Soul sensation Janelle Monáe is letting her popness shine on this latest track called “Yoga.” Yes, “Yoga.” The song, featuring Jidenna, is from her upcoming compilation EP called Wondaland Presents THE EEPHUS.
In “Yoga,” Monáe sings about partying at the beach with her black yoga pants on, doing yoga on the dance floor, her money doing yoga, and areola expression (#freethenipple!). Yes, there is a toga rhyme.
Choice lyrics include:
Me and Brittany, we’ve been down in Atlanta
Sweating in the club, call me Dirty Diana
Flexing like a yogi, drop it down with your hands up
Do a handstand, bend it back, put your legs up
I ain’t got no worries, I’m my own private dancer
My own private dancer
CHORUS:
Baby bend over, let me see you do that yoga
Baby bend over, let your booty do that yoga.
This is one of those moments we take a step back, take a look around (with a few extra stupefied blinks), and take in a nice. long. breath of fresh air. It’s no “mindfulness opera” but, like it or not, this song is probably going to stick like a well worn-in mat. Yoga, welcome to the world of pop music and Auto-Tune. We might even get a new trendy dance floor move out of this one. The Brooklyn yoga ravers are going to have a field day. Hold on tight for the music video.
We’re just going to leave this here.
Full lyrics via Genius.com:
[Verse 1: Janelle]
Party at the beach down in Copacabana
Sipping ??, got my black yoga pants on
Me and Brittany, we’ve been down in Atlanta
Sweating in the club, call me Dirty Diana
Flexing like a yogi, drop it down with your hands up
Do a handstand, bend it back, put your legs up
I ain’t got no worries, I’m my own private dancer
My own private dancer
[Pre-Chorus]
I wanna last, wanna last forever
I wanna dance, wanna dance all night
I wanna last, wanna last forever
I wanna dance, dance, dance all night
[Chorus]
Baby bend over, baby bend over
Baby bend over, let me see you do that yoga
Baby bend over, baby bend over
Baby bend over, let your booty do that yoga
[Verse 2: Janelle]
Crown on my head but the world on my shoulder
I’m too much a rebel, never do what I’m supposed ta
Bend it never break it, baby watch and I’ma show ya
Stretching on my cash, got my money doing yoga
Sometimes I’m peachy, and sometimes I’m vulgar
Even when I’m sleeping I got one eye open
You cannot police me, so get off my areola
Get off my areola
[Pre-Chorus]
[Chorus]
[Verse 3: Jidenna]
I said yoga, she did that yoga
Looking for my loafers, man I woke up in a toga
She love my collar on like she my owner
So when she downward dog I jump up on her
I lo-lo-love the way you bend it, oh Lord I’d love to break you in
Oh Lord I’d stretch you out and in, oh Lord now you should tell a friend
Oh Lord I pray, I pray that young girl come on over
And let they bum-bum do that yoga
[Pre-Chorus]
[Chorus]
——
Earlier…
This song truly embodies modern yoga. I will add it to the playlist I use to teach my yoga class.
I am so here for this.
I don’t even care.
Janelle forever.
Will the lyrics “Baby bend over, let me see you do that yoga” get linked on the next article condemning the sexualization of yoga?
If this played in a studio where I was practicing I hope that I would get up and leave. This is just putting a voice to the stereotype that yoga is something only for sexy women. Dudes and ugly people need not apply.
I’m kind of disappointed that YD isn’t taking a position on this. YogaJournal is awful and worth several articles of condemnation for featuring attract women with articles about being sexy but this pop song – which is clearly equating yoga to sex (“So when she downward dog I jump up on her”) – only gets a stupefied blink. Wow. At best, I’d say you were leaning toward disapproval on this but it’s hard to say.
These were my thought when I first heard the song, but then I thought about it a bit longer.
Is Janelle Monae being offensive? Or is it so ridiculous and offensive that shes in on the joke?
Honestly I think shes in on how utterly silly this song is. The fact the song makes almost no sense, is filled with puns, and accurately describe the stereotypes of modern yoga makes me see it as more of a satirical piece.
Take a deep breath, dance to the music, and then a good long laugh.
I hoping that you will also play this freecell online card game because if there are no enjoyment i never forced or suggest you to go that platform and waste your time.This one is Just amazing.