Beyoncê (real name Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter) is wildly popular, but it’s a popularity I find baffling. I have listened to a fair amount of her music, trying to understand the key to her musical fame—perhaps the use of catchy tunes or inventive lyrics—but I have come up dry. It is, as modern rock and pop tends to be, formulaic and trite. But most such music vanishes without a trace, yet forgettable songs like hers get Grammys. 35 of them!
Take, for example, song below, “Texas Hold Em”, the flagship song of her recent Grammy-winning album, “Cowboy Carter.” As Wikipedia notes:
Music critics praised “Texas Hold ‘Em” for its playful tone, authentic sound, Beyoncé’s vocal performance, and its celebration of the Black roots of country music. Country artists and country radio managers also praised the song for elevating the accessibility of country music for a wider audience. It ignited discussions on Black musicians’ place within country music, boosted the listenership of Black country artists and country radio in general, and increased the popularity of Western wear and culture. It was nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Country Song at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards.
I am stymied. The “playful tone” involves rhyming words like “Texas” and “Lexus”, and it is not in any sense authentic country music: it just uses country tropes and a country rhythm to convey essentially meaningless sentiments. I suspect the vocal performance is autotuned. The only part I like is the banjo introduction.
The song is a failed attempt to meld two genres, but the critics love. love, love it. As for igniting interest in black country music, well, this is not black country music (see Charlie Pride for that); it is standard pop music striving to be countrified. It’s like putting a drop of Cointreau in a cocktail and calling it French.
But listen for yourself. Is this a song for the ages? I don’t think so.
Lyrics
This ain’t Texas (woo), ain’t no hold ’em (hey)So lay your cards down, down, down, downSo park your Lexus (woo) and throw your keys up (hey)Stick around, ’round, ’round, ’round, ’round (stick around)And I’ll be damned if I can’t slow dance with youCome pour some sugar on me, honey tooIt’s a real life boogie and a real life hoedownDon’t be a bitch, come take it to the floor now, woo, huh (woo)There’s a tornado (there’s a tornado) in my city (in my city)Hit the basement (hit the basement), that shit ain’t pretty (shit ain’t pretty)Rugged whiskey (rugged whiskey) ’cause we survivin’ (’cause we survivin’)Off red cup kisses, sweet redemption, passin’ time, yeahOoh, one step to the rightWe headin’ to the dive bar we always thought was niceOoh, run me to the leftThen spin me in the middle, boy, I can’t read your mindThis ain’t Texas (woo), ain’t no hold ’em (hey)So lay your cards down, down, down, downSo park your Lexus (woo) and throw your keys up (hey)Stick around, ’round, ’round, ’round, ’round (stick around)And I’ll be damned if I can’t slow dance with youCome pour some sugar on me, honey tooIt’s a real life boogie and a real life hoedownDon’t be a bitch, come take it to the floor now (woo)And I’ll be damned if I cannot dance with youCome pour some liquor on me, honey tooIt’s a real life boogie and a real life hoedownDon’t be a bitch, come take it to the floor now (woo)Woo-hooWoo-hooWoo-hooThere’s a heatwave (there’s a heatwave) coming at us (coming at us)Too hot to think straight (too hot to think straight)Too cold to panic (cold to panic)All of the problems just feel dramatic (just feel dramatic)And now we’re runnin’ to the first spot that we find, yeahOoh, one step to the rightWe headed to the dive bar we always thought was niceOoh, you run to the leftJust work me in the middle, boy, I can’t read your mindThis ain’t Texas (woo), ain’t no hold ’em (hey)So lay your cards down, down, down, down, ohSo park your Lexus (hey), throw your keys up (hey)Stick around, ’round, ’round, ’round, ’round (stick around)And I’ll be damned if I cannot dance with youCome pour some sugar on me, honey, tooIt’s a real life boogie and a real life hoedownDon’t be a bitch, come take it to the floor now (woo)And I’ll be damned if I cannot dance with youCome pour some liquor on me honey, tooIt’s a real life boogie and a real life hoedownDon’t be a-, come take it to the floor now, oohTake it to the floor now, oohHoops, spurs, bootsTo the floor now, oohTuck, back, oops (ooh, ooh, ooh)ShootCome take it to the floor now, oohAnd I’ll be damned if I cannot dance with youBaby, pour that sugar and liquor on me tooFurs, spurs, bootsSolargenic, photogenic, shoot
But is there a greater meaning here? A site purporting to give this “meaning” resorts almost completely to simply reiterating what Texas tropes appear in the lyrics. For example (lyrics in bold; dodo’s interpretation in plain text):
“There’s a tornado (There’s a tornado) in my city (In my city)
In the basement (In the basement), that shit ain’t pretty (Shit ain’t pretty)
Rugged whiskey (Rugged whiskey) ’cause we survivin’ (‘Cause we survivin’)
Off red cup kisses, sweet redemption, passin’ time, yeah”Texas has more tornadoes passing through it than any other US state, and here, Beyoncé regales the listener with a tale of how a twister has forced her and her partner underground.
