The Queen so high

 

^ it's amazing and you will deal :coffee:

 

Yay at LoveGame almost making your top 20 *.* I feel like the video was a mistake though, it should have been this:

:rofl:

 

This is still so, so iconic! He did T H A T an icon !!

 

| 17 // Just Dance // The Fame // A dizzy twister dance

 

The song that started it all. From the second "play" is pressed on the stereo in the opening of the video, Gaga has not stopped making an impact on my life. Her iconic entrance at the start of this video sums it all up - she is here and means business. Just Dance is the perfect debut single. Not only did it put her on the map in terms of grabbing listeners' attention, it was also eaten up whole-heartedly by radios and became a monster hit. For me, the most important part of this being her debut is in its message: as simple as it may seem today, the message of dancing on, because life will be ok, is one that has stuck with me ever since. It's a quirky exploration of something very common in the music world, and she delivers it in a more believable way than others manage. One great thing about the song is how many moments it has throughout. There is an intro, pre-chorus, verses, followed by choruses, followed by rent-a-rappers, followed by a middle-8s, interludes and the entire structure is manic and does not let you breathe. The song was written in 10 minutes and went on to sell more than 10 million worldwide, whilst setting up a musical career of a lifetime for Stefani and for that, we are so grateful it happened the way it did.

 

Live performance:

 

 

This is one of Gaga's earliest live TV performances and it's clear from even back here that she is a STAR. Her promo schedule was insane as she was determined to introduce herself to the world. The budget was low here, but she makes it work and it's impossible to take your eyes off her. She manages to get the now iconic FAME glasses on part-way through and even has a bash at the keytar. It's fairly basic compared to what we're now used to but this was early Gaga laying the foundations for what was to come.

Yay at LoveGame almost making your top 20 *.* I feel like the video was a mistake though, it should have been this:

omg cringe 😳

 

| 16 // G.U.Y. // ARTPOP // Lay back, and feast as this audio guides you through new and exciting positions

 

The third single from ARTPOP, and her first real "flop", G.U.Y. deserved so much more. Produced by Zedd, the song explores the themes of sexual dominance, submission, and gender roles, constantly switching between them all. The song came from Gaga wanting to explore a new-age feminism whereby being subordinate to a man, was actually seen as transferring strength. She spoke of how having intercourse with a male could be seen as strengthening because of how powerful it makes you feel in that moment. She summarised that the song's message was: "all about being comfortable underneath, because you are strong enough to know that you don't have to be on top to know you're worth it" and through this, it also became an anthem for her gay fans too as they experienced sexual dominance and submission. When recording with Zedd, she was clear that it wasn't a radio hit she wanted, but a creative and experimental song and she achieved this with G.U.Y. through its weird and wonderful structure and lyrics. The music video is a true experience. It features 3 songs in total from the album (making it an ARTPOP film of sorts), and also saw cameos from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, and works of artist Nathan Sawaya and Minecraft YouTuber SkyDoesMinecraft. In the video, Gaga is a fallen angel who, once back at strength, takes revenge on the men that wronged her, turning them into clones (the G.U.Y.s). It's a fun song and was a staple pre-drink song for me because of how joyously camp and energetic is.

 

Live performance:

 

 

Gaga performed the song on Live at Roseland, New York. It features incredible vocals from her. The crazed intro sets the tone for the performance and she delivers it with so much passion and expression. She ends with an emotional address, giving a speech to the audience to continue creating, rebelling and being free.

G.U.Y.... WHAT A MOMENT

 

It is special because it was her first single and video after Troy betrayed her.

