By Cammy Thomas
What can I say about the genre bending feat that is ‘Cowboy Carter’ that hasn’t already been said! Whether you think Beyoncé is an overhyped, marketing, and advertising behemoth, or an accomplished classically trained vocalist, you cannot deny her ability to explore new ways to express her artistry whilst simultaneously traversing a terrain of soundscapes and instrumentals to create a unique listening experience of fun and fusion, wholly achieved on her eighth studio album, ‘Cowboy Carter’. The album’s inception was sparked eight years prior, when Country Music Awards (CMA) viewers made it clear Beyoncé’s inclusion was not welcome after her performance with The Dixie Chicks at the 2016 CMA’s. Clearly this moment impacted Beyoncé, as unbeknownst to fans, she’d been quietly making lemonade out of the sour lemons slung her way by devout country music lovers, resulting in an insatiable thirst that cannot be quenched no matter how many times ‘Cowboy Carter’ is gulped down. This is a repeat play, no skips, concept album, which has decades of longevity instilled within its scope and ambition.
Soul shaking opener ‘American Requiem’ is multifaceted and packs a patriotic punch as Beyoncé pays homage to, places, events, and societal shifts from the past which shaped her and U.S culture. She contradictory states, “For things to remain the same they have to change again”, demonstrating how we observe societal changes with the passing of time, but when we look at the bigger picture, it is very much two steps forward, ten steps back as history inevitably repeats itself. ‘American Requiem’ has drawn comparisons to Queen’s brilliant ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, owing to how both songs are layered and multifaceted, showcasing differing moods. ‘American Requiem’ begins with a mournful dirge, morphing into a 60’s psychedelic instrumentation with lyrics of hope, and a call to come together and “Stand for somethin’, now is the time to face the wind”, The lyrics combined with 60’s vibe prompts images of a hippie convention at Woodstock! Beyoncé’s vocals are free and raw, with occasional yelps to make Tina Turner proud. The deliciously dense opener ends with Beyoncé wistfully saying her farewell to a time and life gone by.
Beyoncé seemingly arranged her 27-track album into portions, with each section representing a different mood and genre. Each portion of the album is heralded by country music pioneers, such as Linda Martell, and Willie Nelson, who have their own radio stations within the album. The first section of the album is what I term the heart and soul section, as this is where Beyoncé bares her innermost soul and exposes her vulnerability. We find the understated cover of the Beatles ‘Blackbiird’, a song inspired by black women’s struggles for equality during the American civil rights movements, making it apt that Beyoncé chose to invite four black country singers to join her on the song as her equals. All vocals here are tender against the simplistic acoustic guitar. We also have the country-tinged delicacy of ’16 carriages’, and ‘Protector’, where Beyoncé pledges to be her children’s protector and projector interchangeably, until they are old enough to shine alone.
Willie Nelson’s spoken word interlude signals a shift in the album’s tone as he introduces what I term the old meets new section of the album, filled with traditional country, with ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ remaining the most faithful to country’s roots. The track oozes line dancing in pointy toed cowboy boots, and double denim. We then go from the traditional country of yesteryear to Beyoncé’s interpretation of modern pop/rock with what is the best song on the album as far as I’m concerned; ‘Bodyguard’. This song delivers a dose of express endorphins, if this song had an aroma, it would be cotton linen and sea breeze Febreze! This is the song you’d blast as the wind coursed through your hair as you rode shotgun on a speedboat, as speckles of sea salt caressed your cheeks. Many opine the song is reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac, but it wouldn’t be an impostor on Belinda Carlisle’s set list either. ‘Bodyguard’ seamlessly transitions into Dolly Parton’s set up for ‘Jolene’ as we return to pure country. It was a joy to hear legendary Dolly Parton on a Beyoncé album, as she’d shared in recent years that she hoped to be around long enough to hear Beyoncé cover ‘Jolene’. Dolly P as she refers to herself here, got her wish, as she assists the old meets new crossover portion of the album by comparing her nemesis Jolene with Beyoncé’s very own nemesis ‘Becky’ (with the good hair), first introduced on Beyoncé’s 2016 ‘Lemonade’ album. The ‘Jolene’ cover remains faithful to the original, but Beyoncé modernises the 60-year-old song by warning Jolene not to come for her man instead of begging her as Dolly did. Beyoncé also uses modern slang to update the song “You a bird, go on and sing your tune Jolene”, “You don’t want the smoke, so go and shoot your shot with someone else”. I chuckled at how well Beyoncé blended current vernacular with a classic, much-loved song. The last song of the ‘old meets new’ section of the album, ‘Daughter’, allows Beyoncé to flex those classically trained pipes as she delivers a moving interpolation of ‘Cario Mio Ben’ in fluent Italian, a song renowned by opera singers worldwide who recite it to train their vocal cords. Beyoncé’s Italian is flawless, as proven by the hordes of Italian’s weeping upon first listen.
