"Speechless" | |
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Song by Lady Gaga | |
from the EP The Fame Monster | |
Released | November 18, 2009 |
Studio | Record Plant (Los Angeles) |
Genre | Rock |
Length | 4:31 |
Label |
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Songwriter(s) | Stefani Germanotta |
Producer(s) |
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Audio video | |
"Speechless" on YouTube |
"Speechless" is a song by the American singer Lady Gaga from her extended play (EP), The Fame Monster (2009). The song was written by Gaga to convince her father to undergo open-heart surgery for his malfunctioning aortic valve and remind her younger fans to appreciate their parents. "Speechless" is about Gaga's fear of death. A rock power ballad, the song has elements of 1970s rock, blues rock, glam rock and country music.
"Speechless" initially received mixed reviews from critics; some praised it for its emotional depth and influences from the band Queen while others criticized it as weak and insincere. Retrospective reviewers described it as one of Gaga's best songs and praised her vocals. Billboard included the song in its 2017 list of the 100 Best Deep Cuts by 21st Century Pop Stars. "Speechless" charted in the US, the UK and Canada. Gaga performed the song in several live appearances including the 2009 American Music Awards, the 2009 Royal Variety Performance, the Monster Ball Tour (2009–2011) and the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards.
On November 18, 2009, the American singer Lady Gaga released The Fame Monster , an extended play that includes "Speechless". [2] [3] [4] She wrote the song and co-produced it with Ron Fair and Tal Herzberg. The song was recorded at Record Plant Studios in Los Angeles, using live instruments like drum (performed by Abraham Laboriel Jr.), guitar (John Goux), bass guitar (Herzberg) and piano (Gaga). She described the process as having a "really organic, delicious feeling". [5] [6] Fair arranged and conducted the song. Herzberg handled the audio engineering with Frank Wolff. "Speechless" was mixed by Jack Joseph Puig, and the audio mastering was done at Oasis Mastering in Burbank, California by Gene Grimaldi. Personnel assisting the recording included Ryan Kennedy, Tal Oz and Joe Cory. [6]
In a November 2009 interview with MTV, Gaga explained that her father had a malfunctioning aortic valve, causing his body to pump only a third of the necessary blood with each heartbeat for an extended period. She added: "My mom called me and I was very depressed. I was on tour and I couldn't leave, so I went into the studio and I wrote this song 'Speechless,' and it's about these phone calls. My dad used to call me after he'd had a few drinks and I wouldn't know what to say. I was speechless and I just feared that I would lose him and I wouldn't be there." [7]
On each track of The Fame Monster, Gaga expresses some of her biggest fears. [8] She wrote "Speechless" to convey her "fear of death" [7] and implore her father to have the open-heart surgery needed for his condition. [9] In October 2009, Gaga confirmed that he had undergone the surgery. In expressing her desire for the song to inspire her younger fans to appreciate their parents, Gaga emphasized their irreplaceable role in a child's life. [10]
"Speechless" is a rock power ballad [11] [12] with influences of 1970s rock, [13] blues rock, [14] glam rock [15] and country music. [12] The song consists of vocal harmonies and guitar riffs which, according to Evan Sawdey of PopMatters , are comparable to the work of the band Queen and its frontman Freddie Mercury. [16] Katrin Horn, a postdoctoral fellow in American studies, described her vocal delivery as "slightly raspy" with "a little vibrato". [17] Musicologist Alexandra Apolloni wrote that Gaga's vocal affectations verge on the melodramatic, underscoring the intentional "performativity" in using vocal techniques that convey a sense of strain. According to Apolloni, the introduction—characterized by theatrical "ohs"—immediately immerses the listener in heightened emotional landscapes, followed by moments of "vocal ugliness", particularly in high chest voice and slurred pitches. She added that these exaggerated vocal gestures serve as intensified pleas for emotional sympathy. In the final verse, Gaga's voice takes on "harshness and roughness", which echoes the theme of vocal disruption explored in the song. [18]
Critics discussed the song's lyrics and themes. Analyzing the emotional narrative of "Speechless", psychoanalyst Robert J. Benton wrote that although the song is dedicated to Gaga's father, the lyrics convey a romantic breakup. Benoten believed after expressing hurt and anger to her ex-lover in the initial lyrics, Gaga has a taunting desire for revenge in the closing line "Why are you so speechless?" [19] Exploring Gaga's "musical intertexts" on The Fame Monster, authors Lori Burns, Alyssa Woods and Marc Lafrance wrote that in "Speechless", she adopts a 1970s rock ballad style reminiscent of artists like Mercury, John Lennon and Elton John. The authors drew thematic connections to Mercury's desire to seek acceptance as an outsider in "Somebody to Love", Lennon's pursuit of a utopian society in "Imagine" and John's emphasis on "pure devotion through music and word" in "Your Song". Burns, Woods and Lafrance thought that by invoking this "genealogy", Gaga aims to promote unbiased love and a new world order emphasizing equality and fairness. As such, they deemed "Speechless" a sociomusical activism piece. [20]
