As Beyoncé herself says, her new album Cowboy Carter is n't a country album—"it's a Beyoncé album." Instead of following country norms, the singer is making the genre her own style, and on the opening song "American Requiem," she challenged the concept of country music.
Beyoncé previously explained that Cowboy Carter was inspired by an experience where "I felt like I wasn't welcome... and it was clear that I wasn't welcome." The Beyhive quickly suspected it was something she did with The Beyhive at the 2016 Country Music Awards "Daddy Lessons" performed by the Chicks.
"When I first entered the genre, the criticism I faced forced me to transcend the limitations placed on me," she writes. “Act Two was the result of challenging myself and taking the time to blend genres together to create this piece.”
Around the same time, when Bay submitted "Lessons From My Dad" for consideration in the country category, the Grammy Country Committee rejected the work and halted any potential nominations. Now, as Beyonce enters her era, she's questioning what country means.
The Meaning of "American Requiem"
Beyoncé wasted no time in slyly complimenting her 2016 CMAs performance, referring to comments reportedly made by the audience while she was performing. "When I sing my songs, people are talking about a lot of things," she says in the chorus. "Can you hear me? I said, do you hear me?"
She continues to pose these questions over psychedelic Western guitars and gospel-style belts, pleading for unity and defiance. "Can we hold on to something?" she asked. "It's time to turn into the wind." In the second verse, she reaches a catharsis that connects her Southern upbringing to the backlash against rural industry.
"They used to say I spoke too country, and then got rejected and said I wasn't country enough," she sings. "I said I couldn't ride a horse, but if that's not country, tell me, what is? I've been barefoot on solid ground for years. They don't know that when I sing my songs, I put in How much effort did it take to achieve it?”
Beyonce's "American Requiem" Lyrics
Read the full lyrics to Beyonce's "American Requiem" below.
nothing is true
In order to say the same thing they have to change again
Hello my old friends
You change your name but change the way you pretend
American Requiem, yes.
Great ideas (yeah) are buried here (yeah)
Amen
have a lot to say
when i sing my song
can you hear me?
I said, "Did you hear me?"
Look there, look there, now
Look there, look there
Look, look, look there, look there
Look, look, look there, look there
Look look, look there, look there (oh yeah)
Look, look, look there, look there
There's a lot of chit-chat here
But let me be clear (oh)
can you hear me? (hehe)
Or are you afraid of me? (Wow)
Can we hold on to something?
It's time to face the wind (Ow)
You are all covered in peace and love
Oh, it takes up a lot of space
Salty tears are beyond my sight
Can you bear with me?
(Can you bear it? Can you bear it? Can you bear it?) Oh ah ah
We will stand up (Can you stand me? Can you stand me? Can you stand me? Can you stand me? Can you stand me? Can you stand me?)
Can you stand with me?
Can we hold on to something?
It's time to march into the wind
Now is not the time to pretend
It's time to let love in
Take me to myself (To myself)
Got a lot to say (oh)
When I sing my song (Yeah)
Did you hear when I said I-?
Did you hear when I said I-?
Look there, look there
beholder, beholder
onlookers onlookers onlookers onlookers
the observer there, the observer there
Lllllllll - look there
Oh, look there, look there
Look there, look there (Can you stand me? Can you stand me? Can you stand me?)
LLLLLLLLLLL (Can you stand me? Can you stand me?)
Can we hold on to something?
It's the time for the wind (It's the time for the wind)
Now is not the time to pretend
It's time to let the love in (let the love in)
Together, can we stand up?
Look there, I have wine in my hand
Moonlight Man's grandson
Gadsden (Alabama)
Keep people rooted in Louisiana in Galveston
They often say that I speak too natively
Then rejection came, saying I wasn't country enough
Said I couldn't get into the saddle, but
If that's not country, tell me, what is?
My bare feet on solid ground for years
They don't know how hard I worked for this
when i sing my song
(When I sing the song of Abraham)
(When an angel comes and holds my hand) (Oh no)
Say goodbye to everything in the past
Beautiful house we have never lived in
A funeral for fair-weather friends
I am the one who washed away the sins of my father
American Requiem
Men's thoughts (yeah), buried here (yeah) amen