'G.U.Y.' is decent but it's one of my least fave Gaga singles tbh

 

'Just Dance' holds a special place in my heart and it always will. The song which started it all. Never forget :heart:

'Telephone' is also my favourite music video of all-time :wub: I remember watching it the day it premiered and being in absolute awe. The following day it was the talk of school. I miss when music videos were still that big a deal! The song was good anyway but those visuals definitely helped it click further :heart:

 

Soooo much love for 'Paparazzi' as both a song and video package too! 'Poker Face' got me on board the Gaga train so 'Paparazzi' was her first music video that I was eagerly anticipating the premiere of and wow, my eyes truly did not know what had hit them! It was the first time I'd watched a long music video and I found the whole idea so strange but cool. Such striking visuals from her and I love the themes of the song too. A 'The Fame' highlight for sure :heart:

 

'Sexxx Dreams' is a fantastic ARTPOP highlight to pick! It's such a fun song as you say. I instantly warmed to it thanks to her dreamy vocal delivery on the chorus. Robin Thicke definitely did NOT need to be on that so thank goodness plans changed :lol: 'G.U.Y.' is also another good 'ARTPOP' pick, I remember being wowed by the visuals after feeling underwhelmed by the lack of them for 'Do What U Want'.

 

I liked 'Just Dance' at the time but not enough to stan her! Thankfully 'Poker Face' and the accompanying album would soon change everything. It hasn't aged particularly well for me either, but it did the business and I'll always be thankful that it launched her to superstardom so effectively.

Thanks for the comments guys, very appreciated! Sorry for the delay, but I'll try and get this continued at a good pace again now :lol:

 

'Telephone' is also my favourite music video of all-time :wub: I remember watching it the day it premiered and being in absolute awe. The following day it was the talk of school. I miss when music videos were still that big a deal! The song was good anyway but those visuals definitely helped it click further :heart:

 

Soooo much love for 'Paparazzi' as both a song and video package too! 'Poker Face' got me on board the Gaga train so 'Paparazzi' was her first music video that I was eagerly anticipating the premiere of and wow, my eyes truly did not know what had hit them! It was the first time I'd watched a long music video and I found the whole idea so strange but cool. Such striking visuals from her and I love the themes of the song too. A 'The Fame' highlight for sure :heart:

Agree about the Telephone and Paparazzi music videos. Her long epics were a thing of genius and teenage me didn't really know how impactful thy would go on to become for her (and music videos in general).

 

 

| 15 // Diamond Heart // Joanne // I might not be flawless, but you know I got a diamond heart

 

The opening track on Joanne, is also the highest song from the album for me in this countdown! Diamond Heart is for me, the perfect album opener: it sets the scene perfectly for what is to come, an exploration of home, the self and empowerment. Joanne came after a break-up and the song seems to suggest and exude a strength of being able to move on when your heart is broken. Kinney gave Gaga a heart-shaped diamond ring, is the title suggestive of this? Whatever the true background of the song, I think it itself speaks volumes and has so many meanings for me. The lyric that holds most true is "I might not be flawless, but you know I got a diamond heart" - for Gaga this was a make-or-break point in her career, after the harshness of ARTPOP and her mental state, although she was still in a depression during this era, this song suggests that there is hope at the end. The country tinges to the song are perfect as it totally American in sound and style and this reflects the importance of home for the album. The song is beautiful and a highlight off the album - it continues her mantra of empowerment and whole-heartedly commits to being strong in the moment and remembering your worth.

 

Live performance:

 

 

The song also opened the tour and of course, I wept my eyes out. Not only did it introduce a fearless Gaga onto the stage, but the lyrics hit me harder than ever. In an arena full of imperfect people, we all suddenly felt powerful and as strong and beautiful as diamonds. The start, with the transition from "don't call me Gaga"... into "call me JOANNE" was a moment of genius and then the instrumentation of this song starts and the tour truly begins. It's a fairly simple performance, but it sets the scene beautifully.

A song I've only just grown to really appreciate. A stunner which should have been a single :heart:

G.U.Y ❤️

Diamond Heart is a perfect opener like you said, both for the tour and the album. This was first tour of hers that she opened with the opening song from the attached album btw!

I love Diamond Heart. Definitely lead single material!

