If I Were a Boy
"If I Were a Boy" is a song written by BC Jean and Toby Gad and originally performed by Jean in 2008.[1] The song gained international attention the same year in a version by the American singer Beyoncé, from her third studio album I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008). Jean and Gad also handled its production alongside Beyoncé. Inspired by the difficult break-up of a romantic relationship, the song was initially recorded by Jean, whose record company rejected it. Beyoncé then recorded her own version. Jean was upset when she learned that Beyoncé was releasing it as a single, but eventually, they reached an agreement. Columbia Records released "If I Were a Boy" to US radio on October 8, 2008, as a double A-side single alongside "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" as the lead singles. The two songs showcased the contrast between Beyoncé's personality and her aggressive onstage persona, Sasha Fierce. A Spanish version of the song, titled "Si Yo Fuera un Chico", was digitally released in Mexico and Spain.
For the novel by Haki Stërmilli, see If I Were a Boy (novel). For the 2017 film, see If I Were a Boy (film)."If I Were a Boy"
October 8, 2008
2008
Roc the Mic Studios, Strawberrybee Productions, GAD Studios
4:09
- Toby Gad
- Beyoncé Knowles
"If I Were a Boy" is a pop and R&B introspective ballad which draws influences from folk rock through its instrumentation of which includes acoustic guitars, drums and strings. The song's lyrics lament the misunderstandings between the genders and indict the male side of relationships. "If I Were a Boy" was well received by critics, who complimented Beyoncé's tormented and emotive vocal performance and called the song her best work to date. The single was a commercial success as it placed in the top ten on twenty-five different singles charts.[2] It topped the charts in numerous countries, including Brazil, the Netherlands, Sweden, as well as the United Kingdom, where it is Beyoncé's best-selling single, though it only comes in third once streaming data is included.[3] "If I Were a Boy" peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and earned multi-platinum certifications in Australia, Canada, and the US, as well as a diamond one in Brazil.
The accompanying music video for "If I Were a Boy" was directed by Jake Nava and shot in black-and-white. With a theme of role reversal, it is conceptually similar to the Disney comedy film Freaky Friday (1976). A video for the Spanish version of the ballad was edited from the original clip. Beyoncé promoted "If I Were a Boy" through live performances at venues including The Oprah Winfrey Show, the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, and the I Am... World Tour (2009–10). The song has been covered several times on televised music competitions. American singer Reba McEntire sang a country version of the ballad on Country Music Television (CMT), and a studio version was released as the second single from her 2010 album, All the Women I Am.
Composition and lyrical interpretation[edit]
"If I Were a Boy" is a midtempo pop and R&B ballad,[11][12][13] with folk rock and soft rock influences.[14][15] The song was composed using common time in the key of G♭ major and has a moderate tempo of 90 beats per minute.[16] It was written in the common verse-chorus form; the verses are supported by four chords and follow a vi-IV-I-V chord progression in the form E♭m7–B–G♭–D♭/F.[16][17] Ed Masle of The Arizona Republic noted that the progression is reminiscent of Nirvana's 1991 song "Smells Like Teen Spirit".[18] Instrumentation is provided by a piano, acoustic guitars, live drums, and strings[4][14] as well as hand claps which are used throughout the song.[15] Beyoncé's vocals span the range from a low of F♯3 to the high of E5.[16] Her singing gets higher and louder as she employs melodic crescendos.[19] Critics noted that Beyoncé delivers a tormented performance with unwavering sentiments.[14][19]
The lyrics of "If I Were a Boy" are about a gender-swapping thought experiment,[20] through which the narrator analyses the ideologies of a tense relationship.[21] As she sings about things she would do if she were a boy,[22] the narrator highlights the vulnerability of a woman[6] and ponders how things would be different if men had women's sense of empathy.[22] During the first part of the ballad, the narrator alternates between the role of her flawed partner and that of the better man she would be.[20] In the first verse, she envisions herself impersonating her unfeeling love interest[23] as she sings about consuming beer with other men, chasing after girls,[24] and treating her lover cruelly,[6] before adding that she would never be confronted for it.[25] The narrator then sings the chorus, in which she gives her vision of life as a better man,[22] "I think I could understand / How it feels to love a girl / I swear I'd be a better man",[19] because she knows "how it hurts when you lose the one you wanted / 'cause he's taken you for granted and everything you had got destroyed".[18][26]