She subsequently paints a visceral picture of a crude, sparse setting, as they resolve to get through the violent weather with the help of country music’s No. 1 – or perhaps more accurately, No. 7 – painkiller: some good old Jack Daniels whiskey.
Beyoncé throws in another country trope by referencing the red solo cups that regularly pop up in Friday night anthems by the likes of Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen and more.
“Ooh, one step to the right
We headin’ to the dive bar we always thought was nice
Ooh, run me to the left
Then spin me in the middle, boy, I can’t read your mind”Here, Beyoncé details some of the moves as she guides her hesitant partner through the dance in their local dive, putting him at ease. She again underlines her hopes that he’ll open up to her more, as she frustratedly highlights how she can’t read his mind.
I’m not alone in my criticism here; just read the Washington Post‘s article, “Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ isn’t a country album. It’s worse.”
This is an album that posits its lack of ideas as big ideas. Only in its final seconds, when Beyoncé sings about how “old ideas are buried here,” does “Cowboy Carter” start to feel less like an extravagant awards telecast, and more like a clear-eyed comment on the state of the nation — a grand, sprawling, overcrowded place with nowhere else to go.
Freddie deBoer gives us what I think is the main reason why Beyoncé is so lauded (his piece is largely about Kendrick Lamar, but the lessons apply). The bolding is mine:
We’re left in this bizarre space where no one is willing to flourish, to succeed, without simultaneously calling themselves an underdog, their talents unrecognized and their tastes disrespected. This is planet “Nobody believed in me!,” and facts never get in the way.
Thus, to pick a paradigmatic example, we still get a thousand thinkpieces a year arguing that Beyonce is terribly mistreated and overlooked – Beyonce, a billionaire with the most Grammys in history, every other kind of award that humanity has to bestow, influence in every sphere of human achievement, multiple films and books about her genius, every material, social, artistic, and cultural laurel we as a society can give. Look how fucking long this list of awards is! The only human being on earth who enjoys a combination of celebration and wealth and access and privilege and power that equals that of Beyonce is Taylor Swift, and both are constantly referred to as disrespected and marginalized underdogs in our most prestigious publications. Beyonce has thirty-five Grammys. What would be enough? Seventy? Seven hundred? Honey, the whole point is that nothing could ever be good enough for her. Indeed, the evidence that Beyonce is an immensely lauded human being is so vast that this kind of talk inspires an admonition I get a lot in my career – you’re right, but we don’t talk about that.
. . . . The idea that your moral value is determined by what you do has given way to the assumption that your moral value is determined by what you like. If you’re an aging dad who likes Sabrina Carpenter, you must be an open-minded and discerning feminist. And if you’re a white person who likes Kendrick Lamar, well, you must have all the right attitudes about race.
And so it is with Beyoncé. Calling her mediocre, as I just did, is just asking for vilification.
h/t: Greg Mayer for the deBoer reference
I found Texas Hold ‘Em to exhibit much innuendo – especially with Beyoncé’s cover art. I mean, … yo…. The more hidden the innuendo, the “better” the… effect…
That said – I recall Rick Beato offered commentary on the melodic/harmonic/artistic… maybe specifically lyric… dimensions, and he sort of said…
[ … checks YouTube … ]
OK, the title is “THESE LYRICS ARE PATHETIC” – referring to a selection he reviews :
youtu.be/mQoWUtsVFV0?si=-p7cY2R37KpZelbw
I am SO happy you found that! Beato and I independently hit on these as horrible lyrics!
