Queen Bey is back in the musical saddle and this time she is coming into the rodeo guns blazing. On March 29, Beyoncé dropped her eighth studio album, “Cowboy Carter,” two years after her last album, “Renaissance.” “Cowboy Carter” has a whopping 27 songs with a running time of 78 minutes, featuring many notable collaborations such as Miley Cyrus, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Linda Martell and Post Malone alongside the vocals of more up-and-coming Black artists, such as Shaboozey, Willie Jones, Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy and Reyna Roberts. Furthermore, “Cowboy Carter” features sound bites of many well-known songs by prominent Black artists, such as Son House, Roy Hamilton, Miles Davis, Chuck Berry and Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
Technically speaking, the album is Beyoncé’s first country-based record, but she is quickly proving that it is not the average country album in the average country genre. Through her lyrical brilliance and her platform, Beyoncé is showing that she can use her music as a greater agent of change.
In the opening lines of “American Requiem” — her opening song on the album — Beyoncé addresses criticisms of her exploration into the country genre. Beyoncé sings: “Nothin’ really ends/For things to stay the same, they have to change again/Hello, my old friend/You change your name, but not the ways you play pretend.” These opening verses can be interpreted as both a commentary on the development of the country genre and the reconstruction of racist hierarchical structures. She hints that the reinvention of country music stems from the exclusion of Black artists from the genre, aided further by institutions that pretend to be inclusive but only contribute to the subordination of Black people. Moreover, Beyoncé hints at the double standards that plague Black country artists, especially Black women. She sings: “Used to say I spoke too country/And the rejection came, said I wasn’t country ‘nough/ Said I wouldn’t saddle up, but if that ain’t country, tell me what is?/Plant my bare feet on solid ground for years/They don’t, don’t know how hard I had to fight for this.” In these lyrics, it is clear that Beyoncé is constantly subject to scrutiny by others in the country genre and general music industry. However, as evident through “Cowboy Carter,” Beyoncé has come to understand her worth and place in the genre, citing her deep Southern and Black roots as validation.
Moreover, in “American Requiem,” Beyoncé emphasizes how the exclusion of Black Americans extends far beyond the country genre to the structure of America itself. She sings: “Goodbye to what has been/A pretty house that we never settled in/…I am the one to cleanse me of my Father’s sin.” In these verses, Beyoncé uses the metaphor of a “pretty house” to symbolize the America that Black Americans have always aspired to be a part of — one cloaked in patriotism, determination and prosperity. Yet, Black people have never been able to fully integrate into this picture-perfect nation due to the individuals and institutions that purposely excluded them, such as the Founding Fathers that Beyoncé references. However, through her music, Beyoncé is trying to avenge the treatment of Black Americans, asking for accountability and change. In other words, “Cowboy Carter” is not just a renunciation of racist practices; it’s an education as well.
Many of the songs on “Cowboy Carter” speak to Beyoncé’s personal struggles and turning to positivity during difficult times. In her remake of The Beatles’ famous song “Blackbird” (renamed “Blackbird” on “Cowboy Carter”), Beyoncé sings about her unwavering hope through times of adversity. Similarly, in “Just For Fun,” Beyoncé turns to a higher power, asking it to help guide her and find her purpose again in making music. However, Beyoncé knows that she cannot put all her trust in this greater power — she is an agent of her own change and happiness. She sings: “I need to get through this/ Or just get used to it,” an acknowledgement of Beyoncé’s trust in herself and her ability to once again make music that she loves.
Additionally, Beyoncé highlights the pressure she faces both as a performer and mother: In “16 Carriages,” Beyoncé details her early rise to fame and the consistent struggles of tour life. In the first verse, she sings: “At fifteen, the innocence was gone astray/Had to leave my home at an early age/I saw Mama prayin’, I saw Daddy grind/All my tender problems, had to leave behind.” In these lyrics, Beyoncé explains how she had to step into an adult position at a young age to provide for her family, creating a mindset that she could not fail for the sake of those who relied on her. As the song progresses, Beyoncé shows that she continues to apply this mindset to her life, now for the sake of her children rather than her parents. She sings: “It’s been thirty-eight summers, and I’m not in my bed/On the back of the bus in a bunk with the band/Goin’ so hard, now I miss my kids/Overworked and kids/Overworked and overwhelmed/I might cook, clean, but still won’t fold.” Once again, Beyoncé’s self-sacrifice and self preservation shine through her lyrics. She proves that while all of the odds might be against her, she is willing to do whatever it takes to prove to herself worthy, whether this be in the music industry or in her family.
The second half of “Cowboy Carter” largely centers around Beyoncé’s complicated relationship with her husband, Jay-Z and the tensions spurred by Jay-Z’s infidelity. While Beyoncé has hinted about her marital woes with Jay-Z in previous albums, such as “Lemonade,” “Cowboy Carter” provides further insight into Beyoncé’s perspective on her marital issues. In her remake of Dolly Parton’s well-known song, “Jolene” (titled “Jolene” on “Cowboy Carter”), Beyoncé revamps Parton’s lyrics; rather than pleading for Jolene to stay away from her man, Beyoncé warns Jolene not to mess with her or her family. She sings: “We’ve been deep in love for twenty years/I raised that man, I raised his kids/I know my man better than he knows himself/I know my man better than he knows himself/I can easily understand why you’re attracted to my man/But you don’t want this smoke, so shoot your shot with someone else.” In these lyrics, Beyoncé refuses to let Jolene win. Rather, she reclaims her power, showing Jolene that her husband will always have an allegiance to her over anything else.
However, Beyoncé shows that she will also not settle for her husband’s infidelity. In her song “Daughter,” Beyoncé sings: “They keep sayin’ that I ain’t nothin’ like my father/But I’m the furthest thing from choir boys and altars/If you cross me, I’m just like my father/I am colder than Titanic water.” In these lyrics, Beyoncé emphasizes that while she might not have agreed with her father’s practices during her upbringing, she came to understand her worth — something deeply taken advantage of by Jay-Z through his infidelity. In other words, “Daughter” serves as a warning to her husband, cautioning him to not take advantage of her again. In addition to her expression of anger, Beyoncé also mourns the trust between her and her husband — something that can never be reclaimed following his infidelity. In “Flamenco”, Beyoncé sings: “I hope you know that I once loved you/I wish that I’d known you’d let me wonder/…Realize that you don’t know what you got until it’s gone.” Beyoncé understands that while she will always love her husband, things will never be the same between them after the way he treated her and lied to her.
Despite her anger and pain related to her husband’s infidelity, Beyoncé still remains protective of her relationship with Jay-Z. She details this defense in her song “Bodyguard,” where she sings “Be your best friend/I protect you in the mosh pit/And I’ll defend you in the gossip.” Beyoncé acknowledges that her relationship with Jay-Z is incredibly complex and layered, with a core made out of love and kinship. Only her and Jay-Z will ever know the truth about their relationship, and that is how it shall stay.
“Cowboy Carter” is a narrative performance that transcends boundaries. It is a prototype of what is possible with the amalgamation of different musical intonations and the construction of new platforms for rising artists. Additionally, it is a call for collective action to resist racist historical practices and American institutions. But, above all, it is a reclamation of Beyoncé’s power, a restoration of her sense of purpose. On “Cowboy Carter,” Beyoncé has finally found the thing she has been searching for all these years: her humanity.
