'Loose Talk'
By Benjamin Benedict

'Green Light' - Beyonce

Every morning, I shuffle out of bed to sit behind my computer and see what’s going on in the World. When I am convinced that things are pretty much OK, I click on Beyonce’s video ‘Green Light’. That sets me up for the day, better than coffee ever could.

The track is musically and thematically brilliant. Visually, it is full of tasty ladies in skyscraper heels plus a strip of PVC. It expresses an emotion, which used to be exclusively a male province. If it was generally understood what was being said, the song would be banned, but Beyonce expertly camouflages the underlying meaning with a combination of rap and a diva's soaring vocal, orchestrated by a blisteringly hot horn section. The song sets a benchmark in the way a sophisticated woman might not just ask for, but require sex. It reminds me of that Demi Moore/Mike Douglas Film, ‘Disclosure’, where Demi has Mike on his back. That was thirteen years ago and things have moved on. In ‘Disclosure’, Demi was the villain and she had a fixation about Mike, whereas the lady who Beyonce plays the part of makes it clear that if her man is not there for her, then she will get someone else.

I love the way Beyonce’s ‘o’s’ sound. They are uniquely hers and probably come from the way her family talks, but she purposely uses this sound to get more out of the lyrics. She borders on being a showgirl, but lacks the vacancy of Kylie or Gwen, though I must confess to also being a massive fan of ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head’ and ‘The Sweet Escape’.

But Beyonce’s ‘Green Light’ and one suspects Beyonce herself has a lot more to give. Her rendition is breathtaking. Vocally she can put those other ladies in her pocket. And the theme is provoking, particularly coming from a girl who lives so much of a family life. It has always struck me how sexually overt her videos are. With Christina Aquilera you expect something steamy but Beyonce could (couldn’t she?) be the girl next door. In interview she comes across as level headed, almost as demure, but I’d guess she is also as smart as a whip, and hugely ambitious as an artist.

The site that offers me my morning dose of ‘Green Light’ also has a review facility. Apart from my own critique, they are less than ecstatic. In fact the word ‘crap’ comes up more than once. Now, it gives me great comfort to know that they, who think that Beyonce has ‘sunk so low’, that ‘the song means nothing’, and that ‘she is screaming’, are also likely to think that I am ‘crap’ too.

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