Ya Ya

Album

Cowboy Carter

Label

Parkwood Entertainment

Genre

Country pop

Composer(s)

Anaïs Oluwatoyin Estelle Marinho;Beyo Knowles;Brian Wilson;Harry Edwards;Klara Mkhatshwa;Lee Hazlewood;Oliver Rodigan;Shawn Carter;Terius Youngdell Nash

Entered Chart

Apr 13, 2024

Peak Date

Apr 13, 2024

"Ya Ya" is the 20th track on Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé's eighth solo studio album and the second installment in a trilogy of albums, following Renaissance (2022). It's the kind of song that makes you want to throw your hands up and shout "Yeehaw!" while simultaneously bemoaning the harsh realities of living in the US. Queen Bey embodies this Cowboy Carter character, preaching about perseverance in the face of tough times in America. The song is a full-on vocal showcase for Beyoncé. She belts, she rasps, she dives low and soars high, reminding us why she's the reigning queen of pop. We wanna welcome you to the Beyoncé Cowboy Carter: Act II, ah And a rodeo chitlin circuit We gon' make it do what it do, ya-ya Put them hands together The Chitlin' Circuit was a network of performance spaces throughout the Eastern, Southern, and Midwestern United States. These venues catered to African American audiences during the era of segregation and played a vital role in the development of popular music genres like blues, jazz, R&B, and early rock and roll. Legendary artists like B.B. King, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Ray Charles, and Tina Turner honed their skills and gained fame on this circuit. On March 27, 2024, Beyoncé posted a graphic to Instagram of the album's tracklist inspired by vintage posters from the Chitlin' Circuit era. This song serves as a celebration of the artists who toured the Chitlin Circuit, particularly Tina Turner. Beyoncé performed a rousing rendition of Ike and Tina Turner's "River Deep - Mountain High" on nearly every date of the Renaissance World Tour. "Ya Ya" takes that energy and cranks it up to 11. It's a foot-stomping love letter to the late Ms. Turner, the Black South, and the raw power of rock and roll. The first intro to the chorus of "Ya Ya" feels like Beyoncé is building a musical house of cards. She starts with just a single instrument, then adds another, and another, until the whole thing explodes into a full-blown party. Kind of reminds you of how "Deja Vu" starts, building the tension before the beat drops. Ya-ya B-E-Y-I-N-C-E, ya Beyoncé's mother Tina Knowles' maiden last name was originally Beyincé, but a hospital mix-up changed the spelling. Tina liked the sound so much, she decided to name her firstborn daughter after it, even with the typo. Whole lotta red in that white and blue History can't be erased Red, White, and Brutal When Beyoncé sings about all that "red in that white and blue," it isn't exactly a Fourth of July celebration. She's talking about the blood spilled throughout American history, from slavery to wars to the ongoing fight for equality. The American flag might symbolize freedom and justice, but Beyoncé reminds us that freedom hasn't always been free. Just like Beyoncé sings about the American flag on "Ya Ya," the Renaissance track "Cozy" references the colors of the LGBTQ+ Pride flag. "Ya Ya" starts with a sneaky sample from Nancy Sinatra's hit "These Boots Are Made For Walkin''," setting the stage for a playful back-and-forth with the audience. Later on, Beyoncé throws in a little nod to The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations" with a line about "good vibrations" and "sweet sensations." And to top it all off, she channels her inner doo-wop diva at the end, with a sweet whisper that reminds us of Sylvia Robinson's voice in "Love Is Strange." Beyoncé co-wrote "Ya Ya" with a team of collaborators including her frequent partner-in-crime The-Dream (who also co-produced the track). They were joined by Arlo Parks, the British singer-songwriter known for her Mercury Music Prize-winning debut album Collapsed in Sunbeams. She's also collaborated with indie stars like Phoebe Bridgers ("Pegasus") and Clairo ("Green Eyes"). Rounding out the crew are Giift, Cadenza, Harry Edwards, and Beyoncé's husband Jay-Z.

Hello, girls (hello, Beyoncé)
Hello, fellas (you're pretty swell)
Those petty ones can't fuck with me (why?)
'Cause I'm a clever girl, we snappin'
(Pretty please) toms, please
We wanna welcome you to the Beyoncé Cowboy Carter: Act II, ah
And The Rodeo Chitlin' Circuit
We gon' make it do what it do, ya-ya
Put them hands together

We clappin'
We drummin'
(Ya-ya-ya-ya-ya, ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya) oh, ya-ya-ya
(Oh, ya-ya-ya-ya-ya, ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya) oh
Ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya (oh, ya-ya-ya-ya-ya, ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya)
Ya-ya-ya-ya (oh, ya)
(Ya-ya) B-E-Y-I-N-C-É, ya

My family lived and died in America, hm
Good ol' USA (good ol' USA), shit
Whole lotta red in that white and blue, huh
History can't be erased, ooh-oh
Are you lookin' for a new America? (America)
Are you tired, working time and a half for half the pay?
Ya-ya (half the pay, ooh-oh)
I just pray that we don't crash
Keep my Bible on the dash, we gotta keep the faith
Wildfire burnt his house down
Insurance ain't gon' pay no Fannie Mae, shit
So hold this holster, pour more liquor, please
Hardworkin' men ain't got no money in the bank, ha, ya-ya
Turn up the vinyl and the radio (radio)
He can't watch the news nowadays, oh (nowadays)
I just pray that he don't crash
Keep this pistol on the dash, he gotta keep the faith

She's pickin' up good vibrations
He's lookin' for sweet sensations
Ladies? (yeah?)
Fuck it

We shakin' (ya-ya-ya-ya-ya, ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya)
We swimmin' (oh, ya-ya-ya-ya-ya, a-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya)
We jerkin' (oh, ya-ya-ya-ya-ya, a-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya)
We twerkin' (oh, ya-ya-ya-ya-ya, oh, ya-ya-ya-ya-ya)
You wanna touch it, don't ya?
Come get this genie in a bottle (ya-ya-ya-ya-ya)
Come rub it, won't you? (Oh, ya-ya-ya-ya-ya)
I pop it
I walk it like I talk it (ya-ya-ya-ya-ya)
I got your spurs sparkin'
Ya-ya-ya-ya-ya, oh

Let loose
Do what you do, baby, good God
I don't wanna hear no ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya
I got you daydreamin'
Put your lips on my lips
And strum me like a guitar
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la, you got me movin', boy
You got me, ooh-in', you might know what you're doin'
Put them babies to bed
We sweat out the sheets
Got you up all night and now you don't wanna leave
I can soothe your pain, yeah
When I'm long gone you'll call my name, yeah
World of wind got you insane, yeah
It's givin' me the faith

I'm pickin' up good vibrations, ooh
He's givin' me sweet sensations, oh
(B-E-Y-I-N-C-É, ah)
We gon' bust it down
From Texas (from Texas)
To Gary (to Gary)
All the way down to New York City (New York City)
Give me a kiss
Big daddy, you so pretty (so pretty)

Got these slugs in my mouth when I die don't take 'em out
(Got these slugs in my mouth when I die don't take 'em out) ooh
Baby, if you ain't got no grits, get the fuck up out the South
(If you ain't got no grits, get the fuck up out the South)
Life is comin' at me fast, keep my Bible on the dash
Pistol in my seat just in case I gotta blast
I just wanna shake my ass (have a blast)
Ooh
I just wanna shake my ass (have a blast)
Ooh, we vibratin'
And, lover boy, you're so fine
Ooh, you got me losin' my mind
But you gotta keep the faith
Ohh
We gotta keep the faith
Oh, vote
Oh, whoa