Even if songwriting is typically a collaborative effort—a whopping 25 hands penning her Renaissance track “Alien Superstar”—Beyoncé has always had a hand in writing nearly every song within her extensive catalog.
Videos by American Songwriter
Along with Bey, her husband Jay-Z also has co-writing credits on her 2003 debut, Dangerously in Love, her sophomore release, B’Day, and her entire 2018 album, Everything is Love. The two have worked on a number of songs together, including her hits “Crazy In Love,” “Drunk In Love,” “Deja Vu,” and “Part II (On The Run).”
Prior to Renaissance, which includes a few more Jay-Z songwriting credits, Beyoncé’s co-writes on her 2016 release Lemonade also feature Jack White (“Don’t Hurt Yourself”), James Blake (“Pray You Catch Me”), and Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig (“Hold Up”). Her long list of collaborations also includes Diane Warren, sister Solange Knowles, Sia, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Ryan Tedder, Missy Elliot, and famed composer Giorgio Moroder, among others across her catalog.
Throughout the years, Bey also co-wrote songs outside of her own collection.
Here’s a look at three songs Beyoncé wrote for other artists.
1. “Walk on Water,” Eminem (2009)
Written by Beyoncé, Eminem, and Skylar Grey
The lead single on Eminem‘s ninth studio album, Revival, “Walk on Water” was co-written with Beyoncé and Skylar Grey, who also produced it with Rick Rubin. Though the track also includes Beyoncé’s vocals, she doesn’t appear in the music video, which is centered around a more solitary Eminem in different scenes at the mic, on stage, and walking on a frozen tundra.
Why, are expectations so high?
Is it the bar I set?
My arms, I stretch, but I can’t reach
A far cry from it, or it’s in my grasp, but as
Soon as I grab, squeeze
I lose my grip like the flying trapeze
Into the dark, I plummet
Now the sky’s blackening, I know the mark’s high
Butter-flies rip apart my stomach
Knowing that no matter what bars I come with
You’re gonna hark, gripe, and that’s a hard Vicodin to swallow
So I scrap these, as pressure increases, like khakis
I feel the ice cracking, because
2. “Telephone,” Lady Gaga, featuring Beyoncé (2010)
Written by Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, LaShawn Daniels, Rodney Jerkins, Lazonte Franklin
Beyoncé is featured on the single and the nearly 10-minute long video for the track “Telephone,” released on Lady Gaga‘s 2010 EP, The Fame Monster. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 and marked the sixth No. 1 for Gaga and Beyoncé. Originally written for Britney Spears‘ sixth album, Circus, Gaga decided to keep it for herself and get Bey on board. Gaga began writing the song about how she doesn’t have time to have fun anymore.
“Fear of suffocation—something that I have or fear is never being able to enjoy myself,” said Gaga.”I love my work so much, I find it really hard to go out and have a good time.”
Just a second
It’s my favorite song they’re gonna play
And I cannot text you with
A drink in my hand, eh
You shoulda made some plans with me
You knew that I was free
And now you won’t stop calling me
I’m kinda busy
Stop callin’, stop callin’
I don’t wanna think anymore
I left my head and heart on the dance floor
Stop callin’, stop callin’
I don’t wanna talk anymore
I got my head and my heart on the dance floor
3. “Runnin’ (Lose It All),” Naughty Boy (2015)
Written by Beyoncé, Naughty Boy, Arrow Benjamin, Carla Williams, Jonny Coffer
Also featuring Beyoncé and Arrow Benjamin on shared vocals, British DJ and producer Naughty Boy’s “Runnin’ (Lose It All)” was also featured as the lead single on his second album, Bungee Jumping. Trading verses with Benjamin on the power ballad, Bey sings These four lonely walls have changed the way I feel / I’m standing still / Nothing else matters now / You’re not here. The song hit No. 4 on the U.K. charts.
At first, Naughty Boy, whose real name is Shahid Khan, thought someone was playing a practical joke on him when he heard that Beyoncé wanted to work on the song with him. “It was a shock,” he said. “We worked out on the phone how to arrange the song and the music. It was all a bit last-minute. We spoke for 20 minutes about her album and her tour. We spoke just like normal people.”
I’ve outrun the fears that chased, they’re standin’ still
I’m runnin’ still, I’m runnin’ still
And every voice that cried inside my head, forever drives
Forever drives, I’ve killed the lights, oh
Where else can I go? And where else can I go?
Chasing you, chasing you, oh
Photo by Kevin Winter/PW18/Getty Images for Parkwood Entertainment
