 Lemonade by Beyonce Manufacturer: Legacy ASIN: B01EPOY1AQ Label: Legacy Copyright Date: 2016 Genre: Pop Subgenre: Rhythm & Blues Summary Lemonade covers a variety of musical genres, focusing on the themes of perseverance after betrayal. It began as a visual album, premiering as an HBO special. Its strong beats and danceable rhythms make this an album that is easy to listen to, but the serious themes of being betrayed to anger to forgiveness give the songs a depth and gravitas that shows why it is award-winning. Critical Evaluation While Lemonade explores betrayal, growth, and forgiveness, it also explores the culture of African diaspora, musical evolution from rhythm and blues to modern pop music, and the specific musical tone that is all Beyonce. It includes rock, hip hop, and electric soul. There are themes of anger because of being betrayed, but there is also an obvious path through the five stages of grief to the conclusion of love. Lemonade explores the emotions of being a Black Woman in America. It is a musical diary but one in which all people can identify, and the thread of empowerment that runs through it can be an important thing for people to listen to. This is an album full of musicality and beats, the songs themselves easy to listen to even though the lyrics are not always so. This album received much critical acclaim and won two Grammys. The title is inspired by Jay Z's grandmother who said on her 90th birthday, "I was given lemons and I made lemonade." Listener's Annotation An exploration of what it means to be a Black woman, "the most disrespected person in America," Lemonade will take the listener on a musical journey. About Beyoncé, in full Beyoncé Giselle Knowles, (born September 4, 1981, Houston, Texas, U.S.), American singer-songwriter and actress who achieved fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of the R&B group Destiny’s Child and then launched a hugely successful solo career. For the 2019 remake of Disney’s The Lion King, Beyoncé voiced the character of Nala and performed several songs on the soundtrack, including “Spirit,” an original song she co-wrote, and a rendition of “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.” She also concurrently released an album inspired by the movie, The Lion King: The Gift. Songs from that record were later featured in the visual album Black Is King (2020), which aired on the streaming service Disney+. For the single “Black Parade,” Beyoncé earned the Grammy for best R&B performance in 2021. That year she received three other awards to set the record for most Grammys (28) won by a female artist. (About from here.) Musictalking Ideas Discuss the different musical styles included in Lemonade. Talk about where the title of the album came from. Challenge issues: Explicit Lyrics Challenge Issue Resources: Nevada County Library Selection Policy Selection of materials is based upon a number of criteria that include:
The Library selects materials in accordance with the guidelines stated by the American Library Association in its Library Bill of Rights, and Freedom to Read Statement and Freedom to View Statements. The Library supports diversity of expression and views in its collection in an attempt to provide patrons with a foundation for making informed decisions and formulating personal opinions. The Library does not exclude items because of the race, nationality, social, political, or religious views of the authors. The presence of controversial materials in the collection does not represent the Library’s endorsement of the opinions expressed therein. Although some materials selected may contain language and/or illustrations that may be offensive to some patrons, the Library cannot undertake the task of pleasing all individuals by censoring such items. Active Listening Skills Staff should listen calmly to the patron’s concerns without judgement or commentary. They should acknowledge the public’s right to challenge materials and help the patron find an alternative item that will fit their needs. Nevada County Library Reconsideration form Any citizen may challenge materials. If the citizen chooses to submit a written Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials, Library staff will collect reviews and accumulate data on how the material conforms to the selection policy. An ad hoc review committee consisting of the Library Director, Branch Manager, one other librarian, and a citizen appointed at the discretion of the Library Director will review the material, judge whether it conforms to the Selection Policy and submit its report in writing to the Nevada County Board of Supervisors. Concerned parties will be notified of the final decision in writing. ALA Strategies and Tips for Dealing with Challenges to Library Materials ALA Bill of Rights on Intellectual Freedom The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services. Why Included While not the newest album by Beyonce, Lemonade continues to be popular because of its empowering message to women and its honesty about the relationships that help to shape a person's life view. The music celebrates the genres that came before it including Blues, Jazz, and more. |