Mary Jane Holland (song)

Last updated
"Mary Jane Holland"
Song by Lady Gaga
from the album Artpop
ReleasedNovember 6, 2013 (2013-11-06)
Studio Record Plant Studios
(Hollywood, Los Angeles)
Genre EDM
Length4:37
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Lady Gaga
  • Madeon

"Mary Jane Holland" is a song by American singer-songwriter Lady Gaga. It is the twelfth track from her third studio album, Artpop (2013). Co-written and co-produced with French DJ Madeon, the EDM song explores Gaga's alter ego, the titular Mary Jane Holland. [1] [2] It was recorded at Record Plant Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles, and was released through Streamline and Interscope Records.

Contents

Upon its release on Artpop, the song received mixed reviews from music critics. Some compared it to the best tracks off of Gaga's previous album, Born This Way, while others criticized the song for its length, lyrics, and sound. "Mary Jane Holland" was performed as part of the setlist of Gaga's fourth headlining tour, ArtRave: The Artpop Ball (2014). [3]

Background

Lady Gaga performing "Mary Jane Holland" in the O2 Arena, during ArtRave: The Artpop Ball (2014). Lady Gaga Mary Jane Holland.jpg
Lady Gaga performing "Mary Jane Holland" in the O2 Arena, during ArtRave: The Artpop Ball (2014).

Development of Gaga's third studio album, Artpop (2013), began shortly after the release of her second record, Born This Way (2011), and by the following year, the album's concepts were "beginning to flourish" as Gaga collaborated with producers Fernando Garibay and DJ White Shadow. [4] [5] [6] In the meantime, the singer also worked with French disc jockey Madeon. This was his first experience collaborating with a vocalist face-to-face. [7] On MTV News he clarified that he had "always wanted to work with pop artists and my #1 on my list was Lady Gaga. So when I had the opportunity to do that, I was really thrilled." [8] Having mutual respect for each other's work, Gaga praised Madeon's production skills, saying, "He is so amazing. He has such an understanding of music at such a young age. He reminds me of myself so much. He's obsessed, so obsessed with music." [9] Madeon was associated with co-writing and co-producing three songs on Artpop—"Venus", "Mary Jane Holland" and "Gypsy". [8]

Mid-August 2013, Lady Gaga revealed the song title and shared two lines from the lyrics of "Mary Jane Holland" on Twitter. [10] [11] On October 29, 2013, as a part of sneak peeks from Artpop, she shared a two-minute preview of the song. [12] [13] [14]

Lyrics and composition

"Mary Jane Holland" is the twelfth track on Artpop . [12] An EDM song, [15] it is named after her alter ego, "Mary Jane Holland", who is a marijuana addict from Amsterdam, who does not care about what is popular at the moment. Holland is also referenced in the song ("If you meet me and Mary Jane in Holland tonight"). [12] [16] [17] With its lyrics talking about using marijuana, [18] "Mary Jane Holland" is described as a "pro-marijuana anthem" by Chris Bosman, writing for Time. [19] [20] "Mary Jane Holland" is a song about escapism, connecting it to not having to depend on constant validation. [16] The song also talks about loss of identity, multiplicity as an artist and consists of "squelchy rhythms"; Robert Craig Baum described the song's tune as a "No Exit" of fashion. [15] [21] Baum additionally described it as a "recovery tune", where Gaga becomes something more than just "fashion" The song presents itself as a Faustian wager where Gaga is faced with temptations. [21] "Mary Jane Holland" ends with Gaga lighting up a cigarette of marijuana, losing herself and fully becoming Holland in the process. [21] [22] [23]

Critical reception

In his review of Artpop , Bosman criticised the length of "Mary Jane Holland", further elaborating that the song "could easily have chopped a verse and maintained the same effect". [19] Spencer Cornhaber, writing for The Atlantic , noted the explicit "desperation" of "Mary Jane Holland", as well as comparing the song to the music of rock band Kiss. [16] In 2022, Thiago Nolla from Cinepop listed Mary Jane Holland as one of Lady Gaga's 10 most underrated tracks, describing it as a "synesthetic, futuristic, and metalinguistic track". [24]

In a less positive review, NME 's Kate Lloyd deemed "Mary Jane Holland" an "awry" attempt to be "serious", as the topic in question is "vague". [22] In a ranking of Artpop, Wolfgang Ruth, writing for Vulture , ranked "Mary Jane Holland" 12th out of 14, comparing the climax of this song to that of "Marry the Night" (2011). [25] Sal Cinquemani, writing for Slant Magazine, compared the song to "standout tracks" on Gaga's sophomore album, Born This Way (2011). [26] The Guardian 's Michael Cragg criticized "Mary Jane Holland", calling it "cluttered". [27]