 

 

All this love for 'Diamond Heart'! Great to see you guys see it as an album highlight / missed single opportunity too :wub:

 

| 14 // Monster // The Fame Monster // I've never seen one like that before

 

Monster shows Gaga's fear of attachment. She described the song as her fear of sex and relationships and how instead of running from the bad boy, you always return to them. It's a theme she has explored countless times in her career, and this is one of the best examples of it. The song references the debut, and it's such as banging and fist-pumping as that. Featuring an array of monstrous metaphors, it is almost the centrepiece for The Fame Monster as it perfectly conveys the album's messages, themes and sounds. Gaga explained the song's meaning further: "I keep falling in love with the monster... But what I really need is the security and the safety and the womanhood, responsibility of my femininity. And so that's what that song is about." It's a very relatable message and in time I feel like Gaga learnt this message the hard way with the heartbreak she has faced. The song achieved some commercial success, and critically it is often cited as a huge album track moment for her - one of the best, and a huge missed single opportunity too. Just imagine the video we could've got for it. A Halloween staple that never was. "Don't call me Gaga" is an iconic song intro too!

 

Live performance:

 

 

Gaga performed the song on Oprah Winfrey's show. In the performance, she swings around a spiky metal ball and chain, is adorned with a spiky crown and completely captivates the audience with her monstrous deep cut performance. The song swiftly cuts into 'Bad Romance' and the transition works perfectly because the two songs mesh together fantastically. Also I had to include this, because of her failed attempt to smash the car window towards the end :rofl: The final transition is into 'Speechless' on the piano. While other artists were doing safe hit singles, Gaga continually gave us more and more and showcased every side of her - this is a great example of that.

Monster.

 

“I wanna Just Dance” queen of naming past hits in her debut era (in the UK at least as we never separated TFM) :wub:

 

Monster is such a Halloween staple and would’ve been huge but that just shows her power back then!

 

| 13 // Gypsy // ARTPOP // Maybe we can see the world together

 

The ARTPOP era ends! Gypsy is one of a few major "should have been single" moments, but perhaps it is the most true to that statement given the album it is from and how gloriously above everything else on it, it is. I also firmly believe the song should've closed the album in a way that TEOG does for its album. Basically, in short, she majorly did this song dirty. The song is as anthemic as they come. It is the perfect touring song, given it its universal appeal and its reach across the globe - it was a genius encore at the ArtRave. There were rumours that it would be a single, be sent to radio and have a music video, however plans fizzled out and the song remains a hidden message on the album for the love she has for her fans. Gaga described it as Artpop's most personal song; stating that it was about travelling the world and the loneliness associated with it. It fills me with so many feelings about travel and finding myself on the road. For Gaga, she sings of how she is at home on the road with her fans, and it's an anthem for her lifestyle and the connection she has to travelling the world, performing live and her fans. It has gone on to mean a lot for me: 2019 was the year I decided to travel a lot more with my partner - this song soundbeds my renewed attitude to "see the world together", falling in love, experiencing new places, living free and unrestrained. That has obviously halted recently with the current global situation, but hope still remains for the future, particularly when I hear this song. The song also values the self - it allows you to appreciate time alone and enjoy that experience. I think it's such an important lesson to live by in that even when you're alone, there are people you can reach out to and spend your life with: no one is ever truly alone, if only for the fact that music exists. The uplifting, freeing, positive and liberating lyrics and production make this easily the best song on ARTPOP. It means so much and represents such a perfect ideology of having a motion and a drive instilled in your outlook on life.

 

Live performance:

 

 

This performance is from the final date of the ArtRave. It starts on the piano, with Gaga's heavenly vocals. It's the perfect setting for the song, being surrounded by thousands of fans at the end of a lengthy worldtour. When she leaves the piano, it becomes a true celebration of freedom and the tour as it closes.

'Monster' is one of her best ever as is 'Gypsy' - the latter holds a very special place in my heart :heart:

Monster.

 

“I wanna Just Dance” queen of naming past hits in her debut era (in the UK at least as we never separated TFM) :wub:

 

Monster is such a Halloween staple and would’ve been huge but that just shows her power back then!

The next song also references another of her singles :o... I agree about Monster, it deserved a release, but then so did 90% of that era :(

 

'Monster' is one of her best ever as is 'Gypsy' - the latter holds a very special place in my heart :heart:

:heart: It's a true beauty!