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Run the World (Girls)

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"Run the World"
Song

"Run the World (Girls)" is a song recorded by American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles. The "female-empowerment" song was written by The-Dream, Knowles, Nick van de Wall, Wesley Pentz, David Taylor, and Adidja Palmer and was produced by Switch, Knowles and Shea Taylor. Originally speculated to be titled "Girls (Who Run the World)", an unedited demo of the song leaked on the internet on April 18, 2011. "Run the World (Girls)" was later released on April 21, 2011 as the lead single from her yet-to-be-titled fourth studio album. The song samples "Pon de Floor" by Major Lazer, following the same alternative hip hop-dancehall genres, mixed with the pop and R&B sounds of Knowles. The song's title and lyrics contain an unapologetically aggressive message towards female empowerment.

"Run the World (Girls)" initially divided critics, some of whom complimented the song's sample and Knowles' aggressiveness while others criticized the song's musical direction. Several critics compared the track to other female empowering singles released by Knowles in the past such as "Independent Women" (2000), "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" (2008), and "Diva" (2009), stating that "Run the World (Girls)" takes a more direct and assertive approach towards female empowerment.

The accompanying music video for the single was directed by Francis Lawrence and was filmed in California over the span of three days. A sneak peek of the video was revealed on Knowles' official website on April 20, 2011, describing the video as a "B Revolution". In an interview with MTV News, director Francis Lawrence described the music video as "one of the biggest Beyoncé music videos ever done," comparing it to that of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" (2009).

Background

In an interview with The Capital FM Network in early March 2011, the producer Shea Taylor confirmed that the "first single is huge and will premiere at the end of April".[1] "Run the World" was written by Knowles and Terius Nash and was produced by Knowles, Switch and Taylor.[2] Diplo also contributed to the song's production, although he is not credited on the track.[3] The song was originally rumored to be titled "Girls (Who Run the World)".[3] On April 14, 2011, two snippets of the song leaked online[4][5] while an unfinished demo of "Run the World (Girls)" leaked online on April 18, 2011.[6]

"Run the World (Girls)" premiered on US radio on April 21, 2011 at 8 a.m. EST, and was made available for download on iTunes Stores worldwide the same day.[2] It will impact US mainstream and urban radio on April 26, 2011.[7][8] According to MTV News, "Run the World" was very well-received by Knowles' fans on Twitter.[9]

Artwork

The cover art for "Run the World (Girls)" was released on April 20, 2011, the day before the songs official release. On the cover, Knowles strikes a bold pose while standing in the sand. With her fist in the air covered in fore-arm protectors, Knowles wears a hip cut draping yellow dress and black stiletto boots.[2] The Los Angeles Times indicated that the photos point to a "post-apocalyptic war zone, donning an elaborate gold headdress and holding a red flag emblazoned with a black 'B'."[10] The photo was taken on April 14, 2011.[11]

Tray Hova of Vibe complimented the cover art of the single, stating that Knowles looks "resplendent as hell" on the cover and additionaly stated that "Nobody's complaining about Bey season here."[12] Becky Bain of Idolator gave the single cover a negative review, describing it as "pretty disappointing".[13] Bain continued stating that with a "ballistic, over-the-top club banger" song like "Run the World (Girls)", she expected something more than just a body shot of Knowles.[13] Bain criticized the cover on the confusion of where the location of the photo shoot took place, stating "Where the heck is she? Under a freeway? At the beach?", however she complimented Knowles on her choice of stilettos as "serious business".[13]

Composition

"Run the World (Girls)"
The song uses a militaristic beat and speaks of female empowerment.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Run the World" is an R&B[14] and pop song,[15] and has been described as a "club banger"[16] and "female empowerment/girl power type of song", like several of Knowles' previous singles.[17] Taylor said that the track draws more from the pop genre than R&B, and is reminiscent of Michael Jackson's "prime" work.[18] "Run the World" is set to a marching beat which samples popular club song, "Pon de Floor" by Major Lazer, Afrojack and Vybz Kartel.[6][19] It consists of heavy synth pangs and an almost militaristic drumbeat beneath Knowles shout vocals.[15] Sharp percussion is represented in the song by intense band style drums.[20] Kathy McCabe of The Daily Telegraph likened the "Run the World" to "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" and "Diva".[21] The song has been compared to schoolyard chants, due to its "cheer-team beats" and the repetitive use of the word "Girls".[22]