In the second verse, the narrator resigns herself and continues to sing about cruelties that men often inflict on women.[22][27] Still imagining herself impersonating the man who has wronged her,[20] she highlights how some men switch off their phones to avoid ex-lovers after having found another girl.[27] The narrator continues, "I'd put myself first / And make the rules as I go / 'Cause I know that she'd be faithful / Waitin' for me to come home".[23][26] She then repeats the chorus;[22] the intensity with which she sings gradually increases until she hits her upper register and seems close to crying.[22][28] During the bridge, the narrator stops singing about the male behaviors she would indulge in if she were a man and addresses her callous lover directly.[22] As the narrator emphasizes how it feels to be cheated on, she sings her vocal lines an octave higher than she did in the rest of the song.[27] She finally tells him that it is too late to come back and apologize.[22] In the last verse, the narrator concludes, "But you're just a boy".[22] Fraser McAlpine of BBC Music notes that she "[pushes] her voice into a thin, pleading whine" at this point.[27] With a squeak in her voice,[27] she repeats the chorus for the final time as she fights to remain strong, not allowing her agony to bring her down.[22]
Chart performance[edit]
For the week ending October 25, 2008, "If I Were a Boy" debuted at number one-hundred on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, based solely on airplay.[55] In its third charting week, the song rose from number sixty eight to number three on the Hot 100 chart[56] as its digital download counterpart debuted at the top of the US Hot Digital Songs chart, selling 190,000 units.[57] It became Beyoncé's fourth number one on the Hot Digital Songs chart, following "Check on It" (2005), "Irreplaceable" (2006), and "Beautiful Liar" (2007).[57] "If I Were a Boy" also became her tenth top-ten single on the Hot 100 as a solo artist.[56] On November 15, 2008, the song fell to fifth,[58] where it stayed for one further week.[59] However, it regained its number three position on November 29, 2008,[60] as it returned to the top spot of the Hot Digital Songs chart,[61] selling 170,000 units.[62] "If I Were a Boy" sold 654,000 digital downloads in four weeks.[62] The following week, the song fell to number two on the Hot Digital Songs chart, selling 44,000 less copies than "Single Ladies", which debuted at number one.[63] "If I Were a Boy" maintained its position at number three on the Hot 100 chart while "Single Ladies" soared to number two on the chart. Beyoncé became the seventh female to have two songs in the top five positions of the Hot 100 chart.[64] The song was later certified sixfold platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.[65]
On November 2, 2008, "If I Were a Boy" was the highest debut of the week on the Australian Singles Chart, entering at number twelve.[66] The song peaked at number three for three non-consecutive weeks during the same month.[67] It was certified 7× platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) in 2023 for selling over 490,000 equivalent units.[68] "If I Were a Boy" debuted at number eight in New Zealand on October 27, 2008,[69] and peaked at number two for four non-consecutive weeks in November and December 2008.[70] In its twelfth charting week, it was certified platinum after twelve weeks by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ), representing shipment of 15,000 copies.[71] The song debuted at number two on the UK Singles Chart, selling 64,554 downloads on November 15, 2008.[72] The following week, it fell to number three with sales of 57,917 copies.[73] On November 23, 2008, it rebounded to number one, selling 47,949 copies,[74] becoming Beyoncé's fourth number-one single in the UK as a solo artist; it was her sixth including her career with Destiny's Child.[75] "If I Were a Boy" remained in the top five until the end of 2008[76] and was the 16th highest-selling single of that year.[77] The ballad was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for sales of over 600,000 copies.[78] It was the 68th highest selling single of the 2000s in the UK,[79] where it is Beyoncé's highest-selling single, with 746,000 sales as of November 2013,[80] though it only comes in third (behind "Halo" and "Crazy in Love") once streaming data is included.[3]
"If I Were a Boy"
January 24, 2011
3:32 (radio edit)
3:52 (album version)
- February 26, 2021 (Amazon Music only)
- July 30, 2021 (All streaming services)
Karen Kosowski