Beyoncé has been a household name for years. She’s one of those rare artists who it feels like everyone has at least some familiarity with, even if they’ve never intentionally listened to one of her eight studio albums.
Queen Bey has come a long way since the initial release of her second album, B’DAY released in 2006. Over her career, she has garnered 35 Grammys (the most any of any artist ever), she was the first woman of color to headline Coachella, and she’s a billionaire, with more than 200 million records sold in less than three decades of being a solo artist.
When it was announced in August that a new anniversary edition of B’DAY would be released, fans were unsurprisingly thrilled. The deluxe album features six previously unreleased tracks, two extended cuts of pre-existing hits and nine remixes with Spanish lyrics—all in addition to the 14 tracks that had previously been released.
I imagine the original album has been the soundtrack of many a night out in the 20 years since its release. The lyrics repetitively describe the allure of living large, blowing cash, drinking the night away and catching the eyes of successful men.
But two decades have passed: Do the new songs add some insightful commentary on life when the party ends? Or is this deluxe album Beyoncé’s way to escape the weight of her undeniable success for a moment and sprint back towards simpler, albeit vapid, times?
As far as positive messages go, this album mostly comes up short. To be fair, after the party ends and the rage of being cheated on has passed, we do get a couple songs where Beyoncé does some personal reflection about why her partner’s infidelity hurt her so deeply.
In the track “LISTEN,” Beyoncé leaves a man who doesn’t understand her worth, lamenting the loss of the relationship while acknowledging that she deserves better. This is also the only track on the album without any obvious innuendo.
In “MY FIRST TIME,” we hear of a man who has been respectful, waiting patiently for Beyoncé to be ready for more in their relationship. Now, the “more” obviously implies pre-marital relations, but this suitor does not push her boundaries, which is more than we get from the other men described within the album.
This deluxe version of B’DAY features 31 tracks, but they all seem to have a one-track mind. Every song revolves around at least one of four topics: money, sex, drinking or an unfaithful partner. It becomes clear that Queen Bey has little to say in the latter tracks of the album that she hadn’t already covered in the first few songs. The frequent, boisterous snare drum and heavy focus on live instrumentation give the album a noisy, lively feel—one that starts out fresh, but, for those uninitiated with Beyoncé’s work, can quickly become grating.
We hear of mysterious men at clubs and parties, of sensual glances that allude to a long night ahead for two people who’ve just met. Lyrics describe bottles popping, revealing outfits and couples dancing without leaving room for Jesus. If Beyoncé was barred from using the word “body,” the album would be half its length.
The track “GET ME BODIED” is one song where the already barely hidden innuendo of most tracks becomes a desperate cry for sexual attention. Beyoncé repeatedly asks if a man admires her body—and whether he plans to do something about this notion other than just watch.
“SUGA MAMA” revolves around a relationship where Beyoncé is so pleased with the sexual moments that she and her partner share, that she wants to buy him whatever material items he pleases. We hear about the frequency of the intimate moments they share as well as the level of pleasure that these moments bring her.
“KITTY KAT” tells the story of a relationship (seemingly based around sensual desires and partying) breaking down as a result of poor communication. Beyoncé asks her partner if her body wasn’t enough; she then quickly finds comfort in the expensive diamonds that hang around her neck.
In the next couple songs, “FREAKUM DRESS” and “IRRECPLACABLE,” Queen Bey reports that her way of getting back at her cheating man is to go out in a dress sure to make anyone jealous. It seems this scheme to win back the man’s attention falls flat, as her new goal is to move on and let her partner know that she can replace him at any time. In fact, in the time it took to tell him all this, she already has.
While almost every track repeats these themes, a few incorporate some foul language as well. Multiple tracks feature uses of “d–n,” with “RING THE ALARM” being the main culprit. This song alone features the word over a dozen times. Other tracks, such as “UPGRADE U” and “FLAWS AND ALL,” throw in a few harsh profanities such as the “s-word” and “b–ch.”
Most songs feature innuendo or references to cheating in some capacity (and most tracks make it the entirety of the song). New track “CAN I WATCH YOU” is arguably the most explicit. The song features artist Pharell Williams and repeats lyrics like “Can I watch you curl your toes?” and “Scream, oh baby.” The song portrays a relationship in which Beyoncé imagines the activities she will do with her lover once he gets home.
Listen, while I have encountered many Beyoncé fans in my lifetime, I can’t recall a time when I’ve heard anyone say they appreciate her music solely for the lyricism. That’s not to say she’s incapable of depth, but this album surely doesn’t give listeners a lot to chew on thematically.
I must acknowledge that B’DAY is most likely not listened to under the circumstances necessary for this review. I would imagine most listeners aren’t diving into every lyric at 8am in an office building—and for many, there is a time and place for this kind of upbeat, bombastic sound. But listening to these tracks, not as a means to get hyped up, but in search of a deeper meaning, gives the album a much sadder tone.
What is one to do when the party ends, the booze runs dry, material possessions are bought and your lover cheats on you? Why, party on, drink more, spend more money and find a new man, of course!
Beyoncé spends multiple songs asking if her money and sex appeal are enough for potential lovers, and she is left hurt and confused when these men aren’t faithful to her. It’s a cycle that we’re thrown into as listeners, without delving too far into the aftermath of the party ending, because it’s easier to drown out the hurt with more noise—or at least, that’s what B’DAY seems to imply.
Jonah Parker’s first interaction with Plugged In came when he was just five years old, after his parents read a review for The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian and deemed the content too intense for him. What started out as a contentious relationship between Jonah and a staff of reviewers who knew not of his existence would later turn into an appreciation for the site’s ability to present media content in a way that was accurate and fair. Jonah enjoys analyzing how our entertainment echoes the creativity of our Creator while finding glimpses of Biblical truths within every genre. He believes that Robert Pattinson’s Batmobile is the perfect mix of cool and practical.
