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1:40
This song comes from Beyonce's visual album "Lemonade". The first minute and a half is video of a spoken word piece. The song starts at 1:40. -
1:40-1:51
Simple chords sampled from the song "I Can't Get Used to Losing You" are played alongside wooden blocks. These are played throughout the entire song (unless noted otherwise). I've made notes for the other forms of instrumentation throughout the song. 1:50 an "oo" sound is sung from what seems like the distance. 1:51 Distant and quiet air horns are played in the background alongside the instrumentation mentioned above. This is the first reference to popular Caribbean music in the song. -
1:52 (Chorus)
Beyonce sings in a breathy, calm tone. The chorus is another reference to a song by the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs called "Maps". -
2:00
"oo" enters for a few seconds -
2:05
Beyonce continues to sing the chorus and digs deeper at this point, adding some contrast to her voice. There is a stronger sense of anger and determination in her voice. The air horns make an appearance again. -
2:10
"oo" sound enters for a few seconds -
2:11
Abrupt change in Beyonce's tone. She sings in a very sweet, breathy way. No one loves him like she does. -
2:15
Air horns enter for a few seconds -
2:16 (Verse)
Beyonce's tone is no longer sweet and romantic -
2:27
Beyonces changes her vocal rhythms a lot. It is more staccato, closer to speaking. The Caribbean influence is more apparent in her articulation and she gradually songs more angry. -
2:32
Iconic line. Her tone is angry and powerful. These emotions are communicated through her use of the low register and making her voice a bit more raspy and raw. -
2:35
"oo" sounds and abstract female voice plays in background for a few seconds -
2:39 (Refrain)
Beyonce's voice is more legato and comes back to a slightly higher register compared to last section. This section is new and adds contrast. Wood blocks enter in the background and continue to have a part in the song -
2:50 (Chorus)
Beyonce's voice returns to a softer, more romantic tone but it is much harsher than it was in the beginning of the song. Bass drum enters, only plays one or two beats at a time and continues to play throughout this section -
3:07
Wood blocks stop playing but the other instruments continue -
3:11
Bass drum stops playing and the sampled song continues to play. -
3:13 (Verse)
Beyonce's dynamics are much quieter, almost like a whisper. The register she sings in is very low and she sings with a breathy quality. It almost sounds like she is speaking. -
3:26
Seamlessly goes back to singing more smoothly and legato -
3:28
Beyonce stops singing after the word "No." She then starts to sing in the more breathy, low, staccato style again. -
3:36
Caribbean feel is brought back when Beyonce sings in Patois. At the end of this line a metallic rattle or drum noise plays and the air horns enter for a few seconds. The metal sound continues throughout this section and seems to parallel the sound of her bat hitting things in the video -
3:38 (Chorus)
Beyonce sings the chorus again but differently from the first time, there is no longing in it. -
3:59 (Bridge)
Beyonce sings in a higher register with a much louder dynamic. Notes are held out longer and much smoother. There is a hint of pain in her tone. Switches back to only the sample playing and wood blocks come in and play throughout this section. The metallic echo of her bat is gone. -
4:06
Beyonce sings much faster and reverts to lower pitches and a breathier voice. She seems to regain composure and determination. Kick drum and wood blocks enter with a steady pulse moving the song forward. -
4:09
Rapid air horns enter again for few seconds signaling a climax in the song -
4:12 (Refrain)
Beyonce adds contrast again by singing in a softer way than before. -
4:15
Vocal harmony is added here. This is a repeated section but different because of the harmony. Air horns exit and sample plays alone. -
4:23
Air horns enter -
4:25 (Chorus)
Harmonies are added to this section and the voices are breathy. Sample played alongside woodblocks softly. -
4:47 (Outro)
Beyonce sings in a high register, very breathy. This section is more playful. "What's up" is sung in an altered way. She exits the song singing "what's up." This section is a reference to a song called "Turny My Swag On" by Soulja Boy. All instruments exit besides the bass drum. The bass plays minimal pulses throughout. -
5:02
"oo" sound enters again as bass drum plays, three seconds later the air horns enter but very quietly. -
5:09
The song ends with only the bass drum playing minimally.
