Okay, SO: Y’all know Beyonce‘s current single–the power ballad, “Best Thing I Never Had”? Sewww good, right?
Well, guess what?
EVERYTHING YOU’VE EVER KNOWN IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE IS A LIE.
Okay, well–maybe not that. BUT. The original version of “Best Thing I Never Had” is completely different from the final version that wound up on the final tracklisting for Bey’s latest studio album, 4. In fact, it’s even BETTER! (LISTEN)
Just this afternoon, one of the song’s main co-writers, Patrick “j.Que” Smith, posted the original mix of “Best Thing I Never Had” on his Tumblr with the following explanation:
I’m both thrilled & grateful that #TeamBey decided to make our song the single and it sounds awesome…. But, this is what the song sounded like when we wrote it! I like this version….. Mostly because it’s not a ballad. The drums from “The Show” are what made me write to this song in the first place! Enjoy!
While a song rarely ends up sounding as originally intended, it looks like the songwriters were really gunning for “Best Thing I Never Had” to maintain its punchier, rocky mid-tempo origins. And you know what? They were right!
The original mix is a much more lively affair thanks to a kicking drum sample from Doug E Fresh & Slick Rick‘s 1985 track “The Show” (along with those gorgeous piano notes in the chorus!), adding some good ol’ ummph to Bey’s scathing “I’m so over you now” delivery. Plus, those drums makes for the perfect segue in between the stomping sounds of two of the album’s most single-ready moments: “Run The World (Girls)” and “End Of Time.”
So, um…whuh happen? Sample clearance issues? Too much drum action happening during the final stages of mixing? Did Nick Cannon catch wind of Bey’s drum-happy dreams and start sending spiked samples of MiMi‘s Lollipop Splash Remix perfume set to the Haus of Beysus?
Mayhaps, mayhaps…
“Best Thing I Never Had” was released on June 1. (iTunes)