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Ya Ya (Beyoncé song)

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"Ya Ya"
Song by Beyoncé
from the album Cowboy Carter
ReleasedMarch 29, 2024
Studio
  • Westlake Recording Studios
  • Kings Landing West
Genre
Length4:34
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Music video
"Ya Ya" on YouTube

"Ya Ya" is a song by American singer and songwriter Beyoncé. It is the twentieth track on her eighth studio album, Cowboy Carter (2024), released through Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records. The song was written by Beyoncé, The-Dream, Jay-Z, Arlo Parks, Cadenza, Harry Edwards, and Klara Mkhatshwa Munk-Hansen, and produced by Beyoncé and The-Dream. The track interpolates Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots are Made for Walkin'" (1966) and The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations" (1966).

Characterized as a multi-genre song spanning across rock and roll, psychedelic soul, funk, and roots rock, "Ya Ya" focuses on Beyoncé's family history within the US in the context of economic, racial and social inequality. The song was widely lauded by critics as the best track on Cowboy Carter, with particular praise for its high-energy production and Beyoncé's wide-ranging vocal performance.

Production and composition

[edit]
Nancy Sinatra said she was "delighted to be a tiny part" of "Ya Ya" after her song "These Boots are Made for Walkin'" (1966) was interpolated on the track

"Ya Ya" was written by Beyoncé, The-Dream, Jay-Z, Arlo Parks, Cadenza, Harry Edwards, and Klara Mkhatshwa Munk-Hansen, and produced by Beyoncé and The-Dream. The song interpolates Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots are Made for Walkin'" (1966) and The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations" (1966). Nancy Sinatra commented on the interpolation following the song's release, writing: "To have a little piece of one of my records in a Beyoncé song is very meaningful to me because I love her. She represents what is great about today’s music and I’m delighted to be a tiny part of it. This may be the best sample of “Boots” yet!"[1]

"Ya Ya" traverses several genres,[2][3] including psychedelic soul,[4] rock and roll[5], funk,[6] and roots rock.[7] The song is preceded by the interlude "The Linda Martell Show" on the album, in which Linda Martell (the first Black woman to achieve commercial success in the country genre) introduces the song as a "tune that stretches across a range of genres, and that’s what makes it a unique listening experience".[8]

Lyrically, the song explores Beyoncé's family's struggles in the context of American economic, racial and social inequalities, and promotes defiance, freedom and joy in the face of adversity.[9][10] The song also evokes the Chitlin’ Circuit, which were a collection of venues that embraced and employed Black musicians during the Jim Crow era.[11]

Release

[edit]

"Ya Ya" features as the twentieth track on Beyoncé's eighth studio album, Cowboy Carter, which was released on 29 March, 2024, through Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records. After the release of Cowboy Carter, Ya Ya" debuted at number 39 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 33 on the UK Official Singles Charts.[12][13]

Critical reception

[edit]

"Ya Ya" received widespread acclaim from music critics, with several publications declaring it the best song on Cowboy Carter, including Rolling Stone,[9] Billboard,[6] Stereogum,[14] USA Today,[15] Elle,[16] Slant,[17] and The Daily Beast.[18]

Many music critics praised Beyoncé's vocal performance on the track, noting how Beyoncé explored her full range of vocal abilities, ranging from "girlish" and "bouncy" to "explosive" and "rampaging".[15][18][19] Lauding "Ya Ya" as a "world-rocking tour de force", Kyle Denis of Billboard wrote that Beyoncé "pushes herself vocally in ways that she never has before", adding: "This might be the closest a studio recording has gotten to capturing just how bombastic Beyoncé’s live vocals are."[6] Kevin Fallon of The Daily Beast likened Beyoncé's voice to "a flame torch on the track", described the chorus as "irresistible" with its "cheeky directives", and concluded: "The thought of Beyoncé performing it live is so thrilling, I’m not sure I’d be able to handle it."[18]

Several critics likened Beyoncé's performance on "Ya Ya" to 1960s revue performances by Tina Turner

Critics also praised the "high-energy", "playful", "passionate", and "unapologetically brash" nature of the track.[19][20][21] Rolling Stone lauded "Ya Ya" as the "sonically adventurous and combustible peak of Cowboy Carter", in which Beyoncé evokes her musical inspirations to present her "wide-open idea of American music".[9] Several critics compared Beyoncé's delivery and the song's structure to Tina Turner's 1960s revue performances,[2][16][22][23] which NME's Jenessa Williams said was a "full-circle moment" that Beyoncé has been "building up to for years".[24] Other publications likened Beyoncé's delivery on the track to that of Chuck Berry,[23] Betty Davis,[25] Elvis Presley,[22] James Brown, Billy Preston, Little Richard,[10] Koko Taylor, and Big Mama Thornton.[26] Brittany Spanos of Rolling Stone described this as "fantasy-fulfillment", whereby Beyoncé transforms into the type of performers she was raised on and that she has often cited in her work.[27]

