Music Friday: 'Independent Women' Buy Their Own Diamonds, Asserts Destiny's Child

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, Beyoncé and Destiny's Child sing about female empowerment and financial independence in their 2000 hit, "Independent Women Part 1," from the movie Charlie's Angels.

Sixth on Harper's Bazaar's 2020 list of the 41 most powerful songs written by women, "Independent Women Part 1" pulls no punches in its messaging. The basic premise of the song is that the independent woman needs no man to gift her the finer things in life. She can buy these items on her own.

The first verse goes like this: "Question: Tell me what you think about me / I buy my own diamonds and I buy my own rings."

In the catchy chorus, we hear another diamond reference: "The shoes on my feet / I've bought it / The clothes I'm wearing / I've bought it / The rock I'm rockin' / 'Cause I depend on me."

According to songfacts.com, Beyoncé was inspired to write the song after having an argument with her boyfriend. She thought to herself, "I don't need a man, I'm independent." She marched into a studio and recorded vocals for the first version of the song, which was eventually released as "Independent Women Part 2."

"Independent Woman Part 1" is a version of the song that was reworked by Samuel Barnes, Jean-Claude Olivier and Cory Rooney for the 2000 film adaptation of the Charlie's Angels TV series.

In the official video, the three members of Destiny's Child — Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams — find themselves in a futuristic bootcamp, where they take on the roles of the movie-version Angels, played by Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu. Both the film and the song were huge successes. The movie went on to gross $264 million and the song charted in 23 countries, including a #1 position on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #3 placement on the Canadian Singles Chart.

The song also earned a 2001 Grammy nomination for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.

Twelve years later, Beyoncé and her former bandmates (Destiny's Child broke up in 2006) reconnected to perform "Independent Woman Part 1" during the halftime show of the 2013 Super Bowl.

Please check out the official video of "Independent Women Part I." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along…

"Independent Women Part 1"
Written by Samuel Barnes, Jean-Claude Olivier, Cory Rooney and Beyoncé Knowles. Performed by Destiny's Child.

Lucy Liu… with my girl, Drew… Cameron D. and Destiny
Charlie's Angels, Come on
Uh uh uh

Question: Tell me what you think about me
I buy my own diamonds and I buy my own rings
Only ring your cell-y when I'm feelin' lonely
When it's all over please get up and leave
Question: Tell me how you feel about this
Try to control me boy you get dismissed
Pay my own fun, oh and I pay my own bills
Always 50/50 in relationships

The shoes on my feet
I've bought it
The clothes I'm wearing
I've bought it
The rock I'm rockin'
'Cause I depend on me
If I wanted the watch you're wearin'
I'll buy it
The house I live in
I've bought it
The car I'm driving
I've bought it
I depend on me
(I depend on me)

All the women who are independent
Throw your hands up at me
All the honeys who makin' money
Throw your hands up at me
All the mommas who profit dollas
Throw your hands up at me
All the ladies who truly feel me
Throw your hands up at me

Girl I didn't know you could get down like that
Charlie, how your Angels get down like that
Girl I didn't know you could get down like that
Charlie, how your Angels get down like that

Tell me how you feel about this
Who would I want if I would wanna live
I worked hard and sacrificed to get what I get
Ladies, it ain't easy bein' independent
Question: How'd you like this knowledge that I brought
Braggin' on that cash that he gave you is to front
If you're gonna brag make sure it's your money you flaunt
Depend on noone else to give you what you want

The shoes on my feet
I've bought it
The clothes I'm wearing
I've bought it
The rock I'm rockin'
'Cause I depend on me
If I wanted the watch you're wearin'
I'll buy it
The house I live in
I've bought it
The car I'm driving
I've bought it
I depend on me
(I depend on me)

All the women who are independent
Throw your hands up at me
All the honeys who makin' money
Throw your hands up at me
All the mommas who profit dollas
Throw your hands up at me
All the ladies who truly feel me
Throw your hands up at me

Girl I didn't know you could get down like that
Charlie, how your Angels get down like that
Girl I didn't know you could get down like that
Charlie, how your Angels get down like that

Destiny's Child
Wassup?
You in the house?
Sure 'nuff
We'll break these people off Angel style

Child of Destiny
Independent beauty
Noone else can scare me
Charlie's Angels

Woah
All the women who are independent
Throw your hands up at me
All the honeys who makin' money
Throw your hands up at me
All the mommas who profit dollas
Throw your hands up at me
All the ladies who truly feel me
Throw your hands up at me

Girl I didn't know you could get down like that
Charlie, how your Angels get down like that

Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com.

