The Personal, Talked-About Lyrics From Beyonces Lemonade
Still sippin’ on that Lemonade. Beyoncé got the Beyhive buzzin’ with the Saturday, April 23, release of her new visual album. Not only did she wow Us with stunning cinematography, fierce fashion and a bold discussion of racial politics, the superstar, 34, seemingly took the lid off her notoriously private marriage with Jay Z.
Set over 11 new, genre-hopping songs, the 20-time Grammy winner emotionally wrecked fans everywhere through the powerfully personal lyrics she sang in a collection of emotionally charged vignettes: “Intuition,” “Denial,” “Anger,” “Apathy,” “Emptiness,” “Accountability,” “Reformation,” “Forgiveness,” “Resurrection,” “Hope” and “Redemption.”
Here, Us Weekly has rounded up the most provocative lines from Queen Bey’s latest masterpiece.
“Sorry”
In this DGAF jam, Beyoncé puts her middle finger in the air as she spouts off sassy lyrics to the man who has obviously betrayed her trust by having a tryst with another woman.
“Middle fingers up, put them hands high/ Wave it in his face, tell him, boy, bye,” she cheekily chants before reciting what has become the most controversial line from the LP: “He better call Becky with the good hair.”
Fashion designer Rachel Roy hinted that she was “Becky” when she posted an Instagram of herself and a few gal pals. “Good hair don’t care, but we will take good lighting, for selfies, or self truths, always. Live in the light #nodramaqueens,” she captioned the now-deleted pic. Since Roy, 42, spoke out, the Beyhive has accused her of hooking up with Jay Z, 46, during his eight-year marriage to Beyoncé.
In 2014, it was reported that the highly publicized elevator fight between Bey’s little sis, Solange Knowles, and Jay Z started over the hip-hop mogul’s alleged indiscretions with Roy — who used to be a close friend of the younger Knowles, 29.
“Pray You Catch Me”
In the clip for this atmospheric ballad, a bare-faced Bey walks through a pasture as she coos the following lyrics, seemingly telling the story of a relationship gone awry:
“You can taste the dishonesty/ It’s all over your breath as you pass it off so carefully/ But even that’s a test/ Constantly aware of it all/ My lone ear pressed against the walls of your world.”
“Hold Up”
When the Destiny’s Child alum transitions from “Pray You Catch Me” into the bouncier “Hold Up,” the Roberto Cavalli-clad singer lets out her aggression by swinging a baseball bat at cars, windows and fire hydrants on a sunny, busy city block. She further expresses her contempt for her disloyal beau through unapologetically honest lyrics.
“Let’s imagine for a moment that you never made a name for yourself/ Or mastered wealth, they never had you labeled as a king,” she says. “You never made it out the cage, to locked up, movin’ in the streets/ Never had the baddest woman in the game up in your sheets/ Would they be down to ride?”
“Don’t Hurt Yourself” feat. Jack White
In this rock-infused anthem, the mom of one continues to take aim at her unfaithful lover. The song’s following verse, in particular, could make the most famous of rappers shake in their Air Jordans:
“Who the f–k do you think I am?/ You ain’t married to no average bitch, boy/ You can watch my fat ass twist, boy/ As I bounce to the next d–k, boy/ This is your final warning/ You know I give you life/ If you try this s–t again/ You gon’ lose your wife.”
“Daddy Lessons”
In this infectious country track, written for Beyoncé’s father and former manager, Mathew Knowles, the pop diva divulges that her dad (with whom Beyoncé had once been estranged) has warned her about the perils of being married to an adulterous man.
“My daddy warned me about men like you/ He said, ‘Baby girl, he’s playing you’” she belts. “‘He’s playing you’/ My daddy warned me about men like you.”
“Love Drought”
While this tune was composed in the spirit of forgiveness (Jay Z and Beyoncé share sweet moments in its video counterpart), a scorned Yoncé still has some questions for the man who supposedly did her wrong.
“All the love I’ve been giving goes unnoticed/ It’s just floating in the air, lookie there,” she croons before asking, “Are you aware you’re in my lifeline?/ Are you tryna kill me?/ If I wasn’t me, would you still feel me?”
“Sandcastles”
Likening her real-life relationship to the unsteadiness of a sandcastle, the Ivy Park designer continues to lyrically explore the failing romance that she just can’t seem to shake.
“Dishes smashed on my counter from our last encounter/ Pictures snatched out the frame,” she details. “Bitch, I scratched out your name and your face/ What is it about you that I can’t erase, baby?”
“All Night”
Similarly to “Love Drought,” this reggae-tinged effort, co-produced by Diplo, illustrates Beyoncé’s compassion and, yes, forgiveness, for her unchaste partner.
“Found the truth beneath your lies/ And true love never has to hide/ I’ll trade your broken wings for mine,” she intones. “I’ve seen your scars and kissed your crime.”
Beyoncé and Jay Z married on April 4, 2008, in a secret wedding ceremony. Together, they share their 4-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy.
Watch the video above.
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