Throwing back to the week of April 23, 1994, we have repeats in the #1 and #2 spot with R. Kelly’s ‘Bump N’ Grind’ and Ace of Base’s ‘The Sign,’ respectively.
In the third spot that week was 90s hitmaker Mariah Carey with her cover of Badfinger’s ‘Without You.’ The original didn’t make much of a commercial splash but it did spawn two hit versions.
Continuing my countdown of the songs on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter…
#1a. ‘Bodyguard’
This is the song I find myself returning to most on an album chock full of bangers. ‘Bodyguard’ has a very different sound than I’ve ever heard from Beyoncé — imagine if a song on Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours contained the phrase “I’m ’bout to lose it, turn around and John Wayne that ass.” It fits her like a glove.
On an album filled with a lot of allusions to moments in her personal life, this track seems refreshingly separate from all that. It feels like a love song about two laid-back road trippers, an anthem for the free of heart.
Continuing my countdown of the songs on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter…
#1b. ‘Daughter’
If the ‘Jolene’ rewrite felt a little too cute, a little too removed from the messiness and trauma of a relationship shattered by infidelity, Beyoncé makes up for that in ‘Daughter.’
This song is as emotionally raw as it is musically beautiful, a confession of anger, jealousy, and regret set against a delicate backdrop of Spanish guitar and swelling strings.
Continuing my countdown of the songs on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter…
#1c. ‘Ya Ya’
More than a country album, Cowboy Carter is an album about genre — the many ways musical genres can be twisted, combined, and misunderstood. And no song on the album better captures that concept than ‘Ya Ya.’
This foot-stomping epic takes a tour through the history of American music, dabbling in dance, folk rock, surf rock and doo-wop, all with a raucous delivery reminiscent of peak Tina Turner.
Continuing my countdown of the songs on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter…
#1d. ‘Tyrant’
As I get to my four favorite tracks on this excellent album, the order doesn’t really matter. Depending on my mood, any one of these could be my #1. So that’s how I’m numbering them.
‘Tyrant’ is definitely a contender for the album’s best track, and the blend of country themes with a trap beat (and Dolly Parton!) makes it one of the songs that exemplifies Cowboy Carter‘s approach to genre. Queen Bey has said “this isn’t a country album, it’s a Beyoncé album.” ‘Tyrant’ is thrilling proof that it’s both.
Meet Me In Montauk 