Beyoncé's tour: Jimi Hendrix's national anthem, more powerful messages you may have missed
The Grammy-winning singer wrapped her Washington, D.C. area stop of her Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin' Circuit Tour on July 7. She first launched her DMV stint with a dazzling performance on the Fourth of July. The holiday made for an especially significant night.
Many fans online took note of her head-turning, Americana looks filled with red, white, blue and American flag imagery. They've been present throughout the tour, but the July Fourth show in the nation's capital brought them to the forefront and underscored her message. So much so that some of its significance may have gone over the heads of those casually tuning in online or even attending in person.
Tina Knowles, mother of Beyoncé and Solange Knowles, shared this sentiment in an Instagram post while highlighting some elements of the show.
"It is truly a bold true statement. But still there are those who just don't get it," Knowles wrote.
Here are some of the moments and symbols that may have gone unnoticed by casual viewers, but speak volumes about the deeper meaning behind Beyoncé's tour.
A post shared by Tina Knowles (@mstinaknowles)
Beyoncé opens the show with 'Ameriican Requiem'
Each night, Beyoncé opens her show with her song "Ameriican Requiem," in which she sings "for things to change they have to stay the same." Later in the song she sings, "They used to say I spoke too country and the rejection came, said I wasn't country 'nough."
Knowles notes, "If you listen to the lyrics it's a tribute to what this country was built on — the backs of Black and brown people."
The truth is, country music's history is intertwined with America's history of segregation and exclusion. In concert, Beyoncé made a point to highlight this ongoing complexity through her interludes, outfit choices and more.
There was lots of red, white and blue. There were a great deal of American flags, which plucked at the patriotism that is oftentimes associated with country music. Beyoncé seemed to highlight the irony of Black people and other minorities being historically and continuously ostracized in a genre they helped build, while also reclaiming the themes and colors as her own.
Prior to releasing the album, Beyoncé got candid about creating the five-year project and alluded to her 2016 performance at the CMA Awards, which was met with an icy reception and harsh criticism.
A post shared by Beyoncé (@beyonce)
Beyoncé covers Beatles' 'Blackbiird' — a song about the Civil Rights Movement
After opening with "Ameriican Requiem," she goes on to sing her her Beatles cover "Blackbiird," inspired by the Civil Rights Movement, "The Star-Spangled Banner and "Freedom" — the theme song of Kamala Harris' presidential campaign. Then she wraps up the night's first act with "Ya Ya" — "whole lotta red in that white and blue."
In the post, Knowles offers deeper insight into the layered meanings within the tour.She highlights the thoughtful intention, extensive research and pride that went into the show — especially the rich Black history embedded throughout. She even points to the meaning behind the song "Blackbiird,' which written by Paul McCartney about "young black girls paving the way for us and facing intense abuse to integrate the schools" — known as the Little Rock Nine.
Beyoncé sings Jimi Hendrix's rendition of 'The Star-Spangled Banner'
In the same post, Knowles shared that Beyoncé actually sings a rendition of the national anthem by the late legend Jimi Hendrix.
"The Star-Spangled Banner that she sings in the show is the rendition done by Jimi Hendrix so many years ago," she wrote. Knowles highlighted the significance of the performance, noting that it ends with the powerful lyric, ' I was only waiting for this moment to be free.' Following this moment, words appear on screen declaring, 'Never ask for something that is already yours.'
Knowles wrote that Beyoncé's tour isn't just a performance — it's a statement.
"Please take a listen," she wrote. "Thank you for really listening and recognizing all the thought and work the research and pride and unwavering courage it takes to do a record and a tour like this."
These few elements only scratch the surface of the impact and significance of the tour and album. The nine-city tour has spanned the U.S. and Europe with the grand finale set for July 26 in Las Vegas.
Follow Caché McClay, the USA TODAY Network's Beyoncé Knowles-Carter reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @cachemcclay.
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