(Columbia/Parkwood) Beyoncé's ACT II: Cowboy Carter has consumed my head space lately. It's one-year anniversary recently passed on March 29th, and I'm gearing up for the fast-approaching tour. Is she going to drop a dress code or what? My barrage of thoughts have ranged from "I don't think certain songs mean what most folks think they do" to "She almost missed Best Country Album; where was she?" I jotted down everything that ran across my brain and tried to condense them for this article. It still has some miles. For your convenience, here are the sections, and you can pick your poison (shout-out to those who caught that Beyoncé pun):
-The Cowboy Carter Character Seeks Vicarious Revenge by Whoring
-Beyoncé Feels Conflicted
-The Replay Value Isn’t That High
-Why the Album of the Year (AOTY) Grammy Win Means So Much
-Randomry (If Beyoncé Can Make Up Words Like “Bootylicious” So Can I)
The Cowboy Carter Character Seeks Vicarious Revenge by Whoring
By now, most people probably know that Cowboy Carter was born out of the negative, racially charged experience Beyoncé had at the 2016 Country Music Association awards (CMAs) performing with The Chicks. She was subsequently moved to do a project paying homage to her southern roots and the black originators of country, and to challenge ideals about Americana and who should be in what genre. Of course these topics were at the forefront of album discussion, leaving others behind. Many may not realize that Cowboy Carter isn’t just an on-brand moniker; she’s a character with her own [scandalous] storyline across eight songs. Hear me out: I believe Ms. C.C. is a woman who’s been betrayed one too many times by her cheating mate. It’s not enough to retaliate against him with infidelity and violence. She wants to get inside the minds of mistresses and cause others to ache like she does. Transforming herself into a vixen, she’s a poster child for “Hurt people, hurt people.”
It starts with “Bodyguard,” where there’s hints of jealousy and relationship discontent (ex. “You make me cry, you make me happy…I don't like the way she's lookin' at you”). When the infamous seductress “Jolene” shows up, it seems Ms. C.C. and her man will put up a united front. The teamwork is a figment of her imagination though. The male vocals echo and sound distant, as if they’re part of a dream. If he actually promised to “stand by her,” he broke that vow. Why else would she resort to beating Jolene bloody and contemplate murdering him on “Daughter?:” “How long can he hold his breath before his death?” The Italian lyrics of “Caro Mio Ben (My Dear Beloved)” in the bridge contain pleas for a “cruel” lover to stop their mistreatment. Beyoncé and Ms. C.C. interestingly intersect at “Jolene” and “Daughter.” The former’s interlude has Dolly Parton referring to 'Becky,' the foil of Beyoncé’s vulnerable adultery album Lemonade (2016). The latter has a quip about Bey using her notoriety to gain access to ‘Jolene.’
Despite the events, Ms. C.C.’s beau doesn’t change his ways. On “Alligator Tears,” she ribs herself for remaining excessively and unhealthily dedicated, and expresses frustration that her faithfulness goes unreciprocated. The tone of “Think about leaving? Hell no! Squeeze every ounce of love from my body, yeahhhh” is wonderfully sardonic. This is where she steps further to the bad side (Yes, that was a DreamGirls reference). “Riiverdance” finds Ms. C.C. conceding to the idea that her relationship is one of eternal hardship and mutual destruction. You can’t realistically run through a river. Trying to do so will be laborious…and futile. Yet, she can’t bring herself to ever let go of the guy. So, she decides to *Texas Hold ‘Em voice* stick around and try to comfort herself by dishing out what she’s taken. “Lies are hidden in her kisses.”
Ms. C.C. wrestles with her conscience throughout “II Hands to Heaven,” uttering prayers and chugging [Sir Davis] whiskey to cope. She views herself as someone who was once pure (ex. “Lost virgin”), but darkened in spirit after receiving “toxic roses” and being “chased by wolves and carnivores.” Yeah, that includes you, Jolene. This is reiterated with chorus parallels of horses and coyotes running wild; one is a threat to the other. She hopes to eventually “re-grow” her “broken wings,” but for now, she’ll offer fleeting, but exhilarating moments to those who can intrigue her (ex. Verse two). For a night, or maybe a few, she’ll see “your goals, your glow, your inner being.” The second half of “Hands” is widely interpreted as an uber romantic celebration of commitment, but I think it’s Ms. C.C. beguiling her latest paramour. Earlier in the song, there’s a mention of a summer fling who could play “the good guy,” and they’ll see “the best” in each other. Not only do her targets get a temporary utopia and perfect lover, she does too.
“Tyrant” lays it all out plainly in summation as the last cut in Ms. C.C.’s tale. We hear Dolly once more, calling the character by name and appropriately circling us back to “Jolene.” Ms. C.C. interviews her former nemesis about “how not cry” while enticing attached men. She needn’t ask about bedroom techniques, as she evidently excels there. She even has a signature—the cowgirl position (how fitting), which was centered in “Riiverdance” (i.e. “Bounce on that shit, no hands”). Nowhere near re-growing her wings, it appears she’s added being a fugitive to her repertoire. Shooting up bars, lying to law enforcement, and trying to get away are among her current activities. It’s safe to assume she isn’t with her main guy anymore. “I don’t want him back, but I can’t let go,” could just mean she still has the previous situation on her mind. Ms. C.C. leaves us haunted by a past that’s dictating her present, and we don’t know if she’ll be healed and redeemed in the future. It’s quite sad.
