The Cherrytree Sessions

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The Cherrytree Sessions
Lady Gaga - Cherrytree Sessions.png
EP by
Lady Gaga
ReleasedFebruary 3, 2009 (2009-02-03)
Recorded2009
StudioThe Cherrytree House [1]
Length8:48
Label
Producer
Lady Gaga chronology
The Fame
(2008)		The Cherrytree Sessions
(2009)		 Hitmixes
(2009)

The Cherrytree Sessions is the first extended play by American singer Lady Gaga. It consists of three acoustic versions of "Poker Face", "Just Dance", and "Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)". The EP was released on February 3, 2009, initially released only through Borders stores and via digital download, [2] and was later reissued on CD in August 2010.

Contents

The Cherrytree Sessions received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised Gaga's vocal abilities and the instrumentation of the three tracks, including their unusual incorporation of styles such as cabaret and beatboxing. It reached number 32 on the Mexican Albums Chart.

Background and composition

The Cherrytree Sessions is a series of EPs first envisaged by Cherrytree Records label head and producer Martin Kierszenbaum in order to promote his artists. [3] With the assistance of Tony Ugval, Kierszenbaum was able to secure footage and music recordings of several performances from artists on the label's roster. Following requests from fans of the label's music, Kierszenbaum decided to release them commercially, and stated that "before long, we found ourselves with an extraordinary collection of recordings: intimate at times, unexpected at others." [3]

Gaga's performances for The Cherrytree Sessions was first released as a video posted to the label's website. It begins with Gaga and producer Space Cowboy surprising Kierszenbaum in his office, known as The Cherrytree House. [2] After discussing her international travels, Gaga performed an acoustic version of "Brown Eyes" at the piano where she had sung for Kierszenbaum the first time they met. She and Space Cowboy then performed a stripped-down version of "Just Dance" on their keyboards, before Gaga returned to the piano for an acoustic version of "Poker Face". [4] The performance coincided with Gaga reaching number one on the Billboard Hot Digital Songs chart with "Just Dance" in 2008, and was available for streaming as a webisode on the Cherrytree Records website. [1]

The EP itself consists of three tracks recorded live from the event, all of which had previously been successful singles released from Gaga's first studio album, The Fame (2008). AllMusic compared the "solo piano rendition" of "Poker Face" to the style of cabaret, while "Just Dance" had only synths as its instrumentation. [5] The final song, "Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)" makes use of keyboards (played by Martin Kierszenbaum) and beatboxing, [5] which is performed by Space Cowboy. [6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Bloomberg L.P. Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [7]
Daily Express Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [8]

The Cherrytree Sessions was released on February 3, 2009, in the United States and was an import in European nations, including France. [9] [10] Mark Beech of Bloomberg L.P. gave The Cherrytree Sessions a positive review, awarding it three out of four stars. He praised Gaga's singing abilities and noting that the EP "shows Lady Gaga isn't all combustible miniskirts and flame-throwing bras." [7] Simon Gage of the Daily Express gave the album three out of five stars, expressing surprise at Gaga's singing abilities. "Often hidden under those dastardly catchy Eurobeats," he noted, "on these earlier, simpler versions of tracks such as Poker Face and Just Dance, her voice gets a bit more of a chance to shine, as do the songs." [8] This sentiment was echoed by Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic, awarding three stars out of five, who felt that the performances were "effective showcases for Gaga's charisma and songwriting." Erlewine praised the music of "Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)" in particular, noting that its "bare-bones mix" was complementary to the release's aesthetic. [5]

The Cherrytree Sessions debuted at 45 on the Mexican Albums Chart on August 20, 2010, and moved to 32 the next week. [11] Although it failed to enter any of the Billboard album charts, according to Nielsen SoundScan, the EP had sold 9,000 copies in the United States by September 2010. [12]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Poker Face" (Piano & Voice Version)
 Martin Kierszenbaum 3:39
2."Just Dance" (Stripped Down Version)
  • RedOne
  • Kierszenbaum
2:06
3."Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)" (Electric Piano & Human Beat Box Version)
  • Lady Gaga
  • Kierszenbaum
Kierszenbaum3:03
Total length:8:48

Personnel

Credits for The Cherrytree Sessions per AllMusic [13] and liner notes. [6]

Charts

Weekly chart performance for The Cherrytree Sessions
Chart (2010)Peak
position
Mexican Albums (Top 100 Mexico) [14] 32

Release history

Release dates and formats for The Cherrytree Sessions
RegionDateFormatLabel
CanadaFebruary 3, 2009 [15] [16] Digital download Universal
United States
United States (Borders only)March 3, 2009 [2] CD
United StatesAugust 3, 2010 [17]
France [18]
Germany [19]
United Kingdom [20]
CanadaAugust 10, 2010 [21] [22] [23] Universal
Mexico
  • CD
  • digital download