References

  1. Sciarretto, Amy (2013-10-29). "Lady Gaga Shares 'Mary Jane Holland' Snippet [AUDIO]". PopCrush . Retrieved 2025-08-16.
  2. Deflem, Mathieu (2017). Lady Gaga and the Sociology of Fame: The Rise of a Pop Star in an Age of Celebrity (PDF) (PhD thesis). National Academic Digital Library of Ethiopia. p. 195. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-03-26. Retrieved 2025-08-17.
  3. Carlson, Adam (2014-05-07). "Lady Gaga's artRAVE: The ARTPOP Ball Shape-Shifts Through Atlanta". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2016-04-16. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  4. Shewey, Don (July 30, 2013). "Lady Gaga's 'ARTPOP': What We Know So Far". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on November 27, 2013. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  5. Vena, Jocelyn (November 28, 2011). "Lady Gaga 'Doing Prep' for Tour, Next Album". MTV News. Archived from the original on December 11, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  6. Vena, Jocelyn (December 6, 2011). "Lady Gaga Says Next Album Is 'Beginning to Flourish'". MTV News. Archived from the original on May 7, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  7. Carol, Grace (March 20, 2013). "Lady Gaga producer Madeon praises 'amazing' ARTPOP studio sessions". Gigwise. Archived from the original on June 24, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  8. 1 2 Vena, Jocelyn (November 8, 2013). "After Lady Gaga, Madeon Wants Kanye West Next". MTV News. Archived from the original on November 29, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  9. Wass, Mike (August 26, 2013). "Lady Gaga Announces RedOne/Madeon-Produced 'ARTPOP' Track 'Gypsy'". Idolator. Archived from the original on August 11, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  10. "Lady Gaga ousa ao fazer contagem regressiva de lançamento de single". Quem (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2022-08-25. Archived from the original on 2021-08-02. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
  11. ""Mary Jane Holland": Lady Gaga divulga trecho de letra de nova música". TV Foco (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2013-08-17. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
  12. 1 2 3 Renshaw, David (2013-10-29). "Lady Gaga reveals marijuana-loving alter ego on 'Mary Jane Holland' – listen". NME. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  13. "Escucha "Mary Jane Holland" de Lady Gaga". Radio Studio92 (in Spanish). 2013-10-29. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
  14. Popelera (2013-10-29). "Lady Gaga publica un avance de dos minutos de 'Mary Jane Holland' | Popelera" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-08-30.
  15. 1 2 Lipshutz, Jason (2013-11-05). "Lady Gaga, 'ARTPOP': Track-By-Track Review". Billboard. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  16. 1 2 3 Kornhaber, Spencer (2013-11-11). "Anyone Else Bummed Out by Lady Gaga's Artpop?". The Atlantic . Archived from the original on 2014-10-26. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  17. Cybulska, Magdalena (2021). Goddesses of Pop: Understanding God and Christianity in 21st Century Female-Driven Pop Music (PDF) (MTh(R) thesis). University of Glasgow. p. 108. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2025-06-29. Retrieved 2025-08-17.
  18. "Lady Gaga faz música sobre maconha". Quem (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2022-08-25. Archived from the original on 2021-08-03. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
  19. 1 2 Bosman, Chris (2013-11-11). "Lady Gaga's New 'ARTPOP' Doesn't Always Live Up to Title". Time . ISSN   0040-781X. Archived from the original on 2014-02-28. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  20. Martins, Ian Gomes (2022). "A arte drag, a subversão e seus limites: um olhar sobre "Sedanapo" do álbum audiovisual "Alegoria" de Glória Groove (2019)" (PDF). Anais do Encontro Nacional de Grupos de Trabalho de Estudantes de Graduação em História (EngTeG 2022) (in Portuguese). Uberlândia: ANPUH. p. 7.
  21. 1 2 3 Rcb; Baum, Robert Craig (2016), "The Difficulty of Being Gaga: A Re-View of Artpop", Thoughtrave, An Interdimensional Conversation with Lady Gaga, Punctum Books, pp. 163–180, retrieved 2025-08-18
  22. 1 2 Lloyd, Kate (2013-11-22). "Lady Gaga - 'Artpop'". NME. Archived from the original on 2023-12-04. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  23. RCB; Baum, Robert Craig (2016). "The Difficulty of Being Gaga: A Re-View of Artpop". Thoughtrave. Punctum Books. p. 177. JSTOR   jj.2353905.9 . Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  24. Nolla, Thiago (2022-04-09). "As 10 músicas mais subestimadas de Lady Gaga". CinePOP (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2025-03-22. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
  25. Ruth, Wolfgang (2021-04-21). "Okay, Let's Talk About ARTPOP". Vulture. Archived from the original on 2025-07-23. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  26. Cinquemani, Sal (2013-11-04). "Review: Lady Gaga, Artpop". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on 2024-03-17. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  27. Cragg, Michael (2013-11-04). "Lady Gaga: 10 things we learned from hearing ARTPOP". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2013-11-11. Retrieved 2025-07-22.