Daddy (Beyoncé Knowles song)
Encyclopedia
"Daddy" is a song recorded by American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles
for her debut studio album, Dangerously in Love
(2003). It was composed by Knowles as well as Mark Batson
. The song was not originally intended to be featured on the final track listing of the album. Knowles was able to record the song as the release date of her debut album had been postponed. "Daddy" was only released to US iTunes Store
as a promotional single on June 3, 2003 through Columbia Records
.
Knowles explained that the song's development was motivated by the devotion and the loyalty her father/manager
, Mathew Knowles
has towards his family members. Many of the songs on the album examine aspects of relationships. However, "Daddy" was considered to be an element analyzing the kinship ties between a father and his offspring from a different and more powerful perspective. Music critics, who generally received the song with positive reception, commented that the song was a way for Knowles to pay tribute to her father.
. It was a "hidden track" on all the editions of Dangerously in Love
as the fifteenth and final track. Knowles initially was not going to include the song on the album, however after undergoing multiple push-backs, she was able to work on extra material for the album which included "Daddy". Over forty-three songs were recorded for Dangerously in Love, all of which were overseen by father Mathew, however Beyoncé secretly planted the song on the album as a "hidden track" which left Mathew speechless out of both shock and appreciation. The song was released as a promotional single
to iTunes Store
exclusively in the United States on June 23, 2003 through Columbia Records
. It is also featured on the soundtrack of Tyler Perry
's Daddy's Little Girls (2007).
Concerning the conception of "Daddy", Knowles told MTV News
:
song. The first verse of the song begins with Knowles reminiscing about the times she and her father/manager
, Mathew Knowles
shared as a child and through her adolescence. She sings about wanting to be with a man who has similar qualities as her father. This is illustrated in the lyrics: "I treasure every irreplaceable memory and that's why I want my unborn son to be like my daddy, I want my husband to be like my daddy, there is no one else like my daddy." According to Marc Anthony Neal of the PopMatters
, Beyoncé also confidently embraces her womanhood in the song. In a way, Beyoncé pays tribute to her father through this song.
stated that "Daddy" was probably written specifically for the soundtrack album
of Daddy's Little Girls and that it may even "play a part in a pivotal scene." Making reference to Knowles long-time relationship with Jay-Z and then recent rumors about them possibly getting married, Nero added that the song might leave several numerous fans wondering what could happen next. Marc Anthony Neal of the international webzine
PopMatters
considered "Daddy" to be the "most affecting song on Dangerously in Love." He went on writing that the song is an extraordinary tribute to her father Mathew Knowles, stating that Knowles "embraces [...] the man that has helped take the kind of artistic leap that Dangerously in Love represents." He ended up by adding that " [...] By the time listeners get to the fifteenth and final track, they will have been so pleasantly surprised and impressed by Beyoncé's performance throughout, that 'Daddy' seems less corny [...]" but it is in this song that she finally accepts the state of being a woman, rather than a girl.
Anthony DeCurtis of Rolling Stone
commented that the album, which starts with "[a] cauldron of energy" on "Crazy in Love" (2003), ends by contrast with "Daddy" which he described as a five-minute tribute to her manager-father, and considered to be "an anthology of vocal and lyrical cliches." MTV News
wrote that "Daddy" is different from the other relationship songs on Dangerously in Love, and added that it has a powerful message. By contrast, Allison Stewart of The Washington Post
called "Daddy" a "creepy bonus track". Similarly, Spence D., writing for IGN Music
stated that "Daddy" is not really worth uncovering, as it follows suit in terms of being "a by-the-books contempo R&B rendition", and he commented that "there is something oddly eerie about an attractive woman such as Beyoncé crooning the words 'I want my husband to be like my Daddy.'"
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
for her debut studio album, Dangerously in Love
Dangerously in Love
Dangerously in Love is the debut solo album of American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles, released on June 22, 2003, by Columbia Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in 2002 to 2003 at several studios, during the hiatus of her then-group Destiny's Child...
(2003). It was composed by Knowles as well as Mark Batson
Mark Batson
Mark Batson is an American record producer, arranger, and songwriter from Bushwick, Brooklyn, now based in Los Angeles.As a co-writer and producer with Dr. Dre, he is responsible for Jay-Z's 2006 single "Lost One", as well as tracks for Eminem, 50 Cent, Game and Snoop Dogg. As a co-writer and...
. The song was not originally intended to be featured on the final track listing of the album. Knowles was able to record the song as the release date of her debut album had been postponed. "Daddy" was only released to US iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
as a promotional single on June 3, 2003 through Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
.
Knowles explained that the song's development was motivated by the devotion and the loyalty her father/manager
Talent manager
A talent manager, also known as an artist manager or band manager, is an individual or company who guides the professional career of artists in the entertainment industry...
