11 Beyonce Songs for the '50 Shades' Soundtrack

So, Beyoncé is a 50 Shades of Grey fan. Who knew? Then again, when you think about it I suppose it does make sense. If there's any celebrity who is a firm advocate of female sexuality and the exploration thereof, it's Beyoncé. Still, it came as a surprise when Beyoncé posted a 50 Shades mini-trailer to her Instagram over the weekend since none of us knew she was involved in the film at all. In fact, we still don't know the extent of her involvement in the film. Is she making a cameo? Is she on the soundtrack? Did she really just make a fan trailer of her own because she was bored? What's going on, Yoncé?

Personally, I'm with the camp of people who believe that Instagram video was Beyoncé's way of telling us that she's going to be on the 50 Shades of Grey soundtrack. If that slowed version of "Crazy in Love" isn't going to be the actual song overlaying the 50 Shades trailer that will debut on Thursday, then it's a complete missed opportunity on the part of the marketing department. In fact, why even bother to have other artists on the 50 Shades soundtrack? They should just treat the album as a compilation of Beyoncé's best (and sexiest) hits.

If 50 Shades of Grey is looking for some Beyoncé songs to flesh out that soundtrack, then I've got some suggestions for them.

1. "Partition"

It's a wonder this isn't the song that Beyoncé chose to be the backdrop to her 50 Shades of Grey teaser, since it's definitely one of the most sexually explicit songs she's ever done. In fact, 50 Shades is going to have to work hard to be sexier than the "Partition" music video.

2. "Crazy in Love"

The original "Crazy in Love" had a quicker tempo than the one from the teaser, but if Beyoncé's about to debut a slower, sultrier cover of her first number one single as a solo artist, then I am not going to complain. Uh oh uh oh uh oh oh no no, indeed.

3. "Baby Boy"

Beyoncé's collaboration with Sean Paul featured Beyoncé practically moaning the verses onto the track and making her listeners confused as to whether they wanted to dance or hook up or both. If the lyric "yes, no, hurt me so good baby, oh" doesn't describe Ana Steele and her Inner Goddess, we weren't reading the same book.

4. "Check On It"

If they're looking for a good go-to club song for the scene where Ana goes out drinking with her friends and Christian comes and picks her up (which is a nice way of summarizing it), then they need look no further than "Check On It", which is as come hither as a club hit can possibly be. By that point in the story, Christian was definitely likin' what he sees.

5. "Sweet Dreams"

Is Christian Grey a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare? Either way, Ana Steele doesn't want to wake up from him. Seriously, "Sweet Dreams" is basically the entire plot of 50 Shades of Grey summarized in a single three minute song. It's about that guy who crawls under your skin and just won't leave, which sums up roughly (pun intended) the first half of Christian and Ana's relationship.

6. "Love On Top"

"Love On Top" summarizes the other half of Christian and Ana's relationship. The whole time he was looking for kinky sex, she was falling hard and hoping that he would fall for her too. This song is all about that joyous moment when the guy you like finally returns your feelings and the shift that causes in a relationship.

7. "Kitty Kat"

"Kitty Kat" is a sultry, reggae-inspired song that's less about sex and more about a girl who feels neglected and hard-done-by the guy she's into. Ana's a bit too naive to go cruising for other guys like "Kitty Kat" encourages, but that hot and cold feeling along with the musical dissonance in the song sum up her conflict pretty well.

8. "Drunk in Love"

"Drunk in Love" is another one of those songs that doesn't need much explanation for why it applies to Christian and Ana from 50 Shades. Even the title alone is enough of a summary. If there's one thing that Christian makes Ana feel besides the obvious, it's drunk in love.

9. "XO"

If not "Love On Top" then "XO" should be the song that encapsulates the magic of Christian and Ana finally being in a loving relationship rather than just a sexual one. It's about love and lust and joy and sex all wrapped up in one perfect song that practically invites celebrity covers of it.

10. "Naughty Girl"

All right, so Ana's not exactly good at being Christian's naughty girl, but she's got that Inner Goddess thing going on and she definitely gets points for trying. Practically every time they meet up, he's drawing the naughty side out of a woman that would otherwise be the world's biggest ingenue, so the song definitely fits.

11. "Countdown"

Any song with a lyric that says "we be making love in five" as part of the titular countdown belongs on the 50 Shades of Grey soundtrack, okay? It's more energetic than it is sultry, but the lyrics are every bit as loving and sexual as we're all coming to expect from the 50 Shades film. With all of these songs and more at their disposal, why would the soundtrack need any other artists on it?

Image: Beyoncé.com