What I find interesting, a cookie if you read it

[Leoooo 2,249]

THIS IS SO LONG but it’s good I hope 

I have been reading quite a few posts and responses since Hold my Hand has come out and it’s made me realise how different our ears / perception is. For some, (myself included) it’s one of Gagas best and most emotive songs, upbeat and perfect, for others it’s a totally flat line, yet we all like the same artist enough to be here’s so clearly share some kind of intrinsic creativite / artistic / musical similarity. 

The intro for example is some people favourite part of the song, or others it ruins or dampens it because it isn’t sonically usual, and therefore unappealing. If your ears tell you that then nobody can call you wrong, but that dosent mean it isn’t good. I think it is meant to sound emotive, almost like crying, a desperate and hauntingly inhuman. (This sounds like I think it is SO deep but I struggle to not write with all these pretentious words because of how I was taught)

I think that fans who desperately, and probably pure heartedly want Gaga to be perfect and hit a mark they think will make her achieve that, are loosing out on enjoying her. It changes how you listen to it, it changes the entire song because you are listening to every singular millisecond like it’s her lifeline. 

I speak from experience, I always loved her music and as a person / inspiration unconditionally but when she was ridiculed, it almost felt like I was. I was worried for her because I was worried about how I would feel, it was all subconscious but I realised I felt anxious about releases and how it would end up that it killed my enjoyment and it felt like I was some kind of critic with an identity crisis. I have stopped that now through feeling more sure of myself and my own opinion. Gaga is a huge background essence in my life and I don’t think that is ever changeable. 

(Side note, have compassion for the Madonna fans as they are the only other fandom on earth to have got the level of comparable depth we can think of with a pop star, they’re absolutely mental with it sometimes but that woman saved many of them, when LGBT in pop culture was very shunned, like Gaga has saved many of us.

to conclude I love ya if you’ve read this far and don’t do molly and listen to Hold my Hand because it will become the most divine thing to ever exist 

 

love ya x 

 

[Guest]

Just now, Medusa said:

because it isn’t sonically usual, and therefore unappealing.

I like the beginning of this weird intro but there's an awkward moment in it, it's just not done well imo

[Leoooo 2,249]

8 minutes ago, AnnaNicoleSmith said:

I like the beginning of this weird intro but there's an awkward moment in it, it's just not done well imo

The bit what’s got a strange pitch dip? I liked it. They are literally musical experts and would know it has that strange dip, It would have been intentional completely to create a emotion, realising it isn’t ‘not done well’ when it has been engineered by these very sonically aware people makes it less of a flaw, and more of a intentional creative choice 

[Moonlight on Water 13,773]

ok but where's my cookie

 

 

 

 

aside from that, you're not wrong. People get worked up on charts and whatever what else. They miss out on the fun, the enjoyement, the music. Too much noise, not enough music. I saw at during Chromatica with the lack of promo and interaction, and all it took was a healthy step back. It's something you have no control over, you might as well go with the flow.

[Leoooo 2,249]

Just now, Lady JarJar said:

ok but where's my cookie

It will be with you when you least expect it my darling x

[PartySick 146,611]

6 minutes ago, Medusa said:

I think that fans who desperately, and probably pure heartedly want Gaga to be perfect and hit a mark they think will make her achieve that, are loosing out on enjoying her. It changes how you listen to it, it changes the entire song because you are listening to every singular millisecond like it’s her lifeline.

While setting certain expectations can ruin things if those expectations aren't met, there genuinely are fans where the song just...doesn't land

The intro sounds really cool actually but it's so out of place and random. Like it doesn't belong on that song 

And the more I listen to it, the more I can kinda hear the criticism of her vocals in the song. They do sound like there's just a bit too much tension there and before one of the belts it almost sounds like she's out of breath.

Plus, I believe, one belt is delivered with her chest voice and the next moves to a head voice and it kinda loses power because of that

I just don't think it's very cleverly written, the production falls flat and there's nothing to really hook me there, the vocals (while POWERFUL) are a bit too tense in places, and it's overall a disjointed and awkward listening experience.

Had they dropped the key a step or two to fit her range better, had the intro sound come back in somewhere, and leaned into the rock ballad aspect (and got rid of the "Before I Cry" sound in the chorus) then it'd be an anthem

As it is though, it's not for me

But that's ok 'cause I'm still getting my life from Sine From Above, Rina's Free Woman remix, and Love For Sale

[PartySick 146,611]

Just now, Lady JarJar said:

ok but where's my cookie

Also this!

Promises made, promises kept?

[nATAH 43,246]

give cookie

[Suspiria 10,683]

I think they probably had a conceptual aim with the intro. I wonder if it's supposed to sound like a black box recording or something? An emergency transmission? Idk. Certainly it doesn't fit sonically, and there must be another reason for it.

Either way it's by far my favourite part, I really wish it came back throughout the instrumental. I'm a total sucker for distorted little vocal samples that Bloodpop puts in his productions.

