Schoolin' Life
Containing elements of disco and dance-pop music, "Schoolin' Life" is an uptempo R&B song, in which Knowles employs guttural vocals and uses her head voice.
Having a retro nature, the song is built on a 1980s-inspired dance beat, and is instrumentally complete with old school synthesizers, drum kits, electric guitars, and horns.
She gets feisty as she reflects on lessons she learned in her own life and affirms that she hasn't certified as a teacher, a preacher or a doctor, but is willing to perform their various duties regardless.
"Schoolin' Life" was well received by contemporary music critics, who noted its aural resemblance to Prince's prime work, praised its production, and coined it as one of the catchiest upbeat songs Knowles has ever recorded.
[11] Music critics, including Jamie Peck of MTV noted that "Schoolin' Life" was inspired by the prime work of Prince, particularly because of its lyrical content, the instruments used, and Knowles' style of singing on it.
[15] In the chorus, Knowles gives listeners a flashback to her friskier days[16] and admits that she is certified neither as a teacher, a preacher nor a doctor, but is willing to perform their various duties regardless.
[13][14] In the bridge, she commands, "Make your life what you decide / Baby, party till the fire marshal shuts this sucker down".
[18] Choosing "Schoolin' Life" as one of the three best tracks on 4, Tyrone S. Reid of Blogcritics commented that the song offers a proper lesson in how "to make the old and new schools boogie together".
[9] Ian Walker of AbsolutePunk wrote: 'I Miss You' and bonus track 'Schoolin' Life' both showcase opposite sides of that magnificent decade's musical spectrum.
The former is a stripped down track carried mostly by a hollow beat and dismal synthesizers, allowing Knowles and her morosely beautiful voice center stage ...
[11] Becky Bain of Idolator wrote that "Schoolin' Life" is one of the catchier upbeat songs Knowles has ever recorded and felt that it deserves to be a future single.
[13] Casey Hamilton of the Boston website Gather wrote that credit for the song's "retro-radical nature" goes to producer The-Dream, but it is Knowles herself who "truly delivers the shock value, managing to make a lightly introspective, loosely insightful, and largely entertaining tune", before adding that it contains the sexiest lyrical content she has ever attempted.
[12] Danielle Cheesman of MSN Music commented that "'Schoolin' Life' steals the whole entire spotlight", further noting that it channels the "trademark friskiness" of Prince.
[20] He added that if viewed from a stylistic perspective, "Schoolin' Life" may not have fit with 4 mature tone, but as a stand-alone track "it was one of the most fun of the year".
[20] The staff members of the website Popdust ranked "Schoolin' Life" as the 87th best song of 2011, commending Knowles for having pastiched it together "from decades-musty synths and rip-roar over it until it sounds completely current with a wink and a smirk.
News' Natalie Finn praised Knowles for "tearing it up" onstage during the performance of the song with her backup dancers adding that her fans "are in for quite the education".
[25] For the week ending July 30, 2011, "Schoolin' Life" debuted at number 155 on the South Korean International Singles Chart, selling 4,006 digital downloads.
