Lady Gaga released her highly anticipated new album Joanne today, and weâve got a breakdown of all the awesomeness. Listen now!
Lady Gagaâs latest album is raw and beautiful. Youâre going to hear the term âstripped downâ quite a bit, and thatâs because it is. Largely inspired by being tough, moving through life with conviction, and learning to deal with heartache and sadness in a constructive way, Gaga pulled inspiration from a number of things: the Trayvon Martin shooting, her aunt Joanneâs death, and personal events such as her decision to breakup with longtime boyfriend and fiance Taylor Kinney.
In a recent EW interview, she spoke about all of these factors and about her Super Bowl halftime show, which was cemented, she says, after NFL officials listened to Joanne. In the interview she said, âWhat was so great was the NFL heard the record before it came out. They gave me that slot, really, off my album.â
As far as what to expect from her halftime show performance, Gaga said:
"ââŚI just always want the show to be great. I think that these songs could reach a lot of people and bring other sons and fathers together. That was also my intention in a way, because this album brought me and my father closer together. It healed a lot of things between us.â"
So what about the album? Well, Iâve listened to the whole thing, and have some thoughts. In one word: impeccable. Read on to get more than one word.
âDiamond Heartâ
"Iâm not flawless, but I gotta diamond heart"
âDiamond Heartâ is a pseudo-rock pop song with deep reaching emotions and lyrics that almost seem invasive. If Gaga wanted to show us a piece of her soul, she sure did it with this one.
âA-YOâ
"Get off on me, my bodyâs got you pleadinâLight me up and breathe inMirror on the ceilinâ"
âDiamond Heartâ was a little rock ânâ roll and âA-YOâ is a little country and I donât hate it. Itâs a great new party anthem with funk themes that pop music desperately needs more of.
âJoanneâ
"If you couldI know that youâd stayWe both knowThings donât work that wayI promised IWouldnât say goodbyeSo I grinAnd my voice gets thin"
Joanneâs title track is a love song and tribute to Gagaâs late aunt Joanne who died at the age of 19 from Lupus. Gagaâs voice is raw and stripped down, the music is folky and nostalgic. Prepare the tissues if youâre sensitive like me. You may shed a tear or two. âJoanneâ will probably end up being my favorite track from the entire album.
âJohn Wayneâ
"Charged up, âcause the manâs on a mission1-2 ya, the gears are shiftinâHe called, I cried, we brokeRacinâ through the moonlight"
Youâd think âJohn Wayneâ would have some of the same country strains like âA-YOâ but in fact, itâs more rock than country, and is a dance tune, for sure. Gagaâs phrasing is particularly interesting, so keep an ear out for that.
âDancinâ In Circlesâ
"In the fire I call your name outUp full night tryinâ to rub the pain out"
âDancinâ in Circlesâ is potentially Joanneâs weakest track. Itâs got a pretty cool latin beat that still makes it a fun dance tune, but there seems to be something missing. Gagaâs lyrics, too, are weak and generically poppy.
âPerfect Illusionâ
"I donât need eyes to seeI felt you touchinâ meHigh like amphetamineMaybe youâre just a dream"
âPerfect Illusionâ is the first single from Joanne and is an epic anthem about realizing your love wasnât really love after all. Instead of lamenting the loss, though, Gaga allows herself to get swept up in the illusion and enjoy it while she can.
âMillion Reasonsâ
"Iâve got a hundred million reasons to walk awayBut baby, I just need one good one to stay"
âMillion Reasonsâ is a ballad that perhaps speaks about the time in her life where she questioned her place in the music industry. Or perhaps itâs about the breakup with Taylor Kinney. Either way, itâs a heartfelt pop ballad. The only downfall is the repetitive nature of the lyrics, which is a symptom of pop music these days (re: Taylor Swift).
âSinnerâs Prayerâ
"I came down the mountainDragginâ our love affairPut on a pretty little numberIâm wearing you stillIt was a hell of a scene at daddyâs feastNobody saw it coming, but the little red devil in meHe has a funny way saying forever too fastDonât get mad, canât blame a trampFor something he donât haveI get on my knees and beg you"
If âMillion Reasonsâ wasnât about Taylor Kinney, âSinnerâs Prayerâ definitely is. Or, fans will believe it is. I mean, just look at that first verse! Damn, girl. Forgive yourself. Sidenote: I LOVE the old western sound.
âCome To Mamaâ
"Dude in a lab coat and a man of God(Come onto mama, come on, mama)Fought over prisms and a forty-day flood(Come onto mama, come on, mama)Well, I say rainbows did more than theyâve ever doneSo why do we gotta fight over ideas?Weâre talkinâ the same old shit after all of these years"
âCome To Mamaâ could very well be the defining anthem of our nation during such tumultuous times- what with the political clown showdown going on, violence on the streets, and corruption at every corner. âCome To Mamaâ is a reminder that we need to love each other, no matter what. It also has a super groovy big band, fifties vibe.
âHey Girlâ feat. Florence Welch
"Hey girl, hey girlWe can make it easy if we lift each otherHey girl, hey girlWe donât need to keep on one-inâ up anotherHey girl, hey girlHey girl, hey girlIf you lose your wayJust know that I got youJust know that I got you"
Letâs dive a little deeper here. âHey Girlâ is all about women lifting each other up, instead of putting each other down. Life is hard, there is a lot of pressure, but we donât have to hate. We can live in peace, if we just realize that weâre all on the same team. Florence and Gagaâs voices mix in a way thatâs pure magic.
âAngel Downâ
"Shots were fired on the streetBy the church where we used to meetAngel down, angel downWhy do people just stand around?Iâm a believer, itâs a trialFoolish and weaker, oh, oh, ohIâd rather save an angel downIâm a believer, itâs chaosWhere are our leaders? Oh, oh, ohIâd rather save an angel down"
Lady Gaga said in an EW interview that âAngel Downâ is about the death of Trayvon Martin. The sound is almost churchy, like a hymn. Itâs appropriate, too, for the people it stands for and for the people itâs comforting now. And perhaps the most powerful moment in the song is the very last moment, when the song cuts off abruptly, like those whose lives are taken unjustly.
âGrigio Girlsâ (Deluxe Track)
"All the Pinot, Pinot Grigio girlsPour your heart outWatch your blues turn goldAll the Pinot, Pinot Grigio girlsKeep it real coldâCause itâs a fired up world"
An anthem to the girls that help keep us sane and to the girls weâve lost and those weâll meet.
âJust Another Dayâ
"And think of different ways to keep my spirits upAnd choreograph hours with playful, joyous thoughtsWe both know I could learn a thing or twoAbout relaxing, hey, I love youAnd after all, itâs just another day"
This oneâs a jazzy poppy ditty that would make a great New Yearâs Eve song, or maybe even a Christmas With Friends party song. Be strong. Let go of what you canât control, and be yourself.
Next: Tunes for Tuesday: Lady Gaga âA-YOâ
Joanne is available everywhere today.