Up to this point of the album, proceedings are unfurling at a steady pace, we’re relaxing into ballads, traditional country ditties, and mid-tempo pop rock bops, we’ve come to know what to expect, or do we! It’s at this point Beyoncé decides to pull the rug from under our feet and flips us upside down! Country music legend Linda Martell (who was the first black country music star until she was banished from the genre because she happened to be born black) announces that genres are a funny concept that can make artists feel constrained within their limitations. We then hear a lone fiddle on the song ‘Spaghettii’, followed by a stomping hip hop beat, as Beyoncé RAPS her beehind* off over the now chopped and looped fiddle and thumping bass. It is a jaw dropping moment, and I found myself spluttering in disbelief “This woman used a fiddle, A FIDDLE! and fused it with a killer hip hop beat! Is she an alien”? This is also the second time on ‘Cowboy Carter’ Beyoncé pays homage to the Spaghetti Western genre, the first being the cinematic instrumental underpinning ‘Daughter’. Spaghetti Westerns were deemed impostors and immigrants by mainstream film industry, as so too was Beyoncé treated as an impostor by the CMA’s, and made to feel like an immigrant as a Texan born American woman! It’s also not lost on me that this song contains more twists than a plate of spaghetti, as the song turns, becoming a folk/soul song as country artist Shaboozey joins Beyoncé to “Howl to the moon”. Beyoncé embraces her outlaw status and experiments with splicing and reshaping genres. Once we’ve untangled ourselves from ‘Spaghetti’, Beyoncé returns to tradition and slows the tempo for blues/Country ‘Alligator Tears’, which I’ve recently come to appreciate, for its simplicity and emotive vocal, now that the album has now had a chance to breathe and flourish.
Willie Nelson ushers in the ‘Americana’ / pop country section of the album with his distinct drawl, as he introduces ‘Just for Fun’ which is beguiling of its title, as it’s a slow tempo, gospel song supported by acoustic guitar, sincere strings, and smatterings of harmonica. Willie Nelson’s namesake, featured artist Willie Jones’ raspy vocal compliments Beyoncé’s low timbre, as he holds his own on a lone verse. A lasting impression of ‘Cowboy Carter’ is that it’s guaranteed to expand your musical repertoire, as each artist featured on the album leaves you with the urge to explore their previous works. Beyoncé’s Thelma and Louise moment comes on her duet with Miley Cyrus on ‘II Most Wanted’. A duo you would not instantly pair, however their vocals meld beautifully, creating a ‘Me and you against the world’ vibe, as both vocals soar to powerful crescendos. Staying with the pop/country genre, the most flirtatious duet on the album is surprisingly between Beyoncé and former rapper, turned country artist, Post Malone. Both trade flirty verses and double entendres such as Posty wishing he was Beyoncé’s Levi jeans so he can “Hug that ass all day long”, elsewhere Beyoncé teases “Baby lemme rattle that snake with my venom”. Post Malone delivers a strong vocal complete with country twang on the chorus. ‘Flamenco’ serves as an interlude bridge of sorts, between the third and fourth section of the album we are about to experience. It’s one of the more compelling songs on the album, its only crime is that it’s far too short. Beyoncé takes the traditional rhythm of the flamenco we’ve all heard before on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ and slows it right down, making the well-known signature sound of Flamenco completely unique. It’s also astounding how Beyoncé can flit between 3 or 4 octave ranges in the space of a few seconds within the same sentence!
Veteran country singer Linda Martell returns and has the honour of introducing the final section of the album and attempts to prepare the audience for ‘Ya Ya’, but nothing can prepare you for this rollicking rip tide ride of American music history, whilst being instructed to do the dances of each decade! (“We snappin’”, “We jerkin’”). Beyoncé takes us on a head spinning, electric journey, and cements her status as musicologist in my humble opinion, as she skilfully explores pivotal genres and songs in her ode to American pop culture. This song is ‘Grease’, meets ‘Dirty Dancing’, meets the swinging 60’s, meets history lesson! Revered American artists The Beach Boys and Nancy Sinatra are sampled amongst others, as Beyoncé lets loose, singing in a style that was synonymous with that time, as she delivers an animated bass vocal in places. The song serves as a pastiche of sounds and cultural trends spanning the last 50 years, get ready to shake your bootylicious jelly to this one!!
As we are now deep into the final segment of ‘Cowboy Carter’, the section links to Act I ‘Renaissance’, of Beyoncé’s intended trilogy. The songs here echo ‘Renaissance’s’ themes of disco, house, and dance. Beyoncé eases us in gently before she hits us with full on dance tracks with country elements. ‘Desert Eagle’ contains electric guitar plucks and strums with Beyoncé breathily singing about do-si-do-ing at the rodeo. Beyoncé becomes the fuse-ilator and hybrid honcho yet again, as we are treated to a banjo entwined with a pulsing house beat as we’re instructed to “Bounce on that sh*t dance, Bounce on that sh*t, no hands’, as she serenades in her mid and upper ranges. ‘II Hands to Heaven’ is the most faithful to Act I’s house/dance theme, as this heavenly track succeeds in conjoining both albums as cohesive bodies of work from the same trilogy. The lyric, “We partied in Venus, and we woke up in Mars” depicts the Act I / Act II link vividly.
