"Maybe It's Time" | |
---|---|
Song by Bradley Cooper | |
from the album A Star Is Born | |
Released | October 5, 2018 |
Recorded | 2017 |
Studio | The Village West (Los Angeles, California) |
Venue | Glastonbury Festival |
Genre | |
Length | 2:39 |
Label | Interscope |
Songwriter(s) | Jason Isbell |
Producer(s) |
|
"Maybe It's Time" is a song from the 2018 film A Star Is Born and the soundtrack of the same name, performed by Bradley Cooper. It was written by Jason Isbell and produced by Cooper and Benjamin Rice with additional vocal production by Lady Gaga. The song is a country ballad with lyrics on the theme of salvation and redemption. "Maybe It's Time" has received a positive critical reception and became Cooper's first solo chart entry on the Billboard Hot 100.
After listening to producer Dave Cobb's work, actor Bradley Cooper, who was also directing A Star Is Born , approached him to craft the soundtracks album's sound. Cobb was recording an album in Nashville, Tennessee, with American singer-songwriter and guitarist Jason Isbell, and asked him to write a song for the soundtrack. Isbell asked to see the screenplay and got in touch with Cooper to understand his requirements for the track and to discuss his character Jackson Maine. Cooper wanted a realistic song and urged Isbell to put his own thoughts as a songwriter into the lyrics, resulting in "Maybe It's Time". As he composed the song, Isbell kept in mind the "idea of salvation and redemption throughout the story and the movie, how that's something that comes from within an individual". In an interview with Harper's Bazaar he explained: "That’s what the song deals with more than anything else—whether you reach the point of redemption or not is wholly determined on your own willingness to work. If you’re going to change, it has to come from within." [1]
When Cobb flew to Los Angeles and met Cooper and his co-star Lady Gaga for a writing session, he played "Maybe It's Time". It became Jackson's staple song and set the tone for the rest of the soundtrack. [2] They were impressed. Cooper felt the Americana folk rock blend of the tune fit perfectly with Jackson's character, highlighting his fading career and substance abuse problems. [1] [3]
Musically, "Maybe It's Time" is a country ballad written by Isbell and produced by Cooper and Benjamin Rice with additional vocal production by Lady Gaga. [4] [5] It is heard several times during the film. Its central lyrics—"Maybe it's time to let the old ways die"—are a metaphor for many of A Star Is Born's central themes, including dealing with and attaining true love and the "double-edged sword of fame". The line is repeated a number of times in the song, accompanied by the line: "It takes a lot to change a man, hell, it takes a lot to try". [6] Reviewing the film for the Vox website, Alissa Wilkinson suggests the song's lyrics signal that the Jackson character, including his music, lifestyle, and what he represents, needs to step aside to "make room for others"—in this case Gaga's character Ally. [7] The song is performed in the key of G major with a moderate tempo of 80 beats per minute in common time. It follows a chord progression of G–C–G–C during the verses and G–Em–D–C–G during the chorus, and the vocals span from B3 to B4. [8]
The Jackson character sings "Maybe It's Time" for the first time in a drag bar after meeting Ally and seeing her performing a cover of "La Vie en rose". [9] Before its production Cooper had reached out to musician Lukas Nelson, with whom he practiced for about a year, learning to play the guitar, and honing his vocal skills. "Bradley's ear is already trained and developed because he sings along to his favorite songs and he knows when it sounds bad," Nelson noted. [10]
Brittany Spanos of Rolling Stone described "Maybe It's Time" as a "sullen triumph of a song" and complimented Cooper's vocal delivery. [9] USA Today 's Patrick Ryan wrote that the song is a "wistful" album highlight. [11] Joey Morona of The Plain Dealer also highlighted the track, calling it an authentic country song. [4] According to Wren Graves of Consequence of Sound , "Maybe It's Time" might be the best track on A Star Is Born . [12] The Guardian 's Ben Beaumont-Thomas also praised the song calling it an "extremely strong" country ballad. [5] Chris DeVille of Stereogum listed it as the best track on the album, calling it a "barebones country song". [3] The Washington Post 's Bethonie Butler described the song as vulnerable and swooning, with a Sam Elliott-inspired vocal delivery. [13]
Writing for Thrillist, Esther Zuckerman found the song to be a "soulful ballad". [10] Jeremy Gordon of The Outline felt the track could be a campaign song for a future American presidential candidate who is a younger visionary, noting:
The old ways—hardcore social conservatism, white supremacy, the myth of America as shining city on the hill despite all the people who've been barred from the doors over the last 250 years—need to be forgotten by time. Our future president could try to boil down this idea into an easily reproducible slogan. Or, they could let Jackson Maine's gravelly voice do the talking: "Maybe it's time to let the old ways die."
