Dangerously in Love

Beyonce | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 24, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000099T2L
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (903 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,421 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #59 in Music > R&B > Contemporary R&B

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The perfect timing of Beyonce Knowles’ career moves continues with the release of her debut solo album. Dangerously in Love’s best music is wildly up-to-date, craftily designed for both maximum street acceptance and positioning as some of the most cutting-edge stuff on current radio. The brash first single, "Crazy in Love," melds Jay-Z with an unstoppable Chi-Lites horn sample, shape-shifting into something brand new. Collaborations with Outkast’s Big Boi and Sean Paul also prick up the ears, while changes of pace like "Be with You" and "Speechless" achieve their aim with credibility. The disc becomes far too ballad heavy in its second half, but the key stuff is the noise she brings. --Rickey Wright

Product Description

The perfect timing of Beyonce Knowles' career moves continues with the release of her debut solo album. Dangerously in Love's best music is wildly up-to-date, craftily designed for both maximum street acceptance and positioning as some of the most cutting-edge stuff on current radio. The brash first single, "Crazy in Love," melds Jay-Z with an unstoppable Chi-Lites horn sample, shape-shifting into something brand new. Collaborations with Outkast's Big Boi and Sean Paul also prick up the ears, while changes of pace like "Be with You" and "Speechless" achieve their aim with credibility. The disc becomes far too ballad heavy in its second half, but the key stuff is the noise she brings. --Rickey Wright

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 33 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent CD, worth the wait!! June 24, 2003

By T. Holliman

Format:Audio CD

This album is really good! Been a true fan of Beyonce and Destiny's Child since the beginning. Her album shows that sista girl has grown up. LOL Here's my comments and ratings for each song.

- Crazy in Love (10/10) great song for her debut
- Naughty Girl (9/10) cool
- Baby Boy (10/10) nice song with Sean Paul
- Hip Hop Star (7/10) it's ok
- Be with you (9/10) nice slow jam
- Me, Myself and I (9/10)
- Yes (10/10) pretty nice beat
- Signs (10/10) Missy knows how to do it!
- Speechless (6/10) really slow and drawn out, cool though
- That's How You Like It (8/10) its ok,
- The Closer I get to you (9/10) great collaboration with the legendary Luther Vandross
- Dangerously in Love 2 (8/10) should have left the original version from last DC album, love the song though.
- Gift From Virgo (8/10) cool ending
- Daddy - Bonus Track (9/10) nice tribute to her dad.

Overall it's a good album. Even if you're a Beyonce hater, just accept that she's a great writer and producer. She's really good. Great work!! Hope it helps

52 of 64 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars "Dangerously" Generic... BUT July 7, 2003

By Andrew Jacob

Format:Audio CD

It's not a surprise; Who didn't know that the debut album of Destiny's Child lead singer, Beyonce Knowles would be fabricated with sappy pop-vocals & oh-so-tired lyrics? Beyonce was always known to hog the spotlight. So that gave me the impression that she would have something more to give on a solo album. Unfortunately, the only thing she gives us is generic Pop-R&B.

Of course, you can always count Jigga to appear on his girlfriend's album. Now, I'm not afraid of admitting that I do find "Crazy in Love" catchy, and I don't have much problem with "That's How You Like It" (although the song is basically based on repeating the hook), but I don't find either innovative or fresh; They're basically the remixed versions of J's -'03 Bonnie & Clyde-. "Hip Hop Star" is completely scarred with dumb-rhymes by Big Boi & Sleepy Brown. But even with that said, the song isn't much on it's own either. "Signs" lacks substance in lyrics. It's like being taught a lesson on astrology; it doesn't take much talent to just recite the zodiac signs. "Speechless" is 6 minutes of Beyonce rambling about loving somebody & repeating, "you got me" here and there. "Me, Myself and I" is "Survivor (Part 2)"; YET ANOTHER "my boyfriend cheated on me, but I'll be strong" song we've heard so many times. The duet with Luther Vandross is, I'll admit, the best performance of Beyonce on the album... but that still isn't saying much; Luther is the one we're really listening to on this track. "Dangerously In Love 2" isn't much of a difference from the Destiny's Child version (big surprise...). It's just a slight variation in the beat. And I hope there's a good return policy for the "gift from Virgo"

Although this album has MTV stamped all over it, I can't help but admit that the hooks are catchy.... "Naughty Girl", although the song fails to go anywhere, has an addictive chorus and sexy beat. "Baby Boy" also has an addictive chorus but with a middle-influenced beat and features Sean Paul.

There is one song, however, that's catchy, sexy, not necessarily innovative, but defiantly not immature, the mid-tempo "Be With you".

Well, when it comes down to it... this album is based on catchy choruses and collaborations. I think Beyonce is rushing the songs. She (or whoever is writing them) needs to put more substance into the lyrics of the song because most of them fall bland. And I've noticed that her voice appeals only when she harmonizes... doesn't that say something? Well anyway, this album is just what I'd expect from Beyonce. I can't say I love the album, but I'm not satisfied either. She has the potential, but I'm afraid she too "crazy in love" with being popular... Read more ›

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Beyonce goes soul-o in a sexy 70s way! June 25, 2003

By Brett D. Cullum VINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

Beyonce shines through as a woman without her group around her, and surprise ... it's a retro-fitted hip hop affair with a lot of sensual laid back grooves. The first single "CRAZY IN LOVE" is the most uptempo sampling a 70s groove from "Are you my Woman". That is followed by "NAUGHTY GIRL" which Beyonce uses a hook from "Love to Love You Baby" by Donna Summer. We all knew she has a reverence for the 70s, but most surprising are the Middle Eastern influences found in both NAUGHTY GIRL and BABY BOY. Belly dancers rejoice! The second half of the album slows down, but never to a ballad speed. Low funky beats keep the entire album afloat, and rap stars like Jay Z, Missy Elliot, Sean Paul, and Sleepy Brown color almost every other song. It's ghetto fabulous from the cover photo (diamonds and jeans) to the spoken "BEYONCE INTERLUDE" where she coos into the mic about love. Will she tromp Kelly Roland's solo album numbers in sales? Maybe. But each member of Destiny's Child has proven they can stand on their own. And have their own identity musically. Beyonce has emerged as the sexy 70s cool hip hop girlfriend. Suddenly you realize Foxy Cleopatra would love this CD!

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Highly Overrated!! February 16, 2004

By A Customer

Format:Audio CD

I've listened to this album several times and I can say with complete confidence that only 2 songs are decent: "Crazy in Love" & "Baby Boy," both of which were released as singles. The rest of the album is crap filler and a waste of time! I think I would have had more respect for Beyonce if she had released a 2-track CD rather than a 15-track CD with 13 bad songs! I'm still shocked and somewhat offended that this album won 5 grammy awards when so many other albums are 100 times more deserving! I advise you not to waste your money on this highly mediocre album!!

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected from Beyonce... October 4, 2003

By Anna R Harris

Format:Audio CD

I love Beyonce's first two singles, "Crazy In Love" and "Baby Boy"! So I decided to download this and hear the rest of the album, as I had high hopes for this release. Really, I did! And boy, was I disappointed. The only other song that's single material is "Naughty Girl". "Baby Boy" is where the list of good tracks ends!! The rest of the album is slow and repetitive. I can't tell one song from the next, which is why I'm not doing a song-by-song analysis. Instead of singing like with Destiny's Child and her first two singles on the solo album, she pulls a Mariah Carey and whisper sings the entire album! Bottom line: Wait for the next Destiny's Child album!!