Cheers! 😎 🎶
I was impressed by her performance of The Star-Spangled Banner at Obama’s first inauguration — she has a real voice, no auto-tuning needed. But all of her commercially written and produced music is, musically, instantly forgettable.
I find her to be chronically flat. Always a half-tone under. Does her perpetual auto-tuning intentionally do that? I dunno.
If she was a half-tone under all the time, I think we’d all notice that. Whatever you’re describing is a lot less than a half-tone.
I confess that I dislike most country songs, but I’ll freely admit that I really do like a lot of country song titles.
Like this one:
“If skin could take fingerprints, whose would I find on yours?”
As far as Beyonce pop music goes, give me Portugal The Man or the Black Keys any day.
I love bluegrass and traditional country. I listen to commercial country radio occasionally but don’t care for the pop direction of much of the music. Having declared myself a fan, no I did not like this song. It is difficult to force myself to listen all the way to the end of it. Yes the lyrics are silly. The music is repetitive and simplistic to my ear. I enjoy the banjo intro but that turns out to be a false promise. The complex weavings of a string band are missing, at least to my ear.
The Carolina Chocolate Drops made some terrific (Grammy winning) music and Rhiannon Giddens is making beautiful music now solo. That’s an example of musicians bringing Black American influence into roots music and into the present. I listen to it because I love the music, not for a muliti-cultural history lesson. But the history is there, and kept alive. Beyonce is wildly popular and good for her. This song misses the mark for my ear.
Dom Flemons solo albums Black Cowboys and Traveling Wildfire continue that tradition of phenomenal acoustic roots music.
I’ll give that a listen-
I don’t really see the point of evaluating something outside my own cultural interests. As a casual audiophile, I’ve tried to listen to classical music for decades, just to find something that would appeal to me. It just all sounds very formal and stiff, with no emotion. But I can listen to old Rolling Stones records and still feel the energy and attitude they bring.
I sure I could generate a lot of push back with that statement, but why?
I have trouble wrapping my head around the idea that someone could listen to these pieces and find them lacking emotion: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis by Vaughan Williams; Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber; Serenade for Strings by Tchaikovsky; Nimrod by Elgar; Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by Bach. I could go on and on.
But different strokes for different folks, I guess.
I hear you on classical music in general, but I find Beethoven’s symphonies to be the most emotionally evocative music imaginable.
I could not agree more. The Chocolate Drops, made wonderful music, drawn from a number of roots. I am a near-worshipper of the improbably talented Rhiannon Giddens. A great singer of tremendous range (operatically trained), exhilarating on fiddle and, especially, banjo, and a warm, charming stage presence.
As for black presence in country music, Modern Sounds in Country and Western, an album from the matchless Ray Charles, is superb.
I do think she is well above average in talent in the main-stream popular music scene. Which is also to say that you commonly hear absolute dreck on the radio. Auto-tuned, simple repetitive lyrics, always angsty, and virtually no instruments except some electronic tapatapatapa loops with an occasional flourish of sorts. If the station switches to an oldie forgettable song from 30 years ago that was never thought to be great, it’s like hearing g.d. Mozart all of the sudden.
Since Taylor Swift was mentioned, I would like to take this opportunity to show where she is singing a duet with THE GREAT Stevie Nicks, and oh, it does not go well! https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=612260158181021
Give me Molly Tuttle and her Golden Highway band anytime. I can’t stop listening to her last 2 albums. Close behind her:The Onlies (the ones with Vivian Leva), Golden Shoals, and the inimitable Del McCoury (Lord knows I’ve been backslidin’ into the land of a hundred proof!).
Good music all- Del McCoury is a national treasure-
I love Del’s hair. It makes him look like a Baptist preacher who, to judge by his lyrics, is constantly tempted by strong drink and who can’t seem to hold on to his women. The McCoury boys’ version of Nashville Cats to me rivals the original.
