Mere moments after we were all coming down from Beyoncé casually announcing in middle of the Super Bowl that she had new music on the way, she dropped not one but TWO (2!) new songs: “TEXAS HOLD ’EM” and “16 CARRIAGES.” Genuinely not sure what to do with myself other than spiral, so here’s the single art for both:
Both songs are exclusively available on Tidal at the moment, but we do have some early lyrics for you to enjoy. Here’s “TEXAS HOLD ’EM,” via Genius (note: there are some question marks as the song is still being transcribed).
[Chorus]
This ain’t Texas (Oh)
Ain’t no hold ’em (Hey)
So lay your cards down, down, down, down
So pock your lexus (Ooh)
And throw your keys up (Hey)
Stick around,’ round, ’round, ’round, ’round (Stick around)
And I’ll be damned if I can’t slow dance with you
Come pour some sugar on me honey, too
It’s a real life boogie, and a real life hoedown
Don’t be a bitch, come take it to the floor now (Woo)[Verse 1]
Ha
There’s a tornado (There’s a tornado)
In my city (In my city)
In the basement (In the basement)
That shit ain’t pretty (Shit ain’t pretty)
[?] whiskey
‘Cause we surviving (‘Cause we surviving)
[?] red puff kisses, sweet redemption, passin’ time [?]
Ooh, one step to the right
We headin’ to the dive bar, we always [?] nice
Ooh, run me to the left
Then spin me in the middle for [?] I can’t read your mind[Chorus]
This ain’t Texas (Oh)
Ain’t no hold ’em (Hey)
So lay your cards down, down, down, down
So pock your lexus (Ooh)
And throw your keys up (Hey)
Stick around,’ round, ’round, ’round, ’round (Stick around)
And I’ll be damned if I can’t slow dance with you
Come pour some sugar on me honey, too
It’s a real life boogie, and a real life hoedown
Don’t be a bitch, come take it to the floor now (Woo)[Bridge]
And I’ll be damned if I cannot dance with you
Come pour some liquor on me honey, too
It’s a real life boogie, and a real life hoedown
Don’t be a bitch, come take it to the floor now (Woo)Woo-hoo
Woo-hoo
Woo-hoo
And here’s “16 CARRIAGES,” also via Genius:
[Chorus]
Sixteen carriages drivin’ away
While I watch them ride with my dreams away
To the summer sunset on a holy night
On a long back road, all the tears I find
Sixteen carriages drivin’ away
While I watch them ride with my dreams away
To the summer sunset on a holy night
On a long back road, all the tears I find[Verse 1]
Fifteen innocents was gone astray
Had to leave my home at an early age
I saw mama prayin’, I saw daddy grind
All my tender problems, had to leave behind[Pre-Chorus]
It’s been umpteenth summers and I’m not in my bed
On the back of the bus and a bunk with the bed
Goin’ so hard, gotta choose myself
Underpaid and ovеrwhelmed
I might cook, clean, but still won’t fall
Still workin’ on my lifе, you know
Only God knows, only God knows
Only God knows[Chorus]
Sixteen carriages driving away
While I watch them ride with my feels away
To the summer sunset on a holy night
On a long back road, all the tears I find
Sixteen carriages driving away
While I watch them ride with my feels away
To the summer sunset on a holy night
On a long back road, all the tears I find[Verse 2]
Sixteen dollars, workin’ all day
Ain’t got time to waste, I got all to make
I got love to create on this holy night
They won’t dim my light, all these years I find[Pre-Chorus]
It’s been thirty-eight summers and I’m not in my bed
On the back of the bus and I [?] with the bag
Comin’ so hard, now I miss my kids
Overworked and overwhelmed
I might cook clean, but still won’t fall
Still workin’ on my life, you know
Only God knows, only God knows
Only God knows
[Chorus]
Sixteen carriages driving away
While I watch them ride with my feels away
To the summer sunset on a holy night
On a long back road, all the tears I find
Sixteen carriages driving away
While I watch them ride with my feels away
To the summer sunset on a holy night
On a long back road, all these tears I find[Interlude]
Oh, oh
Oh[Bridge]
Fifteen innocents was gone astray
Had to take it home an early age
I saw mama cryin’, I saw daddy lyin’
Had to sacrifice and leave my fears behind
The legacy, this the last thing I do
You’ll remember me ’cause we got somethin’ to prove
In your memory, on a highway to truth
[?] places when you close your eyes[Outro]
Sixteen carriages driving away
While I watch them ride with my dreams away
In case you missed it (or were busy watching football), Bey dropped started teasing new music via a Verizon commercial—which she ended by saying, “Okay, they ready. Drop the new music.”
She then hit Instagram with a new album tease:
But fans definitely had a feeling music was coming thanks to some teaser Verizon ads, one of which involved Veep’s Tony Hale standing in front of a green screen with the horse from Renaissance—which was set to Beyoncé’s “My House.”