Valentine's Day 2021 Promises to Be a Romantic Sunday of Marriage Proposals

Great news! Valentine's Day comes out on a Sunday this year, which makes it the perfect time to pop the question with the perfect ring.

Millions of suitors will take advantage of their day off to execute the perfect surprise proposal. It may start off with a romantic outing — a return to the scene of a first date, perhaps — and then getting down on bended knee, professing their love and pulling out a ring box that's been cleverly hidden in their jacket pocket. And after all the happy tears have dried away, the couple will have plenty of time — because it's Sunday — to share the excitement with family and friends.

Valentine's Day marks the end of “engagement season,” that romantic time of the year — from late November to mid-February — when nearly 40% of all marriage proposals take place.

How many suitors will find themselves on bended knee this February 14th? Current stats are unavailable, but back in early 2013 (when Valentine's Day came out on a Thursday), an American Express spending survey estimated that 6 million American couples would be either receiving or delivering a marriage proposal on Valentine’s Day.

Over the past few years, Valentine's Day has maintained its position as one of the calendar's Top 5 days to get engaged. According to WeddingWire's most recent “Newlywed Report,” Valentine's Day rated as the fifth-most-popular day to pop the question, with Christmas Day taking the #1 spot. In WeddingWire's 2018 report, Valentine's Day rolled in at #2, just behind Christmas Day.

Wedding website The Knot also placed Christmas Day in the #1 spot, followed by Christmas Eve, New Year's Day, the Sunday before Christmas and Valentine's Day.

As you can see, all of the most popular days to pop the question fit neatly into "engagement season."

If proposals were distributed equally throughout the year, each month would claim about 8%. But, WeddingWire's 2020 Newlywed Report revealed a significant spike in the portion of proposals taking place during December. A surprising 19% of all engagements happen during that festive month, and the number represents a rise of three percentage points since 2017. December proposals outnumber any other month by a margin of better than 2 to 1.

In 2020, the National Retail Federation reported that 55% of the U.S. population would exchange gifts on Valentine's Day, with jewelry purchases expected to reach $5.8 billion. A special subset of that number reflected the purchasing power of millions of romantic suitors who proposed with a diamond ring.

According to WeddingWire's 2020 Newlywed Report, 89% of suitors proposed with a ring in hand and 84% popped the question on bended knee.

Credit: Image by Bigstockphoto.com.

Maryland Zoo Gives Gem Names to 'Precious and Rare' African Penguin Hatchlings

The Maryland Zoo has given gemstone names to the first four chicks from this year's breeding class of endangered African penguins. On its Twitter page, zoo officials explained that the adorable hatchlings are being named for gems because they are also precious and rare.

The zoo posted to its Twitter page individual graphics to represent each chick. Their names are Diamond, Pearl, Onyx and Topaz. Each graphic panel included a photo of the new arrival, gemstone icons representing each name and a "rare penguin fact." The post was punctuated with a blue diamond emoji.

In a 30-second video, also posted on Twitter, zoo officials showed how adult penguin "ambassadors" helped choose a name for the first chick of this season. The four names were printed on round, cardboard medallions and hung in front of the adult birds. "Diamond" became the first name when one of the adults marched directly to that medallion and pecked at it aggressively.

A week earlier, the zoo began a Twitter post with the pun, "Chick this out." That post introduced the world to the newest members of this year's breeding class, but didn't hint that their names would be gem-related. Check out the zoo's fun Twitter page here…

The Maryland Zoo's "gem" babies are bringing well deserved attention to its unique breeding program. Since 1967, more than 1,000 African penguins have hatched at the Zoo, which boasts the largest colony of African penguins in North America. The exhibit is called "Penguin Coast."

According to the zoo's website, the African penguin is an endangered species whose population has declined by 90% since the turn of the 20th century. The current wild population is estimated at about 52,000 birds.

The zoo's breeding program begins in mid-September and runs until the end of February, mimicking the temperatures of the fall breeding season for these endangered birds in their native South Africa. Penguin chicks will hatch 38 to 42 days after the eggs are laid.

The hatchlings are covered in dark gray downy feathers. At about three months old, they reach their adult weight of about six pounds. At the same time, their fluffy gray down is replaced by the more familiar black-and-white waterproof feathers.

The babies are not viewable to the public, but the juvenile and adult penguins can be seen at Penguin Coast. Until February 28, The Maryland Zoo's admission fee is discounted at $15 per person (free to children under 2). Timed tickets are reserved online, as the number of guests is limited to support social distancing initiatives. The zoo is currently operating four days per week, Friday through Monday. On March 1, the schedule changes to seven days per week.

Images via Twitter.com/Maryland Zoo.