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This Ain’t Country (Woo)
Some honest thoughts about Beyoncé’s cover of “Jolene”
You may have heard that Beyoncé has put out some new music. As an occasional country music fan, I have some thoughts.
The opening lines of “Texas Hold ’Em,” a tribute to the Black roots of country-western music with a danceable ‘hoedown’ beat and modern lyrics, are all over TikTok right now:
This ain’t Texas (Woo)
Ain’t no hold ’em (Hey)
So lay your cards down, down, down, down
So park your Lexus (Woo)
And throw your keys up (Hey)
Stick around, ‘round, ‘round, ‘round, ‘round
And I’ll be damned if I can’t slow-dance with you
Come pour some sugar on me, honey (too)
It’s a real-life boogie and a real-life hoedown
Don’t be a bitch, come take it to the floor now
Somehow, even with all the banjo and twang… Beyoncé has missed the mark completely. The sound is almost right, and is certainly danceable, but the message it sends… really isn’t it.
Country music, at its core, is working-class music; this is working-class music for folks who can afford to drive…
