In 2007, Knowles began to record music again. Her second studio album Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams (2008) deviated from the pop-oriented music of her debut to Motown-inspired sounds from the 60's and 70's. It peaked at number nine on the US Billboard 200 and received positive reviews from critics. She followed this up with the 1980s pop and R&B-inspired EP True (2012) on Terrible Records and her imprint Saint Records. Her third studio album, A Seat at the Table (2016) was released to widespread critical acclaim and became her first number-one album in the United States. The album's lead single, "Cranes in the Sky" won the Grammy for Best R&B Performance. Her fourth studio album, When I Get Home, was released in March 2019 to further critical acclaim.
Knowles was heavily influenced by Motown girl groups and says that her first passion is songwriting. Frequently compared by the media to her sister Beyoncé, Knowles has claimed that they have different aspirations and are musically different. She has been ranked by Billboard as the 100th most successful dance artist of all-time, and in 2017 was honored with the "Impact Award" at Billboard Women in Music. Her other ventures include an endorsement deal with Rimmel London and a line of hip-hop-oriented merchandise for young children.
Bad Girls
Solange Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The classroom and I treat it as a book
Get back and think I see I never saw
Them hearts are still and I'm never calm
The bed I woke up in, that's not my own
The make-up I applied two days ago
The night I lost my phone on the way home
Oh, I can't help it baby yeah
Yeah yeah yeah
And still I try to throw you into my own hurricane
It's like I you spot me trying from a thousand miles away
I looked down on your soul, deep down I know that we're the same
It's stupid thinking that you would want to come play my game
Tell me what's wrong
Now I can't tell you what's wrong
I can't tell you what's wrong
I can't tell you what's wrong
I can't tell you, baby
The opening lines of Solange's "Bad Girls" evoke a sense of discord or dissonance. The singer acknowledges that there are certain things in her life that she has been neglecting or ignoring, likening them to a book that she treats as a classroom. This implies a disregard for learning or personal growth, in favor of more superficial or fleeting things. She then reflects on the stillness of hearts around her - perhaps a reference to the emotional distance or apathy she perceives in herself and others.
The second verse delves deeper into the specifics of Solange's melancholy mindset. She wakes up in a bed that doesn't feel like her own, with makeup that she applied two days ago still on her face. This suggests a sense disillusionment or dissatisfaction with her life or identity. She also references losing her phone, a common symbol of connection and communication in our modern world. The fact that she doesn't know where the taxi is taking her shines a light on her internal confusion and feeling of being lost.
The chorus of the song is repeated several times throughout "Bad Girls" and is almost a mantra of sorts - "I can't help it baby yeah, yeah yeah yeah." This could be interpreted as a resignation to her own feelings of confusion and discontent, as if she is recognizing that she is powerless to change the way she feels. She then goes on to acknowledge that she has been trying to drag the person listening to the song into her own struggles, despite there being no reason why they would want to be a part of her problems.
Overall, "Bad Girls" seems to be a reflection on Solange's own internal struggles. It's a poignant and introspective piece that leaves room for the listener's own interpretation and introspection.
Line by Line Meaning
It's everything that I seem to ignore
I am aware of everything that is happening around me, but I choose to ignore it.
The classroom and I treat it as a book
I do not take anything seriously and treat everything as if it is insignificant.
Get back and think I see I never saw
When I reflect on my life, I realize that there were things that I overlooked and never saw.
Them hearts are still and I'm never calm
While others seem to be at peace, my heart is restless and I am never calm.
The bed I woke up in, that's not my own
I am living a life that is not truly mine and I am not in control.
The make-up I applied two days ago
I am trying to hide my true self behind a facade of makeup.
The night I lost my phone on the way home
I am losing touch with reality and my sense of direction.
The taxi came, I don't know where I'm going, no
I am lost and have no direction in life.
Oh, I can't help it baby yeah
I know that I have issues, but I cannot help myself or my situation.
And still I try to throw you into my own hurricane
I am trying to involve you in my chaotic life.
It's like I you spot me trying from a thousand miles away
You can see right through me, even from a distance.
I looked down on your soul, deep down I know that we're the same
I have judged you in the past, but I now realize that we are not so different after all.
It's stupid thinking that you would want to come play my game
It is foolish of me to believe that anyone would want to be a part of my chaotic lifestyle.
Tell me what's wrong
I am reaching out for help and looking for someone to confide in.
Now I can't tell you what's wrong
Even though I need help, I cannot bring myself to admit what is wrong and share my struggles.
I can't tell you what's wrong
I am feeling lost and confused, and am unable to express myself to others.
I can't tell you what's wrong
My issues and problems are too complex for me to put into words and explain to others.
I can't tell you, baby
I am struggling with my own internal battles and am unable to open up to others for help.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DEV HYNES, SOLANGE KNOWLES, VERDINE WHITE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@petertheprettygood
It's everything that I seem to ignore
The classroom that I treated as a bore
The pocketbook I say I never saw
The hearts I stole and I'll never call
The bed I woke up in that's not my own
The make-up I applied two days ago
The night I lost my phone on the way home
The taxi where I don't know where I'm going, no
Oh, I can't help it, baby
And still I tried to pull you into my own hurricane
It's like you spot me trying from a thousand miles away
I look down on your soul
Deep down I know that we're the same
It's stupid thinking that you would want to come play my game
Tell me what's wrong
No, I can't tell you what's wrong
I can't tell you what's wrong
I can't tell you what's wrong
Yeah, I can't tell you, baby
@adreamingwolf
Still makes me cry evrytym
@gautamdevgun333
She had to bring in Earth, Wind, & Fire's legendary talent Verdine White to make this cut timeless.
@austinrico9080
thank you for this piece of art, True is such a timeless ep
@FrankTheOcean
I first heard of solange in 2014 when the whole elevator incident with Jay Z happened and I was curious who she was. This is the first song I ever heard of solange and let me tell y’all, I was feeling it. This was no ordinary feeling, I felt as if I was the music video. Coincidentally at the time, the lyrics of this song kinda described my life. I was so attached to this song that I ended up finding out it’s just a cover of blood orange . This discovery was just the beginning of my next musical adventure story, but that’s for another time😌
@manabae270
Crazy how I discovered blood orange through listening to Solange. If he had collab'd with her he must be good, I thought ... Met my expectations
@jeeduarte
I feel you.
@zoeyschlapman4862
It’s been so long Solange
@umairsajid8540
This comment makes so much sense 😭
@bbygirl9806
TILL THIS DAY
@starfai
!!!!!!!!!