As stated by Rap-Up, Knowles wields her power over the opposite sex in "Run the World (Girls)".[23] Lamb described the song's lyrics as an overt declaration that women do, in fact, run the world.[20] "Run the World" opens with a heavy club beat with Knowles chanting: "Girls! / We run this mutha / Girls! / Who run the world."[24] Soon, the beat takes off and looped Auto-Tuned vocals complement the hook[25] which is a call and response exercise.[26] As Knowles asks "Who run the world[?]" she demands the correct answer "Girls!".[26] As stated by Jocelyn Vena of MTV News, Knowles then starts the first verse "in a choppy [and] emphatic style" with lines sounding like "a warning to any of the haters":[25] "Some of them men think they freak this like we do / But no they don't / Make your cheque come at they neck / Disrespect us no they won't [...] This goes out to all my girls that's in the club rocking the latest / Who will buy it for themselves and get more money later".[27] Briefly transitioning to smoother, more persuasive, but still boastful vocals, she chants: I think I need a barber/ None of these ho's can fight me/ I'm so good with this/ I remind you I'm so 'hood with this".[25] The song then features a breakdown, which serves as its bridge.[20] With gooey harmonies and sultry vocals, Knowles affirms that her "persuasion can build a nation".[20] She then delivers the repetitive hook lines which also serve as the chorus lines.[26][26] In the second verse, Knowles sings praises of ladies who are "smart enough to make these millions, strong enough to bear the children, then get back to business."[28] As stated by Jocelyn Vena of MTV News, Knowles sings in her signature staccato style on the second verse of the song.[24] She then chants the chorus again after the bridge lines.[28] Knowles' vocals fade out as the song closes.[24]

Critical reception

Amos Barshad writing for New York Magazine described "Run the World" as "kind of a monster — aggressive and intense and totally committed". He called the song "declarative" and felt that as a lead single it was "bluntly effective."[29] After the song's official premiere, Rap-Up described the song's beat as "hypnotizing."[23] Matt Donnelly of The Los Angeles Times compared it to several of Knowles past singles, stating that the song has a "harder edge" than "Independent Women Pt. 1", but did not contain the gritty, futuristic chic of "Diva".[30] Sadao Turner of Ryan Seacrest's website complimented the songs sampled use of the "Pon De Floor" hook, while calling the song a "club banger" and its lyrics "infectious."[31] Latifah Muhammad of AOL's The Boombox felt that musically the song took a different route for Knowles, stating that it was much more unapologetically aggressive in its lyrical message than that of "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)".[32] Muhammad continued to compliment "Run the World"'s beat, stating that Knowles remained "draped fittingly" beneath the song's insistent marching beat.[32] Jenna Clarke of The Sydney Morning Herald referred to it as an " infectious sounding track" having a catchy dance beat with empowering lyrics. She also wrote that the song showcases of "[a] grittier sounding Beyoncé", yet still following the "power footsteps" of her other chart topping hits such as "Single Ladies" and "Crazy In Love" (2003).[33]

Lauding "Run the World" for its demandingly aggressive message as well as its club-status beat, Brad Wete of Entertainment Weekly stated that he personally would have like to hear a song from Knowles that would not cause embarrassment if it were to be played out loud from those unaffected by the message within the song.[26] Lewis Corner from Digital Spy enjoyed "Run the World" and described it as "yet another female-empowerment revolution that is sure to dominate dancefloors this summer".[14] Bill Lamb of About.com awarded "Run the World" four and a half stars out out five, praising how seamlessly it manages to fit as a natural progression for Knowles' music dating back to classic work with Destiny's Child.[20] He also remarked that it is thrilling in its ability to push even further into exploration of Knowles' artistry and that "it just has never been so overt as a declaration that women do, in fact, run the world."[20] Lamb concluded by writing that the aggressive, addictive rhythm track and words of female power are enough to make the song stand out among current pop releases, and that Knowles ends up seducing listeners with the break lines: "My persuasion can build a nation [...]".[20]

"Run the World" garnered mixed reviews from many critics who, while commending Knowles for taking risks, agreed that the song was too divergent from her previous work. In his review of the song, Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani wrote "[Knowles] misses the mark big time here" and called the song "plain daft". He however praised the song's bridge, "which features B's warm, gooey harmonies and the lyric 'My persuasion can build a nation.'"[34] Maura Johnston of The Village Voice disapproved of the lack of structure in "Run the World", calling it "a bit overstuffed, but fairly enjoyable".[35]

Chart performance

"Run the World" made its first chart appearance on the Netherlands' Single Top 100 chart at number sixty on April 23, 2011.[36]