Gordon ended his article saying that the "catchy track summed up all these sentiments better than any fight song". [6]
Dann Gire of the Daily Arlington Herald found that "Maybe It's Time" portrayed more of a nostalgia for Cooper's character as an artist on the decline, "rather than the optimistic challenge of new talent he undoubtedly was when he first sang it". [14] For Nick Reily from NME , the track was comparable to songs by Kris Kristofferson (who had played the central character in the 1976 film version). [15]
Vulture 's Natalie Walker ranked it at number 17 in her list of the top songs from A Star Is Born. She "much preferred" the other "hard-edged" songs by Cooper over "Maybe It's Time". [16] Carl Wilson of Slate described Cooper's songs on the soundtrack as "mostly gray zones that one has to sit through, waiting for Gaga to come back", except "Maybe It's Time" which he compared to the work of American singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt. [17]
Following the soundtrack's release, "Maybe It's Time" debuted at number 93 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming Cooper's first solo entry and second overall, after lead single, "Shallow" (with Gaga). [18] The song also reached number six on the Digital Songs chart, along with other tracks by Cooper, like "Black Eyes" and "Music to My Eyes". [19] "Maybe It's Time" has sold 116,000 copies in the United States as of March 2019, according to Nielsen SoundScan. [20]
In Canada the track entered the Hot Canadian Digital Songs chart at number 12; it debuted on the Canadian Hot 100 at number 86. [21] [22] In Australia peaked at number 58 on the ARIA Charts, while in New Zealand the track debuted on the country's Hot Singles chart at number 16. [23] [24] Across Europe, "Maybe It's Time" became Cooper's solo entry in Hungary, Scotland and Switzerland, [25] [26] [27] and on the download charts of France and the United Kingdom. [28] [29]
On October 22, 2018, Jason Isbell performed "Maybe It's Time" live at Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, as part of his show's encore. [30] Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder covered the song live at Tempe, Arizona's Innings Festival in 2019, [31] and later performed it once again at BottleRock Napa Valley 2024 in a duet with Cooper. [32]
Credits adapted from the liner notes of A Star Is Born. [33]
Chart (2018) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [23] | 58 |
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [22] | 86 |
France Downloads (SNEP) [28] | 35 |
Hungary (Single Top 40) [25] | 14 |
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ) [24] | 16 |
Scotland (OCC) [26] | 22 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [27] | 82 |
UK Singles Downloads (OCC) [29] | 32 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [34] | 93 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [35] | Platinum | 40,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [36] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [37] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Michael Jason Isbell is an American singer-songwriter and actor. He is known for his solo career, his work with the band The 400 Unit, and as a member of Drive-By Truckers for six years, from 2001 to 2007. Isbell has won six Grammy Awards.
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She is known for reinventing her image and showcasing versatility in entertainment. Gaga started performing as a teenager by singing at open mic nights and acting in school plays. She studied Collaborative Arts Project 21 before leaving to pursue a music career. After a contract cancellation by Def Jam Recordings, Gaga worked as a songwriter for Sony/ATV Music Publishing. In 2007, she signed with Interscope Records and KonLive Distribution. Her breakthrough came the following year with her debut studio album, The Fame, and its singles "Just Dance" and "Poker Face". The album was later reissued along with The Fame Monster (2009), which yielded the successful singles "Bad Romance", "Alejandro" and "Telephone".
