Beyonce's iconic 'Single Ladies': Here is the story behind the song

Beyoncé is one of the most popular American singers in the world. She is also a successful songwriter and record producer. She is also an actor and dancer who has achieved great success in her career. Her popular songs include Halo, Single Ladies, Video Phone, Run The World, Drunk In Love, Pretty Hurts, Crazy In Love, and many more. One of Beyoncé’s songs titled Single Ladies has an elaborate story to it. Read on to know more details about the story behind this unforgettable Beyoncé number.

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The story behind Beyonce's iconic 'Single Ladies' song 

This catchy fun song is not about materialism and getting gifts from your man; the ring is symbolic of treating a woman with love and respect and commitment, and not being selfish and taking her for granted. “Don’t treat me to these things in the world. I’m not that kind of girl", these lyrics mean both, she’s not materialistic nor into being played by men.

Actually, this song urges women to dump their boyfriends if they don’t propose. In an interview with The Boom box, co-writer 'The Dream' explained that he likes to tap into women’s personal stories when he writes songs for them.

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He said further said that the topics change based on what you’re going through in your life. Apparently, Beyoncé was newly married when she wrote ‘Single Ladies,’ but the blessing is in how she was raised and her principal of it, and how she feels about marriage. He wrote a song about a relationship that’s starting but sings, ‘If you like it then you should’ve put a ring on it,’ meaning a lot. The music video was directed by Jake Nava. In the video, Beyoncé and the dancing girls are pointing in the direction of their wedding fingers, as they urge ladies to find a man who “should put a ring on it.”

The dancing of the song, ‘Single Ladies’ was inspired by choreographer and director Bob Fosse. In an interview with a leading daily, Beyoncé explained that the idea for the promo was a 1960s film of a Bob Fosse routine, Mexican Breakfast, which featured his wife, Gwen Verdon. She also added that she saw a video on YouTube. They had a plain background and it was shot on the crane; it was 360 degrees; they could move around, which she thought was "genius". 

They kept Fosse as the choreographer and added the down-south thing. It’s called J-setting, where one person does something and the next person follows. So it was a strange mixture, kind of like the song, which is almost like a nursery rhyme, the ‘oh-oh-oh’s, and the sinister chords. Beyonce believes that the song had the most urban choreography, mixed with Fosse, very modern and very vintage. So, it turned out to be the least expensive video she has done. She also revealed that she never thought the video would become so iconic.

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The song was in the top Billboard Hot 100 chart, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, Hot Dance Club Play and the US Pop Songs charts. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified it Quadruple Platinum for sales over 5 million copies. It was certified 5 times Platinum in Australia, Double Platinum in Canada, and Platinum in New Zealand and Spain. In Denmark, Germany, Italy, and Mexico it was certified Gold. Beyoncé was 27 years old when she released this song, ‘Single Ladies’.

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