Stills (top), and Canadians Bruce Palmer (1946 – 2004) (obscured) and Neil Young. (Photo by Authenticated News/Getty Images)

Now …the hard one. However, we figured this one out, which is backed by Jermaine who points out the similarities between the strings in “American Requiem” and Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth.” Take a listen to it. Do you agree?

BODYGUARD

SAN DIEGO – JANUARY 26: Carlos Santana (L) performs with Beyonce Knowles of Destiny’s Child (R) before the start of Super Bowl XXXVII between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders on January 26, 2003, at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

The verses in Beyoncé’s “Bodyguard” follow a similar pattern to Santana’s “Smooth.” That might not be so farfetched, considering Beyoncé performed with Carlos Santana at the 2003 Super Bowl.

BLACKBIIRD

The Beatles at London Airport, en route to America, 13th February 1964. From left to right, a photographer, George Harrison, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and Paul McCartney. (Photo by Stan Meagher/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Another no-brainer, Beyoncé’s “BLACKBIIRD” is a cover of the Beatles’ “Blackbird.” Two very cosy summer night tunes. The cover uses the original recorded foot tapping of Paul McCartney and the original acoustic guitar recording, according to Variety.

SWEET ★ HONEY ★ BUCKIIN’

Screenshot: YouTube

In “SWEET ★ HONEY ★ BUCKIIN’,” Beyoncé interpolates the chorus of Patsy Cline’s “I fall to pieces.” A song that reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 when it was released in 1961, according to Billboard.

II MOST WANTED

L (Photo by Tim P Whitby/Getty Images) R (Photo by Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images)

Jermaine points out two similarities, one being Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus’s “Butterfly fly away,” and another being Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide.” Which song do you think it sounds most similar to?

YA YA

Singer Nancy Sinatra, May 5th, 1967. (Photo by Harry Dempster/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

The high-energy track, “YA YA,” samples Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’,” and both songs are enough to make you get up and bust out at least a lil’ two-step.

YA YA Again

Pop musicians The Beach Boys holding their guitars, from left: Bruce Johnston, Al Jardine, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, and Mike Love, Finsbury Astoria, London, November 6th 1966. (Photo by Clive Limpkin/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

In the same track, Beyoncé interpolates the Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations.” “Ya Ya” is a very groovy tune all around.

DAUGHTER

Screenshot: YouTube

To end, the siren-like vocals at the end of Beyoncé’s “Daughter” are a cover of Italian Composer Tommaso Giordani’s “Caro Mio Ben.” Now that you know of these samples and similarities, listen to the album and see if you can catch them or maybe spot some of your own.

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