Gaga Has Lost Her Lyrical Fire

[jprince99x 3,547]

1 minute ago, CheapGin said:

Fun Tonight-

"Love the Paparazzi love the Fame

Even though you know it causes me pain

I feel like im in a prison hell

Stick my arms through the steel bars and yell"

References her earlier career, potential traumas leftover from them but the expectation to return to those styles, could also reference her reality as a celebrity, but that can't be detached from her analysis on celebrity and fame from her earlier albums. Also, the cage she is in here in Chromatica I is presumably the same cage she is liberated from in Chromatica III via 1000 Doves which shows thoughtful and cohesive lyrical themes that encourage multiple interpretations upon multiple listens.

 

 

This is my favourite line off of the album, period. I think the song structure butchers these lyrics. The only thing I take from the song afterwards is "i'm not having fun tonight". I think she should release a piano reworking of the album like st. vincent did with MassEducation

[giskardsb 12,565]

Gaga's most "storytelling" type of lyrics are on Joanne and ASIB.  ASIB has her best and most lyrical songwriting in general in songs such as ARUTW.   Most of her pop output doesn't match the lyricism of some of her idols, which is partly IMO why she is so extraordinary when doing covers such as "You've got a friend", because when her song interpretation ability meets up with fantastic lyrical songwriting it's magic.   Pop music as a whole in the modern age though has very little place for singer/songwriter style lyricism.

Gaga's best actual songwriting still remains Captivated.   Someday I hope she can finally produce an album with that level of songwriting on a commercial release.  I do think her lyrical flow has gotten better though.   I think her next level as a musician is to really embrace tight, lyrical, storytelling songwriting.   She has a great mentor for that in Elton with Bernie Taupin's writing.

 

 

[CheapGin 557]

1 minute ago, jprince99x said:

This is my favourite line off of the album, period. I think the song structure butchers these lyrics. The only thing I take from the song afterwards is "i'm not having fun tonight". I think she should release a piano reworking of the album like st. vincent did with MassEducation

I agree that she could do an acoustic version of the album and all of the songs would hold up but that alone proves that the songs have lyrical and melodic value! Also "I can see it in your face/You don't think I pull my weight" screams early gaga unreleased demos, when she said she wrote this album how she *used* to write music in the Zane Lowe interview I believed her!

[MonsterofFame 1,758]

I see what you're saying, and while I agree a little I don't think the lyrics are bad. I think the problem is that Chromatica is missing a few signature "A ha!" or crazy awesome lines that we usually get from her in an album.

Like Bad Romance: "I want your horror, I want your disease / I want your everything as long as it's free"

And one of my favorite Taylor Swift lyrics: "I'll be your nightmare dressed like a daydream"

[CautiousLurker 16,578]

15 minutes ago, jprince99x said:

This!! And as I stated in my OP, I love this album!

I think it's just way too early to have a conversation about potential shortcomings the album might have - people are riding the high of receiving new music after waiting for so long and the new music delivers in a lot of ways, and it's also doing the numbers - when things fall into place like this for the artist you've been vehemently supporting for years, it feels good, and you'll want to hold onto that feeling without delving into detail as to what works and what could be improved, yada yada - the later can wait for a bit 

[Roland 241]

16 minutes ago, Mitchey said:

This is her first album where I haven’t cringed hard at some lyrics, specifically from BTW and ARTPOP. I’ve never been this impressed lyrically from Gaga. She’s pouring her poetic heart out and it’s beautiful. 
 

“Turnin' up emotional faders
Keep repeating self-hating phrases
I have heard enough of these voices
Almost like I have no choice
This is biological stasis
My mood's shifting to manic places
Wish I laughed and kept the good friendships
Watch life, here I go again

Keep my dolls inside diamond boxes
Save 'em 'til I know I'm gon' drop this
Front I've built around my oasis
Paradise is in my hands
Holdin' on so tight to this status
It's not real, but I'll try to grab it
Keep myself in beautiful places
Paradise is in my hands”

 

I mean .. seriously?

Totally!!! It’s a really powerful song! Also... dance/house/electro often lets the “electronic” music underline a simple lyric and have it punch you in the stomach / face / heart whatever !!!

[lavenderblondee 3,695]

1 hour ago, Xardas said:

Before there was love, there was silence! 

[sillynate 6,170]

My biggest enemy is me ever since day one alone is literally the most deep thing she’s ever written 

it speaks to me 

[NORMANDIE 1,563]

Delete this. Zero points. 

