Friday, December 19, 2008

What's the it Beyonce keeps singing so much about?

Beyonce is the ultimate It Girl. But what is the "it" she keeps singing about in song after song after song?

Her latest single, "Single Ladies (Put a ring on it)," tells yet another no-good man that if "you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it." A few years ago, she invited us to "look at it as long as you don't grab it."

Why does she keep referring to herself – or is it her booty – as an it? Even the Pussycat Dolls, who go so far as to swing from poles at the American Music Awards, refer to themselves in the first person.

I think it's a black thing – and I don't want to understand it.

For the last fifteen years, greasy rap mo-fos have been bellowing at me to shake it, pop it, back my thing up and show 'em what I'm workin' wit'. R&B singers are now whining about how they want to make love in this club, unless they're classy enough to promise that if I wanna come to the hotel, they'll leave me their room key.

Really? You mean we're not going to do it in the ice-machine alcove?

It's enough to make a self-respecting black woman buy Dixie Chicks albums and set her radio preset to KROQ.

3 comments:

Living Journey said...

When they shake it, they could be asking to shake your hand.

When they say pop it, may be you have a big pimple to pop.

Good, funny post!

izzie said...

I've been off the net... but I gotta say I just loved this post... your tone on it... made me smile and nod all along! you go girl! ;)

Cheri Block Sabraw said...

Hi,
I really like this post because, not only are you making some relevant social commentary, but also you are adding an excellent grammar point----what in the heck does that indefinite pronoun it refer to?

In teaching writing all these years, I have tried to insist that most students eliminate the its.

Very funny post. Thanks for your candor.

Cheri

Post a Comment