Continuing my countdown of the songs on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter…
#13. ‘II Hands II Heaven’
I’ve seen this track listed as a favorite of a lot of fans and critics, and I totally get it. It’s expansive and emotional, a sultry blend of traditional R&B with electronic flavors. It slips a few slots on my personal list because, at just under six minutes, it wears out its welcome a bit. But at this point I’m nitpicking.
#12. ‘Sweet * Honey * Buckiin’’
Cowboy Carter‘s penultimate track is ambitious and bizarre, a dizzying collage that shifts from delicate to aggressive and showcases every aspect of Beyoncé’s gifts. In the braggadocios third section, she calls out the Grammys for never awarding her Album of the Year — practically daring them to repeat the oversight.
#11. ‘Flamenco’
The third of the album’s mini-songs is my favorite. This one runs a minute forty, just enough time to make a strong emotional impact as Beyoncé sings about being let down by family and friends.
[Intro: Beyoncé]
I fall to pieces
Each time I see you there
And I miss all our secrets
So tell me how you’ve been
[Verse 1: Shaboozey]
Lucchese the boots, check
You can hear when I step, step
Bought a Chevy and painted it red
Money long, it can’t fit in the bed
It don’t matter what nobody says
Country boy ’til the day that I’m dead (Yee-hoo)
You want smoke, I’m the Marlboro man
Cut it out ‘fore it get outta hand, ayy
This ain’t Calabasas, we don’t need highways
We can take backroads (Take backroads)
Never been ridin’, baby? Step in that stirrup
Hop on my saddle (Hop on my saddle)
Snake on my feet, they rattle (Ooh)
And the bag, only thing gettin’ lasso’d, yeah (Gettin’ what?)
And I’m still goin’ up like a ladder (Uh)
And I’m still in the field like cattle
[Verse 2: Beyoncé]
The Cadillac back on the road, we takin’ route 44
Just say what you need from the store, oh, oh
Put some grits on the stove
Jiffy cornbread, booty cornfed
Body rolls at the rodeo
I’m coming home, ooh
Ridin’ through just to put my eyes on you
You are the superstar
Everybody’s drivin’ old new cars
Turn a bad night to a good time
On a trail ride to the zydeco
I’m coming home
[Chorus: Beyoncé & Shaboozey]
I’m coming home (I’m coming home, I’m coming home)
I’m coming home (I’m coming home, I’m coming home)
We’ve come a long way from the rough ride
From the railroads to the rodeos, sweet country home
[Outro: Beyoncé]
This for my, this for my
She gone
Ride for your cowboy
And throw that sweet honey on it
[Part II: HONEY]
[Verse: Beyoncé]
So come (So come) with me (With me)
To new life (Sticky, sticky, sticky, sweet)
(New life)
You’re stuck (You’re stuck) to me (To me)
All night (Sticky, sticky, sticky, sweet)
(All night)
Foot of flower and spice (Hot, hot, hot, hot)
(Flower and spice)
Stuck in me all night (Sticky, sticky, sticky, sweet)
(Stuck in me all night)
[Chorus: Beyoncé & Pharrell Williams]
Honey (We’re), hey (Ridin’)
Hey (Through the), ooh (Night)
Honey (We’re), yeah (Ridin’)
Yeah (Through the), taste like (Night)
Honey (We’re), hey (Ridin’)
Oh (Through the), taste like (Night)
Honey (We’re), ayy (Ridin’)
Ayy, think of my
[Part III: BUCKIIN’]
[Chorus: Beyoncé & Pharrell Williams]
Buckin’ (Yeah), buckin’ (Yeah)
Buckin’ (Yeah), woah (Yeah)
Buckin’ (Yeah), buckin’ (Yeah)
Buckin’ like a mechanical bull
Buckin’ (Yeah), buckin’ (Yeah)
Buckin’ (Yeah), woah (Yeah)
Buckin’ (Yeah), buckin’ (Yeah)
A good night (Yeah) flow, money is full (Yeah)
Look at that horse, look at that horse
Look at that horse (Look at that horse)
Pretty as hell, au naturel
Dinin’ on farce (Dinin’ on farce)
Buckin’, buckin’
Woah, buckin’ (Yeah)
Buckin’ (Buckin’), a good night
Woah, yeah
[Verse 1: Beyoncé & Pharrell Williams]
Your patience is thin (Uh-huh)
Your hormones is right at the rim (Ow)
You was just goin’ in (Uh-huh)
Fuck it, do it again (That’s cool)
A-O-T-Y, I ain’t win (That’s cool)
I ain’t stuntin’ ’bout them
Take that shit on the chin
Come back and fuck up the pen (Yeah)
[Pre-Chorus: Beyoncé & Pharrell Williams]
Say the things that I know will offend (Huh, yeah)
Wear that shit that I know start a trend (Uh)
Take the Bugatti out for the spin (Ooh)
Ain’t no top, feel the wind on my skin
Ooh, ooh, ooh, snakes on the den (Uh)
They hissin’, don’t listen to them (That’s cool)
They bite every once and again (Uh-huh)
But it gets stomped down when we
[Chorus: Beyoncé & Pharrell Williams]
Buckin’ (Yeah), buckin’ (Yeah)
Buckin’ (Yeah), woah (Yeah)
Buckin’ (Yeah), buckin’ (Yeah)
Buckin’ like a mechanical bull
Buckin’ (Yeah), buckin’ (Yeah)
Buckin’ (Yeah), woah (Yeah)
Buckin’ (Yeah), buckin’ (Yeah)
A good night flow where the money is full
Look at that horse, look at that horse
Look at that horse (Look at that horse)
Pretty as hell, au naturel
Dinin’ on farce
Uh, buckin’
Woah, buckin’
Buckin’ (Mm-hmm)
[Verse 2: Beyoncé]
They yankin’ your chain (Yankin’ your chain)
Promisin’ things that they can’t (Things that they can’t)
You the man at the bank? (Bank)
Is you is or you ain’t? (Is you is or you ain’t?)
Hit the runway, I’m late (The runway, I’m late)
Pop-pops got pictures to take (Take, take)
It’s in my DNA (Ayy)
Look at my mama, it’s a trait
[Pre-Chorus: Beyoncé]
Say the things that I know will offend (Woo)
Wear that shit that I know start a trend (Woo)
Take the Bugatti out for the spin
Ain’t no top, feel the wind on my skin
[Chorus: Beyoncé]
Ooh, ah
Buckin’, woah
Buckin’, buckin’
Buckin’ like a mechanical bull
Meet Me In Montauk 
I would bet that an A-O-T-Y is likely for her at the next Grammys.
Need to listen to this album in its entirety today before Taylor drops, and I have a new mission. 😂
On first listen, I liked today’s song a lot. Glad to see my favorites (thus far) are in your top 10.
Getting nervous about the Taylor after the response to the leak, but I have faith.