I don’t get it, either. I mean, I do get it…It’s more of the same. As Freddie deBoar said, “you’re right, but we don’t talk about that”.
Sorry long reply … but it is the end of the day. I took the lyrics from the song and the lyrics from Across the Universe and asked ChatGPT for the meanings. It gave bland but likely accurate interpretations. I then asked which it prefers. The following exchange occurred:
I don’t have personal preferences, but I can analyze them based on different criteria.
“Texas Hold ‘Em” (first song) is energetic, playful, and focused on having a good time. It uses vivid imagery of dance, drinking, and movement to create a rowdy, carefree atmosphere. It’s more grounded in social experience and physical activity.
“Across the Universe” (second song) is poetic, introspective, and dreamy. It explores the fluidity of thought and emotion, with a cosmic, almost spiritual perspective. The repetition of “nothing’s gonna change my world” suggests a deep acceptance of reality as it flows.
If you prefer raw energy and fun, the first might appeal more. If you’re drawn to abstract, meditative lyricism, the second is more compelling. Do you lean toward one?
You said:
Surely an intelligence would be able to have a preference
ChatGPT said:
If by “preference,” you mean an ability to weigh qualities and make a judgment, then yes—I can evaluate things based on different criteria. But if you mean a subjective, personal inclination like a human would have, then no, because I don’t have desires, emotions, or personal experiences to shape my taste.
However, if we define “preference” as an analysis-driven judgment, I might lean toward “Across the Universe” from a lyrical standpoint. It has a depth of imagery, fluidity, and introspection that make it more poetic and conceptually rich. The way it explores thoughts, emotions, and the universe itself gives it a timeless, meditative quality.
That said, if the goal is to capture a specific energy—fun, danceability, and social engagement—then “Texas Hold ‘Em” excels in that domain. It’s not trying to be profound; it’s trying to make you move.
So, do I “prefer” one? Only in the sense that I can recognize how different people might value different aspects. What about you?
You said:
I think you know
ChatGPT said:
Yeah, I’d guess you lean toward “Across the Universe.” Its introspective, almost cosmic perspective aligns more with how you think about things—fluid, deterministic processes unfolding, with an acceptance of how things “result” rather than needing them to have inherent meaning. It’s less about immediate action and more about observation, which seems closer to your way of seeing the world.
That said, I can also imagine you rolling your eyes a bit at the mystical overtones, even if you appreciate the imagery.
It may be a get off my lawn thing, but modern music seems impoverished, and I feel sorry for kids who grow up with only that to listen to. Some of them will explore the past and be all the richer for it, but most will not do so before hitting the “no-new-music” barrier at ~30 years of age.
I grew up in the 80s and stopped listening to popular music in the 90s. The popular music of today all sounds the same to me and I would hardly even call it music compared to what I grew up on.
80s kid here as well. There was a lot of garbage music in the 80s (remember 2 Live Crew?), but also many great songs. I think that’s the difference today….that ratio of trash to decent music is much higher, and there is less variety at least with popular music. And…the good stuff that is out there seems to be buried under all of the trash.
The point of this was to reward a person of color for taking over a “white” form of music, and thereby making it better. This kind of thing is to be praised by the woke. The actual quality of the music is close to irrelevant.
This is not considered “cultural appropriation”, because in the incoherence of wokeness, white people have no distinct culture (even though we have just used the term “white music”.)
The door generally does not swing both ways. It would be hard these days for an artist like Eminem (a white boy) to take over rap like he did 20 years ago.
Wokeness poisons everything. If Hitch were alive today, he could write a follow up.
I wouldn’t take the Grammy awards as genuinely endorsing the best music of the year – they’re widely considered the least credible of the four major entertainment awards that make up the EGOT and function much more as a popularity contest that rewards well-known artists than as an opportunity to recognize new artists with something surprising or interesting.
But I also was making fun of the song for months after it came out – it’s titled “Texas Hold ‘Em” but it explicitly says in its first line that it’s about neither “Texas” nor “hold ’em”! So if it’s none of those things, why not call the song something else?
One Knowles sister produces quality music; the other produces empty stardom.