Black Parade

Album: single release only (2020)
Charted: 49 37
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Black Parade" is a bass-heavy anthem that starts off with Beyoncé singing about her Southern heritage.

    I'm goin' back to the South, I'm goin' back, back, back, back
    Where my roots ain't watered down, growin', growin', like a baobab tree


    The Texan songstress is proud of her black ancestry and culture.
  • Beyoncé released the song on Juneteenth (June 19), a day celebrating the end of slavery in the US. The holiday commemorates June 19, 1865, when federal troops arrived in Beyonce's home state of Texas to proclaim the freedom of all enslaved individuals. The 2020 Junteenth celebrations were especially poignant as they followed weeks of international mass-protests against police brutality and racism arising from the killing of George Floyd. Beyoncé reflects during the track on the deeply rooted racism in today's society.

    Being black, maybe that's the reason why they always mad
    Yeah, they always mad, yeah


    And the rough treatment of the protesters by the police.

    Rubber bullets bouncing off me

    Overall, the song is a celebration of blackness amidst their struggles.

    Put your fists up in the air, show black love
    Need peace and reparation for my people


    Beyoncé wrote on her website: "Being Black is your activism. Black excellence is a form of protest. Black joy is your right."
  • Beyoncé co-wrote the song with her husband Jay-Z, as well as Derek Dixie, Akil "Fresh" King, Rickie "Caso" Tice, Kim "Kadence" Krysiuk and Nova Wav. Dixie co-wrote eight The Lion King: The Gift tracks with Beyoncé including "Bigger" with Fresh and "Keys To The Kingdom" with Fresh and Kaydence.

    Beyonce and Derek Dixie produced the song.
  • The song shares its title with Beyonce's "Black Parade" project, which supports black-owned small businesses.
  • This won for Best R&B Performance at the Grammy Awards in 2021. It was Beyonce's fourth win of the night, following Best Music Video for "Brown Skin Girl" and two awards for her Megan Thee Stallion collaboration, "Savage." With 28 total, she surpassed Alison Krauss' 27 for most Grammy wins by any female.

Comments: 1

  • Cazz from NjLove
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Commercials

CommercialsFact or Fiction

Was "Ring Of Fire" really used to sell hemorrhoid cream?

Jon Anderson

Jon AndersonSongwriter Interviews

Jon Anderson breaks down the Yes classic "Seen All Good People" and talks about his 1000 Hands album, which features Chick Corea, Rick Derringer, Ian Anderson, and many other luminaries.

American Hits With Foreign Titles

American Hits With Foreign TitlesSong Writing

What are the biggest US hits with French, Spanish (not "Rico Suave"), Italian, Scottish, Greek, and Japanese titles?

Melanie

MelanieSongwriter Interviews

The singer-songwriter Melanie talks about her spiritual awakening at Woodstock, "Brand New Key," and why songwriting is an art, not a craft.

Rosanne Cash

Rosanne CashSongwriter Interviews

Rosanne talks about the journey that inspired her songs on her album The River & the Thread, including a stop at the Tallahatchie Bridge.

Kelly Keagy of Night Ranger

Kelly Keagy of Night RangerSongwriter Interviews

Kelly Keagy of Night Ranger tells the "Sister Christian" story and explains why he started sweating when he saw it in Boogie Nights.