There is a three-letter word for song’s like Beyonce‘s “Texas Hold ‘Em.”

• Beyoncé revealed two country songs during Super Bowl 58: “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages.”
• Sony Music Nashville officially announced “Texas Hold ‘Em” as a radio single in an email sent Wednesday (Feb. 14).
• Some radio stations had started to give the song unsolicited airplay.

The iconic singer and songwriter just crossed over into country music, and premature conversations about what that means and whether radio will or won’t play her music pours water on the most ear-pleasing piece of twang you’ll hear in 2024.

“Texas Hold ‘Em” is smart, daring and unbelievably fun, but nowhere near kitsch.

Her lyrics (below) touch all five senses, but this new song isn’t destined for that category of musical poetry that’s saved only for snobbish critical acclaim and Grammy attention. As a single, it’s a monster that requires immediate replay.

Credit Bey, Nate Ferraro and Killah B for an arrangement that brings authenticity to this vocal spotlight. That’s really what “Texas Hold ‘Em” is. You’ll wait in the car to hear micro-notes in words like “tornado” and “heat wave.” As the song closes and she begins that final chorus — it’s really just unfair to the rest of us that she can sing like that!

Name the last song you’d truly wait in the car to hear. A Chris Stapleton song, maybe? Something by Carrie Underwood, perhaps? With just the gentlest of promotional pushes, Beyonce’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” will be the country song of the summer, if not the year.

They call these kinds of songs a HIT.

Below is the original version and lyrics to Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em.” Country radio may play the clean version, which mutes words like “b—h” and “s–t.”

Did You Know?: “Texas Hold ‘Em” was written by Beyoncé, Brian Bates, Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Megan Bülow, Ferraro and 1990’s R&B hitmaker (and Tony! Toni! Toné! band member) Raphael Saadiq.

Listen to Beyonce, “Texas Hold ‘Em”:

Beyonce, “Texas Hold ‘Em” Lyrics:

Chorus:
This ain’t Texas (Woo) / Ain’t no hold ’em (Hey) / So lay your cards down, down, down, down / So park your Lexus (Woo) / 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 b–ch, come take it to the floor now.

There’s a tornado (There’s a tornado) / In my city (In my city) / In the basement (In the basement), That s–t ain’t pretty (S–t ain’t pretty) / Rugged whiskey (Rugged whiskey) / Cause we survivin’ (‘Cause we survivin’) / Off red cup kisses, sweet redemption, passin’ time, yeah.

Pre-Chorus:
Ooh, one step to the right / We headin’ to the dive bar we always thought was nice / Ooh, run me to the left / Then spin me in the middle, boy, I can’t read your mind.

Repeat Chorus

And I’ll be damned if I cannot dance with you / Come and pour some liquor on me, honey too / It’s a real life boogie and a real life hoedown / Don’t be a b–ch, come take it to the floor now (Woo).

There’s a heatwave (There’s a heatwave) / Coming at us (Coming at us) Too hot to think straight (Too hot to think straight) / Too cold to panic (Too cold to panic) / All of the problems just feel dramatic (Just feel dramatic) / And now we’re runnin’ to the first spot that we find, yeah.

Pre-Chorus

Repeat Chorus

And I’ll be damned if I cannot dance with you / Come and pour some liquor on me, honey too / It’s a real life boogie and a real life hoedown / Don’t be a b–ch, come take it to the floor now (Woo).

Take it to the floor now, ooh / Hoops, spurs, boots / To the floor now, ooh / Tuck, back, oops (Ooh, ooh, ooh) / Shoot, come take it to the floor now, ooh / And I’ll be damned if I cannot dance with you / Baby, pour that sugar and liquor on me too / Furs, spurs, boots / Solargenic, photogenic, shoot.