It’s official date of release was October the thirteenth, 2008. And the next thing she knew, Beyoncé grabbed the rights to the song and turned it into a global hit.
However, when she sent it to her label, it was rejected. The aforementioned songwriters (Toby and Jean) are the official composers of this hit ballad.Īctually, it was Jean who recorded this song. It is interesting to note that despite this being one of her most notable songs, Beyoncé played no role in its creation. And being a “better man” than her ex lover was one of the things she felt she could do if she were a boy. And along with that thought came a flood of other thoughts relating to the things she would do if she were a man.
And why? So she could eat the pizza without even thinking for a second about the consequences it would have on her weight. It was at that particular moment that she wished she was a boy. FYI, Gad co-wrote this ballad with Jean.Īccording to Jean, while at the restaurant, she wanted to order a pizza but instantly decided against the idea because she was on a diet. And the second inspiration came when she and record producer Toby Gad took a trip to a pizza restaurant in New York City. The first was the collapse of a romantic relationship she was in. Song’s InspirationĪccording to the song’s co-writer (singer-songwriter BC Jean), the song was inspired by two primary things. So according to her, if she had the opportunity to be a boy, she’d make it her objective to be a better partner to her female lover. Here, she strongly criticizes men for their inability to love and treat their female partners properly. And why? Because this is where the “meat” of the song really is located. But our interest isn’t in the verses per say.