THE biggest surprise on the album for me comes when Dolly Parton moseys on up to exclaim “Cowboy Carter! Time to strike a match, and light up this juke joint”. Now it’s Dolly P, so of course I was expecting some pretty little country duet to close out the album, but Beyoncé continues her streak of unpredictability by tricking us with a sweet harmonious pre chorus, then unexpectedly (or maybe it hurtled in from that party she held on Venus one song ago, like a piece of rouge debris from an alien spaceship!!) THE most bad ass bassline I’ve heard in years drops and tears up the track. I can’t put it any better than You tuber Zach Campbell upon first hearing ‘Tyrant’ – “YOU PUT DOLLY PARTON ON A TRILL BEAT!!!”. It’s an unbelievably exhilarating moment to hear, as the song morphs into something completely different. We have a violin interwoven with an infectiously dense trap beat, as Beyoncé sing-raps “Hangman got that woah there, don’t act like you don’t know, giddy up, giddy up!”. Beyoncé’s vocal is pure seductress in charge, and it’s clear she relishes the role. Interestingly it’s debated whether the hangman referenced by Beyonce, is her husband, herself, or the flame haired antagonist Jolene! All to be revealed in Act III; potentially! Penultimate track ‘Sweet Honey Buckiin’ is a three-horse race galloping to the finish line of the album’s grand finale, as we’re treated to a three-tier celebration of Beyoncé’s origins as she sings sweetly about putting grits on the stove and coming home to the rodeo. Shaboozey is back to big up his country roots alongside Beyoncé. A defining theme of the album is all featured artists have two features on ‘Cowboy Carter’ to emphasise we are experiencing Act II. Shaboozey proudly proclaims he’ll be a country boy until his dying breath, and of course this is all confirmed with a hearty “Yee hawwww”. Beyoncé drizzles honey all over the mid-section of the song as the instrumental is stripped back and sultry harmonies reign supreme. The last part of the song demonstrates how Beyoncé bucks against detractors and setbacks- “A.O.T.Y** I ain’t win…take that shit on the chin” as she determinedly shakes off negativity like a bucking mechanical bull and empowers others to remain resilient.
Beyoncé again effortlessly blends past with present, on gospel closing track ‘Amen’. She sings directly to her ancestors as she emphasises with their lingering pain as the ‘house’, a metaphor for America, which was built on their backs has crumbled over the years to reveal the oppressive social structures underpinning American society, are still very much in place today. “This house was built with blood and bone, and it crumbled, the statues they made were beautiful, they were lies of stone! Beyoncé proves once again that she’s “A clever girl”, when the instrumental shifts to become identical to the instrumental on opening track ‘American Requiem’, bringing the album full circle. Although the lyrics are similar to those sung at the end of “American Requiem’, there are some poignant changes which alter the way the message is perceived on ‘Amen’. “I’ll be the one to cleanse me of my father’s sins” becomes “We’ll be the one to purify our father sins”, suggesting she is referring to her own fathers discretion’s on the opening track, and speaking to society on the closing track, as though she cleansed herself from her father’s sins throughout the album by basking in the medicinal healing properties of the music she created, simultaneously reconnecting her to her country roots. Another poignant lyric change – “Those big ideas were buried here”, becomes “Those big ideas are buried here”, the former signifying the ancestor’s tireless advocacy for change and equality, and the latter referring to the changes Beyoncé’s generation were unable to enact, as a new beacon of hope is lit and passed to the next generation.
The album closes as powerfully as it opened, as we dismount our horses and sling our saddles in the corner of the stable, we all feel weary yet completely satisfied as we’ve galloped past a multitude of genres interwoven throughout the tapestry of time. At times we’ve slowed to a gentle trot to admire the Texan view enriching ourselves within its history curated by lead Jockey Ms honeybee. ‘Cowboy Carter’ is not just an album, but a complete immersive experience, which requires the listener to absorb and digest its themes over time, to grasp and understand its full intention. ‘Cowboy Carter’ is an album that reclaims, reminisces, reshapes, and redesigns what is fondly remembered, and what people thought they knew! Giddy up Act III, the beyhive awaits you!
*Beehind – Beyonce’s fans are affectionately known as the Beyhive and Beyoncé is often to referred to by them as queen Bey/queen bee
** A.O.T.Y – Album of the year, coveted award bestowed by the Grammy’s which despite Beyoncé’s 32 Grammy awards, is yet to win. Her husband infamously called out the Grammy’s at the February 2024 ceremony for the continual oversight
Photo Credits: Shaboozey – Daniel Prakopcy, Blackbiird singers – John Shearer / Getty Images, Willie Jones – Jabari Jacobs, Miley Cyrus – Getty Images / Grammys, Dolly Parton – Stacie Huckeba, Beyonce main image– Parkwood Entertainment, Beyoncé red – Beyonce / Instagram, Beyoncé in chaps – Beyonce / Instagram / Pop Tingz
Dine On Grime / Munch on music 