Author Description

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Commentary (music and lyrics not included). Pages: 28. Chapters: Admit It, A Toast to Men, A Year Without Rain (song), Bang Bang Bang (Selena Gomez & the Scene song), Broken Arrow (Pixie Lott song), For the Love of a Daughter, If I Didn't Have You, If I Were a Boy, Lolita (The Veronicas song), Popular (The Veronicas song), Scars (Allison Iraheta song), Skyscraper (song), Take Me on the Floor, The Truth (Kris Allen song), This Love (The Veronicas song), Untouched (song). Excerpt: "If I Were a Boy" is a song recorded by American R&B singer Beyonce Knowles for her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008). It was written by Toby Gad and BC Jean, and produced by Gad and Knowles. Inspired by the bad break-up of a relationship, the song was initially recorded by Jean, whose record company rejected it. Knowles then recorded her own version. Jean was upset when she learned that Knowles was releasing it as a single, but eventually they reached an agreement. "If I Were a Boy" was released by Columbia Records on October 12, 2008, as the album's lead single with "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" on the B side. The two songs highlight the contrast between Knowles' persona as herself and her aggressive onstage alter ego Sasha Fierce. A Spanish version of the song, titled "Si Yo Fuera un Chico," was digitally released in Mexico and Spain. "If I Were a Boy" differs from Knowles' previous songs as it is not traditional R&B; it is a pop and folk rock ballad, and its instrumentation is based on acoustic guitars, drums and strings. The song's lyrics are both a lament for misunderstanding between the genders and an indictment of the male side of relationships. "If I Were a Boy" was generally well received by music critics, who complimeted Knowles' tormented and emotive vocal performance, and called the song her best work to date. It was a...