Our favorite lyrics from Beyoncé’s stunning new album Lemonade

By Metro Times editorial staff on Mon, Apr 25, 2016 at 8:15 pm

ICYMI, Beyoncé released her highly-anticipated and absolutely gorgeous album Lemonade on Saturday night. Accompanying the new album was a special HBO event, the visual version of the album. The short film is a music video for every song, plus some poetry written by the incomparable Warsan Shire and gorgeous visual shots and cinematography. The songs are a whirlwind of emotions, ranging from abandonment, rage, infidelity, and of course, love.

The album brings in major speculation that Jay-Z cheated on Beyoncé (we know, how is that even possible), but the album is so much more than that. It not only calls out her husband in the most righteous way ever, but it’s about a woman taking control over a shitty situation and standing up for herself. This whole thing could have easily been a huge tabloid story, covers of magazines, and countless interviews with the media. Instead, Beyoncé took control of her own narrative and transformed her grief and situation into beautiful and stunning art. Here are some of our favorite lyrics from the new album. Some for just sheer fierceness, others because they’re beautiful lines of poetry that are far too relatable. You can stream the entire album + visual album on Tidal, or purchase it on iTunes.

By Jack Roskopp, all photos via Beyoncé, Instagram.

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“You can taste the dishonesty/ it’s all over your breath.”
“Pray You Catch Me”
These are literally the first lyrics that are sung on the album. We know that trouble is brewing in the beehive.

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“What’s worse, looking jealous or crazy? Jealous or crazy?/ More like being walked all over lately, walked all over lately, I’d rather be crazy.”
“Hold Up”
I mean, if this doesn’t sum up the way women feel when they have an inkling that their spouse is cheating on them. Beyoncé is dropping truth bombs and we are here for it.

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"Can't you see there's no other man above you / What a wicked way to treat the girl that loves you.”
“Hold Up”
Why do you have to play like that, Jay?!

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“This is your final warning, you know I give you life/ if you try this shit again you gon’ lose your wife.”
“Don’t Hurt Yourself”
I think this was the moment that we all realized that Jay-Z did Beyoncé wrong. In the video, she takes her ring off and throws it to the camera. Damn.

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“Ashes to ashes, dust to side chicks.”
This was one of the lines from the spoken word parts of the visual album. Please put this on my tombstone. Bey is out for blood.

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“Ten times out of nine, I know you’re lying/ But nine times out of ten, I know you’re trying/ So I’m trying to be fair.”
“Love Drought”
This is the point in the album where Beyoncé is trying to achieve some peace of mind in dealing with this situation. I think she knows that Jay is a good man, but at the same time he’s still been a piece of shit.

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“He better call Becky with the good hair.”
“Sorry”
This has to be the biggest bomb that Beyoncé lays during the album. Bey totally calls out the other woman, and it’s fantastic. Although, it’s important to remember that this has nothing to do with “Becky.” Jay was the one who broke their promise of marriage. It just takes two to tango.

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“And your heart is broken cause I walked away/ Show me your scars and I won’t walk away.”
“Sandcastles”
“Sandcastles” has to be the most emotionally sad song on the album. The video actually features Jay-Z as she slowly lets him into the frame of the camera throughout the song. You get the sense that Bey is trying to work things out, but she needs more back from him.

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“I break chains all by myself/ Won’t let my freedom rot in hell/ Hey! I’ma keep running/ Cause a winner don’t quit on themselves.”
“Freedom”
Bey took some heat for her foray into the political with "Formation," and this song and its accompanying visuals show that she has no plans on stopping.

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“Okay, ladies, now let’s get in formation, I slay.”
“Formation”
“Formation” was the first single that was released from Lemonade, and now it seems like a call to arms for women everywhere. So, so powerful.

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