Beyoncé debuted her super mysterious Lemonade TV special on Saturday, and while the hour-long special featured music, dance, and much more, the project was powerful in more ways than one. Beyoncé's Lemonade, a visual album, featured home video clips from the singer's childhood, intimate (though mysterious and unclear) details about her personal life and marriage to Jay Z, hints about possible cheating and infidelity, and haunting imagery. While a major common thread through all of these different aspects of the album/TV special is certainly the mysteriousness of it all (no one is quite sure what everything means as of yet), many of the lyrics of Bey's songs (now streaming for your listening pleasure on Tidal, of course) were decidedly feminist.
While we may never know, even with major speculation, exactly what Queen Bey was implying throughout Lemonade, we can decidedly say that her lyrics are powerful, empowering, and emotional. I know I certainly wasn't the only one getting chills throughout the entire HBO special. Come on. While each song was different (everything from acoustic, stripped down songs to piano ballads are on Lemonade), the lyrics were all incredibly emotional. And, in true Beyoncé fashion, most of them speak to the beauty of being a strong woman. Here are seven examples feminist lyrics from Lemonade that you might have missed (but shouldn't).
1. "Hold Up"
What's worse, lookin' jealous or crazy?Jealous and crazyAll like been walked all over lately, walked all over latelyI'd rather be crazy
Beyoncé throws the idea of being jealous over someone after being treated badly and "walked all over" in the world's face.
2. "Don't Hurt Yourself"
Who the f*ck do you think I am?You ain't married to no average bitch boyYou can watch my fat ass twist boyAs I bounce to the next dick boyAnd keep your money, I got my own
Get a bigger smile on my face, being alone
"Don't Hurt Yourself" had a few feminist gems, with this being one of the best sections of the song.
3. "Don't Hurt Yourself"
I am the dragon breathing fireBeautiful man I'm the lionBeautiful man I know you're lyingI am not broken, I'm not crying, I'm not crying
Queen Bey, dragon, lion, etc. Beyoncé is everything, and she is not broken or crying of anyone.
4. "Don't Hurt Yourself"
When you lie to me, you lie to yourselfYou only lying to yourselfWhen you love me, you love yourselfLove God herself
Hell yes, God can be a woman, says Beyoncé.
5. "Sorry"
Middle fingers up, put them hands highWave it in his face, tell him, boy, byeTell him, boy, bye, middle fingers upI ain't thinking 'bout you
Boy, bye.
6. "Sorry"
Now I'm the one that's lyingAnd I don't feel bad about itIt's exactly what you getStop interrupting my grindingI ain't thinking 'bout you
"Stop interrupting my grinding. I ain't thinking 'bout you." YUP.
7. "6 Inch"
Stars in her eyesShe fights for the power, keeping timeShe grinds day and nightShe grinds from Monday to FridayWorks from Friday to SundayShe gon' slangShe too smart to crave material thingsShe grinds from Monday to FridayWorks from Friday to SundayOh stars in her eyesShe fights and she sweats those sleepless nightsBut she don't mind she loves the grindShe grinds from Monday to Friday
All hail Beyoncé.
Lyrics are, by nature, open to interpretation. So there's a possibility that what you take a certain line in a song to mean might not be exactly what Beyoncé was trying to say. But the ideas of Lemonade are the same regardless. Beyoncé is a woman who has been hurt, angry, in denial, and everything between — but she wants the world to know she's still here, still strong, and still a powerful force who is just as influential as any man will ever be. What's more feminist than that?