Critics praised the lyrics of the song as inspiring "defiance", "resistance", "freedom" and "joy" in listeners.[9][19] Billboard's Kyle Denis characterized the song as an "ode to the incomparable energy and verve of the Black South",[6] while The Independent's Helen Brown described it as "Beyoncé's claim to life in America".[28] In an article for Elle, Keyaira Kelly wrote that the track "paints a picture of Beyoncé's ideal America" as an inclusive, joyous hoedown.[29]

Usage in media

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On July 27, 2024, NBC released a video in which Beyoncé performs a new version of "Ya Ya" as she introduces Team USA for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.[30] Michelle Obama quoted "Ya Ya" in a social media post encouraging Americans to vote.[31]

References

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  1. ^ Iasimone, Ashley (2024-03-30). "Nancy Sinatra Reacts to Beyoncé's 'Ya Ya' Sampling 'These Boots Are Made for Walkin"". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  2. ^ a b Wilson, Carl (2024-03-29). "Beyoncé's Act of Reclamation". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  3. ^ Meriweather, Meecham Whitson (2024-04-02). "'Cowboy Carter' Isn't a Country Album. It's a Beyoncé Album". The Ringer. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  4. ^ "Beyonce's 'Cowboy Carter' drips history -- and joy". France 24. 2024-03-28. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  5. ^ "Our Biggest Takeaways From Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter': 'I'm Well-Fed'". ELLE. 2024-04-04. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  6. ^ a b c d Denis, Kyle (2024-03-29). "Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter': All 27 Tracks Ranked". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  7. ^ Interviews, Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews &; Hussain, Shahzaib (2024-04-03). "Beyoncé - COWBOY CARTER | Reviews". Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews. Retrieved 2024-10-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ Vujić, Katja (2024-03-29). "Beyoncé Cites Her Sources on Cowboy Carter". The Cut. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  9. ^ a b c d Stone, Rolling (2024-04-01). "The 70 Greatest Beyoncé Songs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  10. ^ a b "'Cowboy Carter' takes us back to reclaim Beyoncé's roots (REVIEW)". www.out.com. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  11. ^ McClay, Caché. "Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' is here: Start with these 5 songs". The Tennessean. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  12. ^ Zellner, Xander (2024-04-08). "Beyoncé Surpasses 100 Career Hot 100 Hits, Thanks to 'Cowboy Carter'". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  13. ^ "YA YA". Official Charts. 2024-04-11. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  14. ^ "Premature Evaluation: Beyoncé 'Cowboy Carter'". Stereogum. 2024-03-29. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  15. ^ a b Ruggieri, Melissa. "Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' is a little bit country and a whole lot more: Review". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  16. ^ a b "The Best New Songs We Heard Last Month". ELLE. 2024-04-01. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  17. ^ Staff, Slant (2024-04-10). "Every Beyoncé Album Ranked, from Her Debut to 'Cowboy Carter'". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  18. ^ a b c Fallon, Kevin (2024-03-30). "'Ya Ya' Is the Best Song on Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' Album". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  19. ^ a b c "Is Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter any good?". ABC News. 2024-04-02. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  20. ^ Hudak, Mankaprr Conteh,Joseph (2024-03-29). "Beyoncé Rewrites 'Jolene' -- And Five Other Takeaways From 'Cowboy Carter'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2024-10-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  21. ^ France, Lisa Respers (2024-03-29). "Beyoncé drops 'Cowboy Carter' and hold on to your horses, because it's an introspective, rollicking good time". CNN. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  22. ^ a b Ruggieri, Melissa. "Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' is a little bit country and a whole lot more: Review". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  23. ^ a b Madden, Sidney (2024-03-29). "10 takeaways from Beyoncé's new album, 'Cowboy Carter'". NPR.
  24. ^ Williams, Jenessa (2024-04-02). "Beyoncé – 'Cowboy Carter' review: country reinvention strikes gold". NME. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  25. ^ Yahr, Emily; Andrews-Dyer, Helena; O’Neill, Shane (2024-03-29). "Review | 10 takeaways from Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter'". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  26. ^ "Is Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter any good?". ABC News. 2024-04-02. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  27. ^ Spanos, Brittany (2024-03-30). "On 'Cowboy Carter,' Beyoncé Isn't Going Country. She's Reinventing American Music in Her Own Image". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  28. ^ Brown, Helen (2024-03-29). "Beyoncé review, Cowboy Carter: Her hands are on the reins of every country music trope". The Independent. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  29. ^ "On 'Cowboy Carter,' Beyoncé Proves the Lemonade Was Worth the Squeeze". ELLE. 2024-03-29. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  30. ^ Brightman • •, Brendan (2024-07-27). "Watch: Beyoncé cheers on Team USA in remix music video for 'YA YA'". NBC10 Philadelphia. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  31. ^ Mier, Tomás (2024-04-03). "Michelle Obama Praises Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' and Her 'Ya Ya' Call to Vote". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
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