According to, Rihanna repeats phrases in “Work” like “me haffi” (which means “I have to”), “when you ah guh” (or “when are you going to”), and “me no cyar” (or “I don’t care). Her 2005 hit “Pon the Replay” and her 2011 single “Man Down” were both hit songs inspired by Rihanna’s Caribbean roots.īut the lyrics really aren’t gibberish at all. It wasn’t a particularly surprising choice for Rihanna the singer has leaned on her heritage before in some of her biggest fan favorites.
Rihanna teamed up with Drake for the single and video, mixing an old-school Jamaican dancehall beat and hypnotic lyrics to create a smash hit that feels more reggae than crossover pop. Only The Beatles and Mariah Carey have more hit singles, Billboard reported. “Work” is Rihanna’s 14th song to take the number one spot on Billboard’s Top 100 list, breaking her tie with Michael Jackson for the third-most number one singles. The futuristic single, a mix of techno and dancehall, is one of the most popular singles on Rihanna’s new album, Anti, according to Billboard magazine. So, what had American fans and music critics so confused? Rihanna’s “Work” lyrics use Jamaican patois and Creole - and rather than applauding the obvious nod to her Caribbean heritage, some unfairly blasted the Barbados-born singer for speaking what they called “gibberish” on her single. Still, some of her listeners felt lost listening to the lyrics. Rihanna’s latest hit single, “Work,” has become one of the biggest singles of the year, and reviews have been pretty positive overall.