[Ivy 10,805]

I know what you mean, the lyrics in general are a little more straightforward and less poetic when compared with some of her past work. I wonder if it's on purpose tho, to fit more authentically with the genre, and also to be more accepted by a wider audience where some people might think her regular style of writing is "weird" or "too crazy"...? 

[ImTired 3,955]

I guess anyone can literally post anything here. 

[Roland 241]

1 minute ago, sillynate said:

My biggest enemy is me ever since day one alone is literally the most deep thing she’s ever written 

it speaks to me 

YES! Great lyric. Also, sometimes you have to be daring with your music. Not every pop star would be brave enough to put these in music !

“Gaga-isms

As per tradition, there are some wild lyrical clunkers. But Gaga is campier than your average pop star, so these kind of come with the territory. Occasionally they linger in the “so bad they might be good?” zone, or just straight-up WTF.

“Strut it out, walk a mile/Serve it, ancient-city style” (“Babylon”)

“Who’s that girl, Malibu Gaga” (“Plastic Doll”)

“Turning up emotional faders” (“911”)

“Maestro, play me your symphony/I will listen to anything/Take me on a trip, DJ, free my mind” (“Alice”)

“Dragon’s eyes watch, goddess breathing” (“Enigma”)“

[G U C C I 5,158]

1 hour ago, jprince99x said:

 

I think that the lyrics on Chromatica are okay. There are some lines that I actually quite enjoy, replay is fantastic. Overall, when I listen to the songs all I hear is lyrical "spice". I actually quite like some of the narratives she attacks in the songs, but I feel as if the final product isn't as on point as her earlier work. I really don't think that this dance pop is the type of music that Gaga is inspired to make. Joanne has so much more of that "fire". 

Maybe part of the issue is the production. I listened to 1000 doves 10+ times and hated it. The lyrics didn't touch me at all. After hearing them in the demo, I literally cried. (and not because of the music, I think that the piano is very weak. There are no dynamics whatsoever! I could actually hear what she was saying in the lyrics.) I defended Stupid Love's lyrics when many of you here trashed them. For some reason I hear the lyrics on this album and they feel inauthentic. I love this album, I love it. I adore it and have been listening NONSTOP since it came out. I understand that there is no "perfect" song out there. These are just some of my thoughts after a few days of listening.

I agree. I actually love a lot of the lyrics on Chromatica but it is the production that failed for me. There are only 3-4 songs that I literally love the sound of. The rest are so hard for me personally to listen to. I still stream them and listen to the album as a whole like she wanted and it does work as a whole piece but individually, absolutely not for me. I like that the lyrics are simple and the phrasing is great but it is FAR from the fame monster in terms of lyrics. I think this may be a classic example of to many cooks in the kitchen. 

[Agagkills 187]

Sorry I don’t agree . Good lyrics don’t take days to write something the words just come out and that’s it you have a good song . She said in the interview she went back to the old ways where she just writes song and come out naturally .  But that doesn’t mean the aren’t good . 
 

I don’t get it with some of you, to be honest , what are you expecting a shakespear novel every time she writes ?? 
 

ans I’m sorry but if you can’t relate to any lyrics or feel the fire then I will assume your either a kid or you’re an adult who lives a very sheltered life where you’re life is just to perfect. 
 

the lyrics brings out emotions, and all the feelings to those who can relate to it . 
 

[Schwerk 6,490]

Why do so many people talk bad about Gaga's previous work to defend Chromatica?

She is a master at tongue in cheek double entendre as proven on The Fame. 

And make fun of it all you want but:

"Love it when you call me legs, in the morning buy me eggs. Watch your heart when we're together, boys like you love me forever."

Really paints a picture and has a great flow to it.

She is perfectly capable of writing straight forward lyrics to fit a pop song and she's also capable of writing poetic more complex lyrics.

Some of my favourite lyrics are on BTW actually. 

Scheiße for me has a similar message to Free Woman (it's more of a follow up) and I personally relate to Scheiße more:

Love is objectified by what men say is right
Scheiße-scheiße be mine,
Bullshit be mine (bullshit be mine)
Blonde high-heeled feminist enlisting femmes for this
Express your woman-kind
Fight for your right (fight for your right)

When I'm on a mission
I rebuke my condition.
If you're a strong female,
You don't need permission.

I, I wish that I could dance on a single prayer.
I, I wish I could be strong without somebody there.
I, I wish that I could dance on a single prayer.
I, I wish I could be strong without the scheiße, yeah.
 

But I understand the lyrics on Chromatica are more to the point and that fits well with the genre. She is just trying something new. I love her for pouring her heart out and making light out of this darkness. I just have a hard time connecting with this album because I can't really get into a flow with either the lyrics or the melody. I'm kind of stuck in the middle so far.