Related Research Articles

Martin Kierszenbaum, also known by his pseudonym Cherry Cherry Boom Boom, is an American music personality. As a songwriter and producer he worked with Lady Gaga, Sting, Madonna, Mylène Farmer, Keane, Tokio Hotel, Far East Movement, Robyn, Feist, Flipsyde, Ivy Levan, Ai, Samantha Fish, Alexandra Burke and Natalia Kills. He owns The Cherrytree Music Company which developed the careers of Lady Gaga, LMFAO, Disclosure, Ellie Goulding, La Roux and t.A.T.u. Kierszenbaum also releases music under his own name and under his nickname Cherry Cherry Boom Boom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Space Cowboy (musician)</span> Musical artist

Nicolas Jean-Pierre Patrick Dresti, better known by his stage name Space Cowboy, is a French-British singer-songwriter, DJ, and producer. Born in France and raised in England, Dresti first recorded in 1992 under the names of Vibes and DJ Apex, releasing breakbeat hardcore tracks. He then changed his stage name to Nicky Fabulous and produced a four track extended play, Pussy Galore in 1995. He has recorded under various pseudonyms including: DJ Supreme, Kings of Rhythm, Loop Da Loop, and DJ Chrome. In 2002, Dresti changed his stage name to Space Cowboy and did a cover of Prince's song, "I Would Die 4 U." In 2003, Space Cowboy debuted his first studio album Across the Sky. On 22 June 2005, he released his second full-length album Big City Nights and his third album, Digital Rock, the next year. Digital Rock Star, a re-release of Digital Rock, debuted as his fourth studio album on 20 October 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Just Dance (song)</span> 2008 single by Lady Gaga

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beautiful, Dirty, Rich</span> 2008 promotional single by Lady Gaga

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poker Face (song)</span> 2008 single by Lady Gaga

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lady Gaga discography</span>

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, 39 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.

<i>The Fame</i> 2008 studio album by Lady Gaga

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)</span> 2009 single by Lady Gaga

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LoveGame</span> 2009 single by Lady Gaga

"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".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paparazzi (Lady Gaga song)</span> 2009 single by Lady Gaga

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References

  1. 1 2 "Live at The Cherrytree House". Universal Music . Retrieved August 13, 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 Phoenix, Helia (2010). Lady Gaga: Just Dance: The Biography. Hachette UK. p. 42. ISBN   978-1-409-115700.
  3. 1 2 Kierszenbaum, Martin (March 22, 2011). "The Cherrytree House Sessions, Volume 1 - Available in the US April 12th". Cherrytree Records . Retrieved May 15, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Live at The Cherrytree House". Vevo . Retrieved August 13, 2010.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Cherrytree Sessions > Review". AllMusic . Retrieved May 11, 2012.
  6. 1 2 The Cherrytree Sessions (Media notes). Lady Gaga. Santa Monica, California: Streamline Records, KonLive Records, Cherrytree Records, Interscope Records. 2009. p. 2, Special thank you. B0012675-32IN02.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. 1 2 Beech, Mark (August 3, 2010). "Lady Gaga Strips Down, M.I.A. Stomps, Tom Jones Gets Religion". Bloomberg L.P . Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  8. 1 2 Gage, Simon (July 30, 2010). "Lady Gaga: The Cherrytree Sessions Review". Daily Express . Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  9. ↑ Commins, Linda (July 5, 2009). "Pop Star Lady Gaga Has Roots in Ohio Valley". The Intelligencer & Wheeling News Register . Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Lady GaGa : l'EP "The Cherrytree Sessions" enfin dans les bacs français" (in French). PureCharts. Charts In France. August 13, 2010. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Lady Gaga – The Cherrytree Sessions (album)" (in Spanish). AMPROFON. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on November 2, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2010.
  12. ↑ Grein, Paul (September 8, 2010). "Week Ending Sept. 5, 2010: Rihanna Leads The Pack". Yahoo!. p. 2. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
  13. ↑ "The Cherrytree Sessions > Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved August 13, 2010.
  14. ↑ "Lady GaGa – The Cherrytree Sessions". Mexicancharts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on March 21, 2012. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  15. ↑ "The Cherrytree Sessions (Live) – EP". Canada: iTunes Store. January 2009. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  16. ↑ "The Cherrytree Sessions (Live) – EP". United States: iTunes Store. January 2009. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  17. ↑ "The Cherrytree Sessions: Lady Gaga". Amazon. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  18. ↑ "The Cherrytree Sessions: Lady Gaga" . Retrieved September 4, 2010.
  19. ↑ "The Cherrytree Sessions: Lady Gaga". Amazon Germany. Retrieved September 4, 2010.
  20. ↑ "Cherrytree Sessions (EP)". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved November 5, 2012.
  21. ↑ "Cherrytree Sessions: Lady Gaga" . Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  22. ↑ "Cherrytree Sessions: Lady Gaga". Mixup. Archived from the original on August 15, 2010. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  23. ↑ "Cherrytree Sessions: Lady Gaga". Saharis. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved August 15, 2010.
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