"Just Dance" is the debut single by American singer Lady Gaga. She co-wrote the song with Akon and his producer RedOne. It also features vocals from Colby O'Donis and was released on April 8, 2008, as the lead single from Gaga's debut studio album, The Fame. The song was written by Gaga in 10 minutes as "a happy record". "Just Dance" lyrically speaks about being intoxicated at a club.
American singer Lady Gaga has released five solo studio albums, two collaborative studio albums, two film soundtracks, three remix albums, two compilation albums, four EPs, two live albums, 40 singles, and 14 promotional singles. Gaga made her debut in August 2008 with the studio album The Fame, which peaked at number two in the United States, where it was subsequently certified triple Platinum, while topping the charts in Austria, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Its first two singles, "Just Dance" and "Poker Face", reached number one in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and for the latter, becoming the world's biggest single of the 2009 calendar year. The album spawned three more singles: "Eh, Eh ", "LoveGame" and "Paparazzi". The latter reached the top ten in many countries worldwide, and number one in Germany.
"Bad Romance" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga from her third extended play (EP), The Fame Monster (2009)—the reissue of her debut studio album, The Fame (2008). Gaga wrote and produced the song with RedOne. Following an unauthorized demo leak, Gaga premiered the song's final version during the finale of Alexander McQueen's 2010 Paris Fashion Week show in October 2009 and released it as the lead single from The Fame Monster later that month. Musically, it is an electropop and dance-pop song with a spoken bridge. Inspired by German house and techno, the song was developed as an experimental pop record. Lyrically, Gaga drew from the paranoia she experienced while on tour and wrote about her attraction to unhealthy romantic relationships.
"The Edge of Glory" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga from her second studio album, Born This Way (2011). The song was released on May 9, 2011, as the album's third single. Initially released as one of two promotional singles for Born This Way, it shortly became a single following its success in digital outlets worldwide. The song was written and produced by Gaga and Fernando Garibay, and is a pop, electro-rock, and disco song that speaks of the last moments of life. According to Gaga, lyrical inspiration came from the death of her grandfather, who died in September 2010. Along with a saxophone solo played by Clarence Clemons, the melody of the song resembles much of the musical works of Bruce Springsteen, and contains several qualities similar to that of 1980s adult contemporary musical works.
"Bloody Mary" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga recorded for her second studio album Born This Way (2011). Gaga, Fernando Garibay, and Paul "DJ White Shadow" Blair wrote and produced it; Clinton Sparks also received a producer credit. "Bloody Mary" is an electropop song with elements of synth-pop and trance, and features Gregorian chants. Although the song's title is an epithet mostly associated with the English queen Mary Tudor, Gaga assumes the role of biblical figure Mary Magdalene in its lyrics, whom she considered a "feminine force" she had worshiped since her childhood in a Catholic girls school. It is one of several tracks on the album with religious themes.
"Venus" is a song recorded and produced by American singer Lady Gaga for her third studio album, Artpop (2013). It was written by Gaga, Paul "DJ White Shadow" Blair, Madeon, Dino Zisis, Nick Monson, and Sun Ra. The recording includes a sample from the French electropop duo Zombie Zombie's cover of Sun Ra's song "Rocket Number 9", from his studio album, Interstellar Low Ways (1966); Sun Ra received a co-writing credit on the track. Originally intended to be the second single from the album, it was released as the first promotional single from Artpop on October 27, 2013, to the iTunes Store, following the positive reception of "Do What U Want", which was planned to be a promotional single only.
"Dope" is a song recorded by American singer Lady Gaga for her third studio album, Artpop (2013). It was released on November 4, 2013, by Interscope Records as the second promotional single from the record, following "Venus". It was written by Gaga, Paul "DJ White Shadow" Blair, Dino Zisis, and Nick Monson and produced by Gaga and Rick Rubin. Following her hip surgery and cancellation of the Born This Way Ball tour, Gaga became addicted to drugs, which helped her get relief from the pain of surgery and also to cope with her sabbatical. "Dope" was written about this addiction and evolved from a song she had previously composed for her fans, about her confessions. It was added to Artpop because Gaga felt the album needed something more autobiographical.
