▁recording ▁sessions , ▁Bey on cé ▁and ▁Ne - Y o ▁wanted ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁record ▁which ▁people ▁of ▁either ▁gender ▁could ▁relate ▁to . ▁The ▁song ' s ▁lyr ics ▁are ▁about ▁the ▁break down ▁of ▁a ▁relationship ▁with ▁an ▁un fa ith ful ▁man ▁and ▁the ▁song ▁contains ▁a ▁message ▁about ▁female ▁emp ower ment . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁moder ate ▁chart ▁performances ▁of ▁" D é jà ▁V u " ▁and ▁" R ing ▁the ▁Al arm ", ▁" I r replace able " ▁was ▁released ▁intern ation ally ▁on ▁October ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁as ▁the ▁album ' s ▁second ▁single , ▁and ▁the ▁third ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁on ▁December ▁ 5 , ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁The ▁single ▁was ▁released ▁through ▁Columbia ▁Records . ▁P itch f ork ▁Media ▁and ▁Rol ling ▁Stone ▁placed ▁it ▁on ▁their ▁lists ▁of ▁Best ▁Songs ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 s . ▁" I r replace able " ▁won ▁several ▁awards , ▁including ▁Best ▁R & B / S oul ▁Single ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁Soul ▁Train ▁Music ▁Awards . ▁It ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁the ▁Record ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁award ▁at ▁the ▁ 5 0 th ▁Gram my ▁Awards . ▁ ▁The ▁single ▁became ▁Bey on cé ' s ▁fourth ▁number - one ▁in ▁the ▁U . S ., ▁was ▁B ' Days ▁most ▁successful ▁release , ▁and ▁remained ▁at ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Billboard