Beyoncé is already making history with her turn to country lane. But after scoring a surprise No. 1 with “Texas Hold 'Em,” some of Queen Bey's Canadian fans think her new two-step has a familiar ring to it.
A week after TikTok videos pointed out that the tune's melodic intro bears a striking resemblance to the theme song from the late 1990s/early 2000s children's cartoon Franklinthe musician behind that show's iconic opening track, “Hey, It's Franklin,” says he's fine with the comparisons.
According TMZ, veteran Canadian rocker Bruce Cockburn, 78 — known for his 1984 hit “If I Had a Rocket Launcher” — said on the way out that he was honored by the many side-by-side videos. “I think Beyoncé's 'Texas Hold 'Em' is a good record. Unfortunately, I cannot claim any role in writing it,” he said.
“The rhythmic feel is similar to my theme song for Franklin TV series, but to my ears, that's where the similarity stops. “Texas Hold 'Em' is her song and I wish her the best of luck!” added Cockburn.
It seems that the similarity was first pointed out by the TikTok user Ashleigh Aidan On Feb. 18, when she played a track from Bey's song and captioned her video, “Now go listen to the Franklin theme song and tell me these are the same.” That clip has since garnered more than 3.5 million views. The post started making news in Canada soon after, with a radio DJ making one pulping which reinforced the idea that the songs share a similar git-up.
Said a music expert CBC News that the comparisons make sense since both use fingerpicking, rather than stomping, with Beyoncé opening with a Clawhammer-style banjo. Musicologist Claire McLeish said that Franklin The theme opens with a style called Travis picking, with a “strong Clawhammer influence”. McLeish also pointed out that both are played in the key of D, with the instruments tuned in a similar style, which McLeish said people are picking up on.
And while they sound similar, McLeish said they “don't sound alike in a way that would cause legal problems” because you can't copyright an “idea” and Travis' picking style is a common idea used in country and folk music . Time. In fact, McLeish compiled a list of songs of a similar style, including those by Johnny Cash, Led Zeppelin and Cockburn, noting that since Beyoncé does not use the same melody or lyrics that are close to Franklin subject is probably safe from any legal issues.
Last week, Bey became the first black woman to top the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, followed by the track to top the Billboard Hot 100, giving the singer her ninth chart leader.
Listen below and see if you can hear the similarities.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/beyonce-texas-hold-em-tiktok-franklin-theme-song-cockburn-1235617153/