A Star Is Born is a 2018 American musical romantic drama produced and directed by Bradley Cooper with a screenplay by Cooper, Eric Roth and Will Fetters. It stars Cooper and Lady Gaga in lead roles, with Dave Chappelle, Andrew Dice Clay and Sam Elliott in supporting roles. It follows an alcoholic musician (Cooper) who discovers and falls in love with a young singer (Gaga). It is the fourth American adaptation of the story, after the original 1937 romantic drama and its 1954 and 1976 remakes. Principal photography began at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April 2017.
Nick Monson is a producer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, based in Los Angeles, California.
"The Cure" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Lady Gaga. She co-wrote the song with DJ White Shadow, Nick Monson, Lukas Nelson, and Mark Nilan; Detroit City, Gaga, and Monson produced the song. The song originated from a positive vibe between the collaborators, created as a response to atrocities happening around the world. It was developed in Los Angeles, California, where Gaga and her team were working on some music before the singer started filming the 2018 remake of A Star Is Born. Consisting of finger snaps and an electronic pop beat, "The Cure" is composed around an R&B sound. Lyrically, the song talks about the healing effects of love, with the singer advocating herself as the one administering 'the cure'.
A Star Is Born is the soundtrack album to the 2018 musical film of the same name, performed by its stars Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. It was released on October 5, 2018, by Interscope Records. Cooper teamed up with Gaga's recurring collaborator DJ White Shadow, and an assortment of country musicians, including Lukas Nelson, who also stars in the film as a member of Cooper's band. The soundtrack also includes contributions from Jason Isbell, Mark Ronson, Diane Warren, and Andrew Wyatt of Miike Snow.
"Always Remember Us This Way" is a song from the 2018 film A Star Is Born and its soundtrack of the same name, performed by the film's star Lady Gaga. It was released as soundtrack's second single in Italy and France in January 2019. The song was written by Lady Gaga, Natalie Hemby, Hillary Lindsey, and Lori McKenna, and produced by Dave Cobb and Lady Gaga.
"Is That Alright?" is a song from the 2018 film A Star Is Born and soundtrack of the same name, performed by American singer Lady Gaga. It was produced by Gaga, Mark Nilan Jr., Nick Monson, and Paul "DJ White Shadow" Blair; writing credits include all of them besides Lukas Nelson and Aaron Raitiere. The track is sung by Gaga's in-movie character, Ally, as a loving ode to Bradley Cooper's character, Jackson. It plays during the end credits of the original, theatrical cut of A Star Is Born, while appearing in the wedding scene in its extended, Encore edition. The song charted within the top 30 in Hungary, Scotland, and Slovakia. It received positive reviews, with critics complimenting Gaga's vocals.
"Why Did You Do That?" is a song recorded by American singer Lady Gaga for the 2018 film A Star Is Born and released on the soundtrack of the same name. It was written by Gaga with Diane Warren, Mark Nilan Jr., Nick Monson and Paul "DJWS" Blair, and produced by all but Warren. The song appears in the film during a sequence when Gaga's character, Ally, performs on Saturday Night Live, watched by her husband Jackson. Later Jackson berates Ally for selling out with the song's trite lyrics, but she defends it. "Why Did You Do That?" was written to evoke both a retro and a modern feel, and was recorded while Gaga was on her Joanne World Tour.
"Shallow" is a song performed by American singer Lady Gaga and American actor and filmmaker Bradley Cooper. It was released through Interscope Records on September 27, 2018, as the lead single from the soundtrack to the 2018 musical romantic drama film A Star Is Born. "Shallow" was written by Gaga with Andrew Wyatt, Anthony Rossomando and Mark Ronson, and produced by Gaga with Benjamin Rice. The song is heard three times in the film, most prominently during a sequence when Cooper's character Jackson Maine invites Gaga's character Ally to perform it onstage with him. The scene was filmed in front of a live audience at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles.
"I'll Never Love Again" is a song from the 2018 film A Star Is Born, performed by its stars Lady Gaga and director Bradley Cooper whose character sings the final chorus in the flashback scene. The soundtrack contained both versions of the song including the extended version that featured Gaga as the sole performer. Gaga wrote the song with Natalie Hemby, Hillary Lindsey, and Aaron Raitiere. Production was done by Gaga and Benjamin Rice.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)