Beyoncé, Lemonade | Lyrical Spotlight

‘Lemonade,’ the sixth studio album from Beyoncé is chocked full of lyrics deserving analysis and expert commentary. We’ll provide both.  

Beyoncé shocked the world by dropping her sixth album Lemonade on April 23, 2016. Besides shocking by merely releasing a new album, the content on Lemonade is also shocking, showing Beyoncé’s more personal side and offering in some respects a ‘different look’ for Queen Bey. Yours truly was onboard. But why not analyze Lemonade ever further – let’s examine the lyrics!!! 

 “Pray You Catch Me”

1. “You can taste the dishonesty / it’s all over your breath as you pass it off so cavalier / but even that’s a test / constantly aware of it all” – “Pray You Catch Me”

Commentary: Beyoncé sees he’s lying through his teeth… The question is, is “he” Jay-Z?

2. “Can’t you see there’s no other man above you? / What a wicked way to treat the girl that loves you / hold up, they don’t love you like I love you / oh, down, they don’t love you like I love you” – “Hold Up”

Commentary: Beyoncé loves her boo, presumably Jay-Z if you’re being speculative. But whoever the man is in “Hold Up,” she’s angry because he did her wrong while to her, “he’s the world.”

3. “Going through your call list / I don’t wanna lose my pride, but I’mma fuck me up a bitch” – “Hold Up”  

Commentary: This needs translation – Queen Bey made herself clear.

4. “What’s worse, lookin’ jealous or crazy? / Jealous or crazy? / Or like being walked all over lately, walked all over lately / I’d rather be crazy” – “Hold Up”

Commentary: Beyoncé’s pride is important. Either way, she feels that she’s compromising it, but feels it’s better to show her “crazy” side as opposed to jealousy. Why? “They don’t love you like I love you.” If you watch Lemonade the visual, you see Beyoncé acting crazy, breaking things with her baseball bat.

“Don’t Hurt Yourself”

5. “Who the fuck do you think I is? / You ain’t married to no average bitch boy / you can watch my fat ass twist boy / as I bounce to the next dick boy” – “Don’t Hurt Yourself”

 Commentary: Doesn’t he know that she’s the Queen? She doesn’t have to stand for his BS – there’s “plenty of other fish in the sea” that would love to hook up with her. She’s right about that! 

6. “Blindly in love, I fucks with you / ‘til I realize, I’m just too much for you” – “Don’t Hurt Yourself”

Commentary: Beyoncé didn’t see her man’s faults initially, hence why she embraced him and, hooked up with him if you take the f-bomb literally. But after he cheated, she realized she’s the better person aka too good for him.

7. “Hey baby, who the fuck do you think I is? / I smell that fragrance on your Louis knit boy / Just give my fat ass a big kiss boy / tonight I’m fucking up all your shit boy” – “Don’t Hurt Yourself” 

Commentary: Beyoncé smells the mistress’ perfume on Jay-Z – I mean her boo’s high fashion clothing. She’s got something for him, and it’s not making love…

8. “Uh, this is your final warning / you know I give you life / if you try this shit again / you gon’ lose your wife” – “Don’t Hurt Yourself” 

Commentary: Beyoncé is going to forgive him, but not forget. If he cheats again, she’s out.

“Sorry”

9. “He trying to roll me up, I ain’t picking up / headed to the club, I ain’t thinking ‘bout you / me and my ladies sip my D’usse cup / I don’t give a fuck, chucking my deuces up” – “Sorry”

Commentary: Even though Beyoncé is forgiving him, she’s about to have a girl’s night out to recuperate from his BS. 

10. “Middle fingers up, put them hands high / wave it in his face, tell him, boy, bye” – “Sorry”

Commentary: In Shakespearean times, this would be the equivalent of “I bite my thumb at you.” In 2016, it means f#$% you.

“6 Inch”

11. “Six inch heels, she walked in the club like nobody’s business / god damn, she murdered everybody and I was her witness” – “6 Inch” 

Commentary: This woman was confident – fierceness exemplified. 

12. “She stack her money, money everywhere she goes / she got that Sake, her Yamazaki straight from Tokyo / Oh baby you know, she got them commas and them decimals / she don’t gotta give it up cause she professional” – “6 Inch” 

Commentary: This woman is on the grind, working hard for her money.

13. “She too smart to crave material things / she pushing herself day and night / she grinds from Monday to Friday / works from Friday to Sunday…” – “6 Inch”

Commentary: Again, hard working woman trying to make ends meet. 

“Daddy Lessons”

14. “With his gun, with his head held high / he told me not to cry / Oh, my daddy said shoot / Oh, my daddy said shoot” – “Daddy Lessons” 

Commentary: Since this is a country song, the “gun” thing could be taken literally. But ultimately, the gun references are metaphorical, particularly when it comes to Beyoncé or the character that she portrays seeking success. 

15. “Ten times out of nine, I know you’re lying / but nine times out of ten, I know you’re trying / so I’m trying to be fair / and you’re trying to be there and to care” – “Love Drought” 

Commentary: After the cheating, Beyoncé and her man are trying to heal.

16. “Cause you, you, you, you, and me could move a mountain / you, you, you, you, and me could calm a war down…/…you and me could stop this love drought” – “Love Drought” 

Commentary: Beyoncé and Hov, they make a mean couple… 

“Sandcastles”

17. “Dishes smashed out my counter from our last encounter / pictures snatched out the frame / bitch, I scratched out your name and your face / what is it about you that I can’t erase, baby?” – “Sandcastles”

Commentary: Yeah, Beyoncé is still pissed… 

18. “Tryna rain, tryna rain on the thunder / tell the storm I’m new / I’mma walk, I’mma march on the regular / painting white flags blue / Lord forgive me, I’ve been running / running blind in truth / I’mma rain, I’mma rain on this bitter love / tell the sweet I’m new” – “Freedom”

Commentary: Beyoncé has a new outlook – nothing can stop her from reclaiming her shine! 

19. “I break chains all by myself / won’t let my freedom rot in hell / Hey! I’mma keep running / Cause a winner don’t quit on themselves” – “Freedom” 

Commentary: See the commentary for #18.

“All Night”

20. “Our love was stronger than your pride / beyond your darkness, I’m your light…/Baptize your tears and dry your eyes” – “All Night” 

Commentary: Beyoncé makes him a better man – she’s his world and the one who truly loves him.

21. “Y’all haters corny with that Illuminati mess / Paparazzi, catch my fly, and my cocky flesh / I’m so reckless when I rock my Givenchy dress / I’m so possessive so I rock his Roc necklaces” – “Formation”

Commentary: Yeah, the Illuminati thing is corny and it’s always associated with Beyoncé and Jay Z. Here, she’s definitely on board with Jay, considering she states, “I’m so possessive so I rock his Roc necklaces.”