Music video

Development

The music video for "Run the World (Girls)" was directed by Francis Lawrence, who previously directed two music videos for Destiny's Child: "Independent Women" (2000) and "Emotion" (2001).[17] Knowles worked with eight different choreographers,[5] and hired 200 African dancers to appear in the video.[37] The dancers are to teach Knowles some native dance moves, which will then be incorporated into the video's routine.[37] Behind the scenes looks of the music video show that the video is expected to be heavy on choreography and depicts Knowles in a blonde Pompadour and white Givenchy couture gown while filming scenes in the Mojave Desert, California.[16][38] Other scenes was filmed in Inglewood, California.[39] Images from the shoot leaked online on April 12, 2011, showing Knowles standing in a smoky, post-apocalyptic war zone,[40] wearing a gladiator outfit with a gold crown, and waving a red flag with a "B" logo.[39] She was surrounded by dancers in brightly coloured skirts, topped off with black military-style jackets and peaked caps.[41] Other images showed an army of women posing against a ravaged car graffitied with "Révolution", with posters of Knowles' face behind them.[39] On April 13, more images were leaked, showing Knowles wearing a bright yellow dress paired with black knee-high boots and gloves on the sand.[11]

On April 20, 2011, a teaser for the music video was released on Knowles' official website which described the video as a "B Revolution". It opened with dawn breaking behind a barbed-wire fence, cutting to the word "Révolution" painted in red on a broken-down car.[3] Knowles then appeared riding a rogue black horse.[2][3] The video required three days of shooting, starting on April 11, 2011 and ending on April 13, 2011.[42] In an interview with MTV News, director Francis Lawrence discussed the music video more in depth:

"I just shot a Beyoncé video at the beginning of this last week, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, which was fun, and I hadn't done a video since 2009. It'll be big, it'll probably be one of the bigger Beyoncé music videos ever done. And, I can say that I think the song is unbelievable. The Gaga thing took me by surprise, 'cause I've done videos for probably 15 years, and I had forgotten what it felt like to have a video premiere and have it be anticipated and have it explode. And yeah I hope the same for Beyoncé, but I don't know if that's gonna happen. It is a fantastic song, so I really hope that song catches for her, and I think the video's gonna be really fun and cool and different for her."[42]

The video is expected to premiere online on April 22.[43]

Track listing

  • Digital download
  1. "Run the World (Girls)" (Single version) – 3:56

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2011) Peak
position
Dutch Single Top 100[36] 60

Radio dates and release history

Country Date Format
Worldwide[2] April 21, 2011 Digital download
United States April 26, 2011 Mainstream radio[7]
Urban radio[8]