-The Cowboy Carter Character Seeks Vicarious Revenge by Whoring
-Beyoncé Feels Conflicted
-The Replay Value Isn’t That High
-Why the Album of the Year (AOTY) Grammy Win Means So Much
-Randomry (If Beyoncé Can Make Up Words Like “Bootylicious” So Can I)
The Cowboy Carter Character Seeks Vicarious Revenge by Whoring
By now, most people probably know that Cowboy Carter was born out of the negative, racially charged experience Beyoncé had at the 2016 Country Music Association awards (CMAs) performing with The Chicks. She was subsequently moved to do a project paying homage to her southern roots and the black originators of country, and to challenge ideals about Americana and who should be in what genre. Of course these topics were at the forefront of album discussion, leaving others behind. Many may not realize that Cowboy Carter isn’t just an on-brand moniker; she’s a character with her own [scandalous] storyline across eight songs. Hear me out: I believe Ms. C.C. is a woman who’s been betrayed one too many times by her cheating mate. It’s not enough to retaliate against him with infidelity and violence. She wants to get inside the minds of mistresses and cause others to ache like she does. Transforming herself into a vixen, she’s a poster child for “Hurt people, hurt people.”
It starts with “Bodyguard,” where there’s hints of jealousy and relationship discontent (ex. “You make me cry, you make me happy…I don't like the way she's lookin' at you”). When the infamous seductress “Jolene” shows up, it seems Ms. C.C. and her man will put up a united front. The teamwork is a figment of her imagination though. The male vocals echo and sound distant, as if they’re part of a dream. If he actually promised to “stand by her,” he broke that vow. Why else would she resort to beating Jolene bloody and contemplate murdering him on “Daughter?:” “How long can he hold his breath before his death?” The Italian lyrics of “Caro Mio Ben (My Dear Beloved)” in the bridge contain pleas for a “cruel” lover to stop their mistreatment. Beyoncé and Ms. C.C. interestingly intersect at “Jolene” and “Daughter.” The former’s interlude has Dolly Parton referring to 'Becky,' the foil of Beyoncé’s vulnerable adultery album Lemonade (2016). The latter has a quip about Bey using her notoriety to gain access to ‘Jolene.’
Despite the events, Ms. C.C.’s beau doesn’t change his ways. On “Alligator Tears,” she ribs herself for remaining excessively and unhealthily dedicated, and expresses frustration that her faithfulness goes unreciprocated. The tone of “Think about leaving? Hell no! Squeeze every ounce of love from my body, yeahhhh” is wonderfully sardonic. This is where she steps further to the bad side (Yes, that was a DreamGirls reference). “Riiverdance” finds Ms. C.C. conceding to the idea that her relationship is one of eternal hardship and mutual destruction. You can’t realistically run through a river. Trying to do so will be laborious…and futile. Yet, she can’t bring herself to ever let go of the guy. So, she decides to *Texas Hold ‘Em voice* stick around and try to comfort herself by dishing out what she’s taken. “Lies are hidden in her kisses.”
Ms. C.C. wrestles with her conscience throughout “II Hands to Heaven,” uttering prayers and chugging [Sir Davis] whiskey to cope. She views herself as someone who was once pure (ex. “Lost virgin”), but darkened in spirit after receiving “toxic roses” and being “chased by wolves and carnivores.” Yeah, that includes you, Jolene. This is reiterated with chorus parallels of horses and coyotes running wild; one is a threat to the other. She hopes to eventually “re-grow” her “broken wings,” but for now, she’ll offer fleeting, but exhilarating moments to those who can intrigue her (ex. Verse two). For a night, or maybe a few, she’ll see “your goals, your glow, your inner being.” The second half of “Hands” is widely interpreted as an uber romantic celebration of commitment, but I think it’s Ms. C.C. beguiling her latest paramour. Earlier in the song, there’s a mention of a summer fling who could play “the good guy,” and they’ll see “the best” in each other. Not only do her targets get a temporary utopia and perfect lover, she does too.
“Tyrant” lays it all out plainly in summation as the last cut in Ms. C.C.’s tale. We hear Dolly once more, calling the character by name and appropriately circling us back to “Jolene.” Ms. C.C. interviews her former nemesis about “how not cry” while enticing attached men. She needn’t ask about bedroom techniques, as she evidently excels there. She even has a signature—the cowgirl position (how fitting), which was centered in “Riiverdance” (i.e. “Bounce on that shit, no hands”). Nowhere near re-growing her wings, it appears she’s added being a fugitive to her repertoire. Shooting up bars, lying to law enforcement, and trying to get away are among her current activities. It’s safe to assume she isn’t with her main guy anymore. “I don’t want him back, but I can’t let go,” could just mean she still has the previous situation on her mind. Ms. C.C. leaves us haunted by a past that’s dictating her present, and we don’t know if she’ll be healed and redeemed in the future. It’s quite sad.
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