These days, every high-profile Instagrammer and their mom has made a reel using Beyoncé’s new “Texas Hold ’Em” as the track. The song, which Beyoncé released Feb. 11, is catchy on its face, so it’s understandable why it has become so popular.
Beyoncé’s most recent releases — country songs “Texas Hold ’Em” and “16 Carriages” — have climbed the charts since their release.
“Texas Hold ’Em” has sat at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, and “16 Carriages” sits at number 38 as of this week. They mark Beyoncé’s second attempt to jump from her typical world of R&B and hip-hop into the country universe, following a 2016 single off her album “Lemonade.”
Today’s standards for what makes music country have drastically changed since the genre’s peak in the ’90s. By today’s country standards, some find Beyoncé’s songs to be top-notch, but they are mediocre at best.
“Texas Hold ’Em,” a tribute to Beyoncé’s Texas upbringing, features a promising folk-like guitar and banjo intro. Things go downhill from there.
Beyoncé spends the entire song begging her partner to dance with her and douse her in alcohol.
The song is frankly mind-numbing. There is little variety in rhythm and melody, and every verse feels the same. The same bass drum kick persists through all verses and choruses, ultimately making the song monotonous.
The song’s outro is especially confusing. It’s as if Beyoncé couldn’t decide what genre to end the song with. She toys around with country, pop, and some awkward spoken word, but there is no compelling synthesis between the three. It leaves the listener utterly puzzled and probably disgusted, which sums up the song in general.
Her second and less popular song, “16 Carriages,” emotionally involves listeners with a much friendlier, more understandable message.
Beyoncé sings of the pains of growing up — especially as a young adult in the music industry — and the relationship changes that occur between parents and children. First she mourns her own childhood and relationship with her parents before singing about her life and children in the present day.
“It’s been thirty-eight summers, and I’m not in my bed… / Goin’ so hard, now I miss my kids / Overworked and overwhelmed… / Still workin’ all my life, you know,” Beyoncé sings.
There is intense meaning behind the words Beyoncé sings as she effectively connects with the listener through emotional appeal.
Despite that, “16 Carriages” is not a country song. Yes, there is acoustic guitar and maybe a hint of country twang in the very beginning, but it’s not consistent throughout the song. The initial country sound melts away, replaced by a pop-like beat. At its end, it sounds more like angsty pop music more than anything else.
To her credit, Beyoncé has a phenomenal voice. It’s a shame to see her waste it on frivolous “country” songs. Rather than delving into country music, she should use her talent in her own genre. Needless to say, Beyoncé’s country music will never belong in the bars of downtown Nashville.
For those interested in real country music, the likes of Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, or Luke Combs would be a serious upgrade. For a women-in-country alternative, there are the Chicks, Shania Twain, Trisha Yearwood – heck, even Taylor Swift’s country is an improvement.
If Beyoncé’s latest tracks are what our society deems good country music, be scared for the future of country music in America. Forget the “tornado in my city,” as Beyoncé sings in “Texas Hold ’Em,” there could be a tornado coming for country music.