, Mathew Knowles
Mathew Knowles
Mathew Knowles is an American music executive and manager. He is the father and former manager of R&B singer Beyoncé , Knowles also managed Kelly Rowland as well as girl group Destiny's Child . He was also the manager of Solange Knowles.-Manager and producer:Knowles is an alumnus of Fisk...
has towards his family members. Many of the songs on the album examine aspects of relationships. However, "Daddy" was considered to be an element analyzing the kinship ties between a father and his offspring from a different and more powerful perspective. Music critics, who generally received the song with positive reception, commented that the song was a way for Knowles to pay tribute to her father.
Background and development
"Daddy" was written by Knowles as well as Mark BatsonMark Batson
Mark Batson is an American record producer, arranger, and songwriter from Bushwick, Brooklyn, now based in Los Angeles.As a co-writer and producer with Dr. Dre, he is responsible for Jay-Z's 2006 single "Lost One", as well as tracks for Eminem, 50 Cent, Game and Snoop Dogg. As a co-writer and...
. It was a "hidden track" on all the editions of Dangerously in Love
Dangerously in Love
Dangerously in Love is the debut solo album of American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles, released on June 22, 2003, by Columbia Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in 2002 to 2003 at several studios, during the hiatus of her then-group Destiny's Child...
as the fifteenth and final track. Knowles initially was not going to include the song on the album, however after undergoing multiple push-backs, she was able to work on extra material for the album which included "Daddy". Over forty-three songs were recorded for Dangerously in Love, all of which were overseen by father Mathew, however Beyoncé secretly planted the song on the album as a "hidden track" which left Mathew speechless out of both shock and appreciation. The song was released as a promotional single
Promotional recording
A promotional recording, or promo, is an audio or video recording distributed for free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available...
to iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
exclusively in the United States on June 23, 2003 through Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. It is also featured on the soundtrack of Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry is an American actor, director, playwright, entrepreneur, screenwriter, producer, author, and songwriter. Perry wrote and produced many stage plays during the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2005, he released his first film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman...
's Daddy's Little Girls (2007).
Concerning the conception of "Daddy", Knowles told MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
:
Composition
"Daddy" is a nearly five-minute long R&BContemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
song. The first verse of the song begins with Knowles reminiscing about the times she and her father/manager
Talent manager
A talent manager, also known as an artist manager or band manager, is an individual or company who guides the professional career of artists in the entertainment industry...
, Mathew Knowles
Mathew Knowles
Mathew Knowles is an American music executive and manager. He is the father and former manager of R&B singer Beyoncé , Knowles also managed Kelly Rowland as well as girl group Destiny's Child . He was also the manager of Solange Knowles.-Manager and producer:Knowles is an alumnus of Fisk...
shared as a child and through her adolescence. She sings about wanting to be with a man who has similar qualities as her father. This is illustrated in the lyrics: "I treasure every irreplaceable memory and that's why I want my unborn son to be like my daddy, I want my husband to be like my daddy, there is no one else like my daddy." According to Marc Anthony Neal of the PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
, Beyoncé also confidently embraces her womanhood in the song. In a way, Beyoncé pays tribute to her father through this song.
Critical reception
Mark Edward Nero of About.comAbout.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
stated that "Daddy" was probably written specifically for the soundtrack album
Soundtrack album
A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television program. In some cases, not all the tracks from the movie are included in the album; however there are rare cases of songs in the trailers that do not appear in...
of Daddy's Little Girls and that it may even "play a part in a pivotal scene." Making reference to Knowles long-time relationship with Jay-Z and then recent rumors about them possibly getting married, Nero added that the song might leave several numerous fans wondering what could happen next. Marc Anthony Neal of the international webzine
Online magazine
An online magazine shares some features with a blog and also with online newspapers, but can usually be distinguished by its approach to editorial control...
PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
considered "Daddy" to be the "most affecting song on Dangerously in Love." He went on writing that the song is an extraordinary tribute to her father Mathew Knowles, stating that Knowles "embraces [...] the man that has helped take the kind of artistic leap that Dangerously in Love represents." He ended up by adding that " [...] By the time listeners get to the fifteenth and final track, they will have been so pleasantly surprised and impressed by Beyoncé's performance throughout, that 'Daddy' seems less corny [...]" but it is in this song that she finally accepts the state of being a woman, rather than a girl.
Anthony DeCurtis of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
commented that the album, which starts with "[a] cauldron of energy" on "Crazy in Love" (2003), ends by contrast with "Daddy" which he described as a five-minute tribute to her manager-father, and considered to be "an anthology of vocal and lyrical cliches." MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
wrote that "Daddy" is different from the other relationship songs on Dangerously in Love, and added that it has a powerful message. By contrast, Allison Stewart of The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
called "Daddy" a "creepy bonus track". Similarly, Spence D., writing for IGN Music
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
stated that "Daddy" is not really worth uncovering, as it follows suit in terms of being "a by-the-books contempo R&B rendition", and he commented that "there is something oddly eerie about an attractive woman such as Beyoncé crooning the words 'I want my husband to be like my Daddy.'"