Beyonce 2008- If I Were A Boy

"If I Were A Boy"

If I were a boy
Even just for a day
I'd roll outta bed in the morning
And throw on what I wanted and go
Drink beer with the guys
And chase after girls
I'd kick it with who I wanted
And I'd never get confronted for it
'Cause they'd stick up for me

If I were a boy
I think I could understand
How it feels to love a girl
I swear I'd be a better man
I'd listen to her
'Cause I know how it hurts
When you lose the one you wanted
'Cause he's taken you for granted
And everything you had got destroyed

If I were a boy
I would turn off my phone
Tell everyone it's broken
So they'd think that I was sleepin' alone
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 (to come home)

If I were a boy
I think I could understand
How it feels to love a girl
I swear I'd be a better man
I'd listen to her
'Cause I know how it hurts
When you lose the one you wanted (wanted)
'Cause he's taken you for granted (granted)
And everything you had got destroyed

It's a little too late for you to come back
Say it's just a mistake
Think I'd forgive you like that
If you thought I would wait for you
You thought wrong

But you're just a boy
You don't understand
Yeah, you don't understand, oh
How it feels to love a girl someday
You wish you were a better man
You don't listen to her
You don't care how it hurts
Until you lose the one you wanted
'Cause you've taken her for granted
And everything you had got destroyed

But you're just a boy

Who created this message?

"If I Were a Boy" was written by BC Jean and Toby Gad. The song became popular later when Beyonce sang it.

What creative techniques are used to attract my attention?

To attract attention this song uses emotional tones, It start slow and calm making reference to how easy life would be "If I Were a Boy", then it shifts to a louder "yell" almost like a cry for boys to listen and be better men. They use an appeal to my emotional experiences from past relationships to catch and keep my attention. The song ends in the same calm tone it starts in.

How might different people interpret this message differently than me?

I believe that someone who identifies as a man would potential interpret this message differently than me because the song is from a womans prespective. I can relate to the feelings in this song, whereas, a man may percieve the song in a different way than I do.

What viewpoints or world views are included or left out of this message?

The view point that is included in this song is that if the girl in this situation were a boy/man that they would have it easier and that they would give more to a girl. The viewpoint that men tend to have more freedoms in relationships is represented, as well as, that the girl was hurt by a boy. The view point most clearly left out is a mans viewpoint.

Why is this message being sent?

Listening to the interview with BC Jean one of the credited song writers, I believe that the song was created to help her process a breakup. She metions that she was hurting, so to process she wrote the song talking about what she would do differently than her Ex-boyfriend.