Initial reviews of "Speechless" were mixed. Among others, Ed Power of Hot Press and Brian Linder of IGN reviewed it positively. [4] [22] Power called it a "straight up glam stomper". [4] Linder thought in "Speechless", Gaga introduces a rare moment of subtlety on The Fame Monster, showcasing clever songwriting and emotional depth, although he found that her "enigmatic image" may impede some from fully engaging with the material's core. [22] Reviewers drew comparisons between the song and the work of other artists, particularly Freddie Mercury. [21] Sawdey recognized parallels between "Speechless" and Queen's music, commending the song for its ability to hold its own without feeling like a "gimmick". [16] Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic noted a "galvanized Eurotrash finish" to it, comparing the guitar playing in the song to Noel Gallagher's work in Oasis. [23]
Other reviews were negative. Kitty Empire of The Observer opined that "Speechless" is Gaga's "weak point" in the album. [24] In Slant Magazine , Sal Cinquemani deemed the song the sole "dud" on The Fame Monster because of its perceived inauthenticity amidst Gaga's bolder material. [14] Josh Modell of Spin criticized its tonal quality, as if reaching for an untapped audience he deemed unsuitable for Gaga. [25]
Media outlets Rolling Stone , Billboard , The Guardian , Vulture , Uproxx and Glamour retrospectively ranked "Speechless" as one of Gaga's best songs. [lower-alpha 1] Billboard commended its rock production and Mercury-esque vocals that underscore her versatility beyond synth-pop, [27] and The Guardian wrote of the song's distinctive playfulness, with "slurred, whiskey-soaked vocals". [28] To Vulture, "Speechless" is one of pop music's important Oedipal-complex ballads, portraying a shift as Gaga suddenly sees her father as an equal and expresses intense emotions and a heartbroken perspective on love. [29] According to Uproxx, "Speechless" unearthed Gaga's musical prowess beneath her eccentric persona. [30] Declaring it as Gaga's best ballad, Glamour praised her vocals and described "Speechless" as a "refreshing and moving" song with "a seamless blend of vulnerability and power". [31] In 2017, Billboard ranked it number 29 in its list of 100 Best Deep Cuts by 21st Century Pop Stars, adding that the ballad was one of the first strong indications of Gaga's proficiency as a "a traditional pianist-singer-songwriter" and her future career trajectory. [32]
"Speechless" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number ninety-four for the week of December 12, 2009. [33] After the medley performance of the song at the 2010 Grammy Awards, "Speechless" topped the Billboard Hot Singles Sales chart, with sales of 7,000 units according to Nielsen Soundscan, becoming Gaga's third number-one single. It also shifted an additional 13,000 digital downloads, just below the main Hot Digital Songs chart. [34] As of August 2010, the song had sold 197,000 downloads according to Nielsen Soundscan. [35] "Speechless" also debuted on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 at number sixty-seven. [36] On the UK Singles Chart, "Speechless" reached number eighty-eight of December 27, 2009. [37] As of 2020, it has sold 60,000 digital downloads and acquired 3.38 million streams. [38]
"Speechless" was performed for the first time at the 30th anniversary celebration for the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art on November 14, 2009. Gaga sang on a pink Steinway & Sons piano decorated with painted-on butterflies. The performance included ballet dancers from the Bolshoi Theatre as part of "The Shortest Musical You Will Never See Again", an art piece directed by Francesco Vezzoli. [39] [40] At the 2009 American Music Awards, Gaga performed "Speechless" alongside "Bad Romance" from The Fame Monster. She wore a flesh-colored bodysuit adorned with white piping, simulating ribs and a spine with embedded flashing lights. Starting with "Bad Romance", she transitioned into "Speechless" by breaking open a glass box containing a piano with her microphone stand. Seated on the piano bench, she set the instrument on fire and continued the performance, smashing liquor bottles on it throughout. [41] Gaga performed the two songs again at The Ellen DeGeneres Show on November 25, 2009. [42] She sang "Speechless" at the Royal Variety Performance , which was attended by Queen Elizabeth II. Wearing a red latex dress inspired by the Elizabethan era, Gaga played a piano suspended ten feet in the air that was supported by stilts. [43]
On December 8, 2009, Gaga performed the song live at the launch party of Vevo in New York City. She played the piano while sporting a large platinum blonde hair bow. [44] [45] Billboard praised Gaga for showcasing emotional depth through her vocals and facial expressions. [45] "Speechless" was on the setlist of Gaga's Monster Ball Tour (2009–2011). During the original version of the concert series, "Speechless" came after an acoustic version of "Poker Face". [46] [47] Jane Stevenson from Toronto Star called the "Speechless" performance the "emotional high point" of the show. [48] In the revamped Monster Ball shows, Gaga dressed in bra and knickers and performed the song on a flaming piano. [49] [50]