References

  1. ^ "Beyonce to release new single?". The Capital FM Network. Global Radio. Retrieved April 11, 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e Dinh, Jame (April 21, 2011). "Beyonce's 'Run The World (Girls)' To Hit Radio, iTunes Thursday". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d Lipshutz, Jason (April 20, 2011). "Beyonce's 'Run the World (Girls)' Single to Hit iTunes Tomorrow". Billboard. New York: Prometheus Global Media. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accesdate= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ "Snippet of Beyonce's New Single Hits the Net". Rap-Up. Devin Lazerine. April 14, 2011. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
  5. ^ a b Ramirez, Erika (April 14, 2011). "Listen: Beyonce Single Snippet Leaks?". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
  6. ^ a b "Beyonce Drops Official Version Of 'Run The World (Girls)'". Rap-Up. Devin Lazerine. April 18, 2011. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
  7. ^ a b "Top 40/M Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on April 22, 2011. Retrieved April 22, 2011.
  8. ^ a b "Urban/UAC Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on April 22, 2011. Retrieved April 22, 2011.
  9. ^ "Beyonce Crafts Another Female Anthem, Fans React". MTV Rapfix. MTV Networks. April 19, 2011. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
  10. ^ "Beyonce Cover Art - Run This World (Girls)". MTV News. MTV Networks. April 21, 2011.
  11. ^ a b "Beyonce Shines Bright on Day 3 of Video Shoot". Rap-Up. Devin Lazerine. April 15, 2011. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
  12. ^ Hova, Tray (April 20, 2011). "Peep This: Beyonce's Single Art For 'Run The World (Girls)'". Vibe. InterMedia Partners. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
  13. ^ a b c "Beyonce's 'Run The World (Girls)' Single Cover Less Exciting Than The Song". Idolator. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
  14. ^ a b Corner, Lewis (April 21, 2011). "Beyoncé unleashes 'Run The World (Girls)'". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
  15. ^ a b "Beyonce's 'Girls (Who Run The World)': New Single Released". The Huffington Post. AOL Inc. April 19, 2011. Retrieved April 20, 2011.
  16. ^ a b "First Look At Beyoncé's New Music Video". Rap-Up. Devin Lazerine. April 11, 2011. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
  17. ^ a b Vena, Jocelyn (April 12, 2011). "Is Beyonce Prepping Her Next Music Video?". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
  18. ^ Benitez-Eves, Tina (March 8, 2011). "Beyonce to Debut New Single This April?". AOL Music. AOL Inc. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
  19. ^ Smart, Gordon (April 13, 2011). "Beyonce hires all the dancer ladies". The Sun. News International. Retrieved April 13, 2011.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g Lamb, Bill (April 22, 2011). "Beyonce - "Run the World (Girls)"". About.com. The New York Times Company. Retrieved April 22, 2011.
  21. ^ McCabe, Kathy (April 21, 2011). "Beyonce has ripped off her own hits for new release Run The World (Girls)". The Daily Telegraph. News Limited. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
  22. ^ Breihan, Johnston (April 19, 2011). "Beyoncé And Diplo Load Up On Accessories". The Village Voice. Michael Cohen. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
  23. ^ a b "New Music: Beyoncé – 'Run the World (Girls)' [Official Premiere]". Rap-Up. Devin Lazerine. April 20, 2011. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
  24. ^ a b c Vena, Jocelyn (April 19, 2011). "Beyonce's New Single, 'Girls (Who Run The World),' Leaks Online". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
  25. ^ a b c Vena, Jocelyn (April 21, 2011). "Beyonce Drops Official Version Of 'Run The World (Girls)'". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
  26. ^ a b c d e Wete, Brad (April 20, 2011). "Beyoncé's reign resumes with 'Run the World (Girls),' her club-banging new single for the ladies | The Music Mix | EW.com". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
  27. ^ Corne, Lewis (April 19, 2011). "New Beyoncé single 'Girls' leaks online". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
  28. ^ a b Mitchell, John (April 19, 2011). "Beyonce Is Back! 'Girls (Who Run The World)' Leaks Online". PopEater AOL Inc. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
  29. ^ Barshad, Amos (April 19, 2011). "Beyoncé's New Single Is Here!". New York Magazine. New York Media Holdings. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
  30. ^ Donnelly, Matt (April 20, 2011). "Beyonce's new song, 'Girls (Who Run The World),' leaks online". Los Angeles Times. Eddy Hartenstein. Tribune Company. Retrieved April 21, 2011. {{cite web}}: More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help); Text "  2:43 pm" ignored (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  31. ^ Turner, Sadao (April 20, 201). "Beyoncé's New Single 'Run The World (Girls)' Officially Released". Ryan Seacrest. Premiere Radio Networks. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
  32. ^ a b "Beyonce's New Single, 'Girls (Who Run the World)' Debuts". The Boombox. AOL Inc. April 20, 2011. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
  33. ^ Clarke, Jenna (April 19, 2011). "Beyonce tells girls they rule the world". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved April 22, 2011.
  34. ^ Cinquemani, Sal (April 21, 2011). "Single Review: Beyoncé's 'Run the World (Girls)'". Slant Magazine. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
  35. ^ Johnston, Maura (April 21, 2011). "Beyoncé And Diplo Load Up On Accessories". The Village Voice. Village Voice Media. Retrieved April 22, 2011.
  36. ^ a b "Beyoncé – Run the World (Girls) (Nummer)" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved April 22, 2011.
  37. ^ a b Scott, Tracy (April 7, 2011). "Beyonce to dance with 200 African dancers". Sister To Sister. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
  38. ^ "Beyonce comeback single 'Girl' details emerge". New Musical Express. IPC Media. April 12, 2011. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
  39. ^ a b c "Beyonce Starts a Revolution on Set of Video". Rap-Up. Devin Lazerine. April 12, 2011. Retrieved April 13, 2011.
  40. ^ Montgomery, James (April 13, 2011). "Beyonce Waves Her 'B' Flag In New Video Set Photos". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
  41. ^ "Sexy Beyonce is Egyptian goddess". The Sun. News International. April 13, 2011. Retrieved April 13, 2011.
  42. ^ a b Vena, Jocelyn (April 18, 2011). "Beyonce's 'Girls' Video Will Be 'Big', Director Says". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
  43. ^ Perpetua, Matthew (April 21, 2011). "Beyoncé Single and Video Coming Tomorrow". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
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