This line was the source of some serious debate last night, even bleeding into this afternoon. The meaning hotly contested, sides firmly entrenched. Women's empowerment or reinforcement of the male-dominated power structure? It's a surprisingly fascinating question.

In the end, I think I agree with JP that even if the song is a call for women to stand up for themselves and be independent, the ultimate goal still seems to be the traditional 1950s marital archetype. Guys: put a ring on it, bring home the bacon. And when that's the case, we know what the woman's role is (we all watch Mad Men, right?). The only modern element is the "or else" at the end. I don't think that's the progressive kind of feminism.

The fact that there are dozens of 'Single Ladies' baby videos, and the song is every teenage girl's ringtone is especially problematic. And I believe that this stuff matters.

Perhaps unfortunately, there was unanimous agreement that (1) the song is irresistable, (2) the video is genius, and (3) homegirl can shake it.