Gaga was the opening performer of the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards on January 31, 2010. She appeared in a green outfit with glittery shoulder pads. After performing "Poker Face", she was thrown into a flaming bin with the word "Rejected" written on it. Covered in ashes, she reemerged on stage seconds later, joined by Elton John. They sat at opposite sides of a double piano and sang "Speechless" as a medley with John's "Your Song". [51] In 2018, Ashley Laderer from Billboard named it Gaga's eleventh best live performance, calling it "heartfelt". [45] In April 2010, Gaga held a mini-concert in Japan for MAC Cosmetics, collaborating with the Canadian performance artist, Terence Koh. Billed as "GagaKoh", the concert took place on a rotating stage where Koh had created a statue of a naked woman with rabbit ears. "Speechless" was one of the three songs Gaga performed at the event, besides "Bad Romance" and "Alejandro". [52] [53] In May 2011, Gaga performed a jazz version of the song during Radio 1's Big Weekend in Carlisle, Cumbria. [54]
In April 2017, Gaga performed "Speechless" on the piano during both weekends of the Coachella Festival, where she was one of the headliners. [55] On the second show, she included a snippet of "Bad Romance" into her performance of "Speechless". [56]
In 2019, American singer King Princess covered "Speechless" for BBC Radio 1 as part of the station's Piano Sessions. She changed the lyric "I'll never talk again" to "I'll never love again" and swapped "boy" for "girl" in the line "Oh boy, you've left me speechless". The cover received positive reviews from Billboard, MTV News and Consequence . [57] [58] [59]
Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Fame Monster. [6]
Chart (2009) | Peak position |
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Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [60] | 67 |
Scotland (OCC) [61] | 81 |
UK Singles (OCC) [37] | 88 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [62] | 94 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom | — | 60,000 [38] |
United States (RIAA) [63] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
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.
"Beautiful, Dirty, Rich" is a song by American singer–songwriter Lady Gaga from her debut studio album, The Fame (2008). It was released as a promotional single from the album on September 16, 2008. Written by the singer and its producer Rob Fusari in 2006, it is an uptempo dance-pop and disco-funk song that makes heavy use of synthesizers. The lyrics focus on Gaga's experiences as a struggling artist in the Lower East Side.
"Poker Face" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga from her debut studio album, The Fame (2008). It was released on September 23, 2008, as the album's second single. It is a synth-pop song in the key of G♯ minor, following in the footsteps of her previous single "Just Dance", but with a darker musical tone. The main idea behind the song is bisexuality and was a tribute by Gaga to her rock and roll boyfriends. The song's lyrics feature various sexual innuendos.
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.
The Fame is the debut studio album by American singer Lady Gaga. It was released on August 19, 2008, by Interscope Records. After joining KonLive Distribution and Cherrytree Records in 2008, Gaga began working on the album with different producers, primarily RedOne, Martin Kierszenbaum, and Rob Fusari. Musically, The Fame is an electropop, synth-pop, and dance-pop record that displays influences from 1980s music. Lyrically, it visualizes Gaga's love of fame in general, while also dealing with subjects such as love, sex, money, drugs, and sexual identity. The album was primarily promoted through The Fame Ball Tour and multiple television appearances, and was reissued as a deluxe edition with The Fame Monster on November 18, 2009.
"Eh, Eh " is a song by American singer Lady Gaga, from her debut album, The Fame (2008). It was released as the third single from the album in Australia, New Zealand and selected European countries, and the fourth single in France. The song is a calypso-styled, mid-tempo ballad, and is about breaking up with one's old partner and finding someone new. The song peaked at number fifteen on the Australian ARIA Charts and at number nine on the RIANZ charts of New Zealand. It proved to be even more successful in Sweden, where it managed to peak at number two on the Sverigetopplistan chart, as well as in the Czech Republic, France, and Hungary, where it reached the top-ten of their respective charts. "Eh, Eh " received Gold certifications for its sales in Australia, Denmark, New Zealand, and the United States.
"LoveGame" is a song released by American singer Lady Gaga from her debut studio album, The Fame (2008). Produced by RedOne, the track was released as the album's third single in North America and Europe and the fourth single in Australia, New Zealand, and Sweden after "Eh, Eh ". "LoveGame" was also released as the fourth single in the United Kingdom, after "Paparazzi".
"Paparazzi" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga from her debut studio album, The Fame (2008). It was released as the album's fifth and final single by Interscope Records. Gaga wrote and produced the song with Rob Fusari. The song portrays Gaga's struggles in her quest for fame, as well as balancing success and love. Musically, it is an uptempo techno-pop and dance-pop ballad whose lyrics describe a stalker following somebody to grab attention and fame.
