 One of four new songs written for the feature version of "Dreamgirls" (originally a 1981 Broadway musical), "Listen" is a soul-R&B song; its lyrics make reference to tenacity, love, the refusal to defer dreams and finally rise towards fame.Its instrumentation includes bass, drums, guitars, keyboards, percussion, and violins, among others.Contemporary music critics complimented the strong and emotional vocals of Beyoncé, and added that the lyrics perfectly elaborate on Deena Jones's life.