Tricky Stewart. More than most female singers, Beyoncé understands the funky art of singing rhythmically, and this is a prime example.The song's message is a tricky one: girlfriend's just split from her no-good man and is out celebrating with her crew. She's snaring a new man, but her old one is watching, and the song is directed to him.
"If you like it then you should have put a ring on it," goes the singsong hook, and eventually, the lyrics reveal that this is what the singer really wants: for her guy to make like a prince and grab her, delivering her to "a destiny, to infinity and beyond."
That's corny, and Beyoncé's not one for cheap sentiment. No matter what the bridge says, it's that chorus that wins the day, and it is a slap in the face of a man who's already blown it. Prince Charming is left standing there like the second lead in a romantic comedy, while Beyoncé lets her new guy -- and the beat, and those jumping background singers -- sweep her off her feet.