The Fame Monster is a reissue of American singer Lady Gaga's debut studio album, The Fame (2008), and was released on November 18, 2009, through Interscope Records. Initially planned solely as a deluxe edition reissue of The Fame, Interscope later decided to release the eight new songs as a standalone EP in some territories. The decision was also because Gaga believed the re-release was too expensive and that the albums were conceptually different, describing them as yin and yang. The deluxe edition is a double album featuring the eight new songs on the first disc and The Fame on the second disc. A super deluxe edition was released on December 15, 2009, holding additional merchandise, including a lock from Gaga's wig.
The Monster Ball Tour was the second worldwide concert tour by American singer Lady Gaga. Staged in support of her first EP, The Fame Monster (2009) and comprising a set list of songs mostly from that and her debut studio album, The Fame (2008), the tour visited arenas and stadiums from 2009 through 2011. It is the highest-grossing tour for a debut headlining artist in history. Described as "the first-ever pop electro opera" by Gaga, the tour was announced in October 2009 after an intended joint concert tour with rapper Kanye West was suddenly cancelled. The Monster Ball Tour commenced four days after the release of The Fame Monster in November 2009.
"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.
"Telephone" 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). Featuring American singer Beyoncé, it was released as the EP's second single on January 26, 2010. Gaga and Rodney Jerkins wrote and produced "Telephone", with additional songwriting by LaShawn Daniels, Lazonate Franklin and Beyoncé. Gaga originally wrote the song for Britney Spears, who recorded a demo. "Telephone" conveys Gaga's fear of not finding time for fun given the increasing pressure for her to work harder as an artist. Musically, the song consists of an expanded bridge, verse-rap and a sampled voice of an operator announcing that the phone line is unreachable. Beyoncé appears in the middle of the song, singing the verses in a "rapid-fire" way, accompanied by double beats.
"So Happy I Could Die" is a song from American singer Lady Gaga, taken from her second major release and her third EP, The Fame Monster (2009). It was written by herself, Nadir "RedOne" Khayat, and Nicolas "Space Cowboy" Dresti, with production helmed by RedOne. Inspired by Gaga's fear of what she described as the "Alcohol Monster", the song is about the influences of alcoholism, and also explores several sexual themes in its lyrics as well as liberalism.
"Dance in the Dark" 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). It is about a woman who prefers to have sex in the dark as she is insecure in her body. Having met such women while working on the MAC AIDS Fund, Gaga said that the song is not about freedom, but rather the assurance that she understood their feelings. A Europop track, it contains retro and new wave music influences, and begins with a stuttering introduction. It includes a spoken interlude, where Gaga lists famous dead people.
"Alejandro" 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). Written and produced by Gaga and RedOne, it was released on April 20, 2010, as the third single from the EP. Interscope Records intended the track "Dance in the Dark" to be the EP's third single after "Alejandro" initially received limited airplay, but Gaga insisted on the latter. A synth-pop track with Europop and Latin pop beats, it opens with a sample from the main melody of Vittorio Monti's "Csárdás". The song was inspired by Gaga's fear of men and is about her bidding farewell to her Latino lovers named Alejandro, Roberto and Fernando.
"Monster" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga from her third EP, The Fame Monster (2009). Inspired by her "Fear of Attachment Monster", the record was produced by Nadir "RedOne" Khayat, and written by Gaga, RedOne and Space Cowboy. Gaga had explained that "Monster" describes her fear of sex and relationships, and described the lyrics as being in love with the bad boy all the time, but instead of running away, one keeps going back to the same person. She added that the fear in "Monster" erupted from her need to have a stable relationship. Incorporating the usage of heavy bass lines, descending keyboard lines and "massive" choruses, "Monster" contains zombie-like metaphors and a reference to Gaga's debut single "Just Dance".
"Teeth" is a song recorded by American singer Lady Gaga. The track appears on The Fame Monster (2009), her second major release and her third EP. The song was written by Gaga, Taja Riley, Pete Wyoming Bender, and Teddy Riley, and produced by Gaga and Teddy Riley. It has an oral theme and has been called a "perverse" march and an ode to sadomasochism. "Teeth" peaked at number 107 on the UK Singles Chart and received a mixed reception from critics. Gaga performed the song during The Monster Ball Tour (2009–2011) and her 2017 Coachella set. In 2013, Riley sued Gaga for US$500,000 and punitive damages over the songwriting credits, saying he was not given 25 percent of royalties as he had been promised.
Born This Way is the second studio album by American singer Lady Gaga, released by Interscope Records on May 23, 2011. It was co-written and co-produced by Gaga with other producers, including Fernando Garibay and RedOne, who had previously worked with her. She also worked with artists such as E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons and Queen guitarist Brian May. Gaga and Garibay are the album's musical directors.