As Beyoncé prepares to take a full leap into country music, we thought it apt to revisit her first venture into the genre: “Daddy Lessons” featuring The Chicks.
Videos by American Songwriter
Beyoncé tapped the trio for her seminal 2016 album, Lemonade. Amongst the colorful album were notes of R&B, pop, hip-hop, and thanks to this song, country. Both Beyoncé and The Chicks hail from Texas. That connection not only showcases the diverse musical exports of that state, but brings them together under one banner.
Came into this world
Daddy’s little girl
And daddy made a soldier out of me (ooh-ooh)
Daddy made me dance
And daddy held my hand (ooh-ooh)
And daddy liked his whiskey with his tea
“Daddy Lessons” has the bones of a classic country murder ballad, but it is rooted in the many lessons about life and love Beyoncé learned from her father. When trouble comes in town and men like me come around” / Oh, my daddy said shoot, they sing in the chorus.
With his gun, with his head held high, he told me not to cry
Oh, my daddy said shoot
Oh, my daddy said shoot
Beyoncé and The Chicks took this song to the 2016 CMA Awards for a performance that conjured many mixed opinions. Some found the performance to be a buoyant celebration of the genre while others expressed their distaste for the team-up.
Nevertheless, it must have been inspiring enough for Beyoncé to want to further explore her twang. Revisit the performance, below.
(Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images)