[Leoooo 2,249]

8 minutes ago, PartySick said:

While setting certain expectations can ruin things if those expectations aren't met, there genuinely are fans where the song just...doesn't land

The intro sounds really cool actually but it's so out of place and random. Like it doesn't belong on that song 

And the more I listen to it, the more I can kinda hear the criticism of her vocals in the song. They do sound like there's just a bit too much tension there and before one of the belts it almost sounds like she's out of breath.

Plus, I believe, one belt is delivered with her chest voice and the next moves to a head voice and it kinda loses power because of that

I just don't think it's very cleverly written, the production falls flat and there's nothing to really hook me there, the vocals (while POWERFUL) are a bit too tense in places, and it's overall a disjointed and awkward listening experience.

Had they dropped the key a step or two to fit her range better, had the intro sound come back in somewhere, and leaned into the rock ballad aspect (and got rid of the "Before I Cry" sound in the chorus) then it'd be an anthem

As it is though, it's not for me

But that's ok 'cause I'm still getting my life from Sine From Above, Rina's Free Woman remix, and Love For Sale

All of this is totally valid criticism! I just can’t hear it. I don’t hear struggle or tension in any notes, I hear her singing a particular feeling that is resonating with her while she sings that particular lyric. She could read lyrics and sing then in a ‘perfect way’ but I wouldn’t feel the emotion. I have artists like Ariana for that (no shade, her voice is perfect, but particular kind of perfect) I feel like Gaga is singing the meanings of the words how they should be felt, but has the vocal ability and training to do that and still sing healthy & powerfully. 

The lyrics may sound simple to some and I could see why in that way, but I can sense that it would take so much thought and effort to make lyrics that express the songs meaning, emotion, music and  vocal intention.  And it works, clever wordplay isn’t really needed when a message is so simple. 

Its taste, preference and literally ears. I find it fascinating as we disagree so much but clearly have brilliant taste

[Chromatica Island 8,517]

I agree with everything you said, this is how I feel as well. I personally liked the intro, I like the imperfections in it.

[Leoooo 2,249]

4 minutes ago, Suspiria said:

I think they probably had a conceptual aim with the intro. I wonder if it's supposed to sound like a black box recording or something? An emergency transmission? Idk. Certainly it doesn't fit sonically, and there must be another reason for it.

Either way it's by far my favourite part, I really wish it came back throughout the instrumental. I'm a total sucker for distorted little vocal samples that Bloodpop puts in his productions.

My point exactly! We hear it so differently

[Cruelty 5,889]

28 minutes ago, Medusa said:

THIS IS SO LONG but it’s good I hope

It is good! I love this post 

29 minutes ago, Medusa said:

I have been reading quite a few posts and responses since Hold my Hand has come out and it’s made me realise how different our ears / perception is. For some, (myself included) it’s one of Gagas best and most emotive songs, upbeat and perfect, for others it’s a totally flat line, yet we all like the same artist enough to be here’s so clearly share some kind of intrinsic creativite / artistic / musical similarity. 

But this is what I love about Gagadaily! When we have different opinions, that's when we can have really great discussions. And you're right, the fact that two people can listen to the same piece of music and have completely different opinions on it is so mad, but so fun, because variety is the spice of life!!

I think in the case it's interesting because Hold My Hand is very much Lady Gaga, but for the straights. There are enough Gaga-isms in there for us to love it, but the style is far from stereotypical Lady Gaga electropop, so this feels like it's going to be an especially divisive song amongst our community.

29 minutes ago, Medusa said:

I speak from experience, I always loved her music and as a person / inspiration unconditionally but when she was ridiculed, it almost felt like I was.

THIS, so much. I remember when I was 11, and at school on Friday afternoons we used to have an hour where the teacher would just put the TV on (okay, looking back, this seems like a VERY relaxed attitude to teaching). And one Friday, he put on the BBC Children in Need concert from 2011, where Gaga played. And as soon as she came on, my classmates started booing! And internally, I was like whaaaaattttt??!?!?!?!?! Because right at that time, this wonderful lady was helping me to realise that I wasn't straight, and that it was okay not to be straight. And my classmates -- my friends -- were booing my mentor, and I didn't understand why, and it felt like they were booing my identity. This is a long-winded way of saying: I feel you 

30 minutes ago, Medusa said:

(Side note, have compassion for the Madonna fans as they are the only other fandom on earth to have got the level of comparable depth we can think of with a pop star, they’re absolutely mental with it sometimes but that woman saved many of them, when LGBT in pop culture was very shunned, like Gaga has saved many of us.

Thank you for this  I think there's so much to be said about popstars as saviours (for gay men in particular), and I really appreciate that you're thinking about this. I'm really aware that, just like Gaga taught me that it's okay not to be straight, Madonna was the blueprint for that in the 80s and 90s 

30 minutes ago, Medusa said:

love ya x 

Love ya too! 

[Magui 2,623]

"I have been reading quite a few posts and responses since Hold my Hand has come out and it’s made me realise how different our ears / perception is."

I realized this so many times in this site lol, sometimes i wonder if my ears simply don't listen the same way... And honestly i think they don't, it's all connected to the emotions that something brings to you, plus our particular taste, Hold My Hand blends perfectly with my 80s playlists lol, I'm a sucker for that.

Plus i realized that i don't get half of what people talk about, cause to me it's very simple, either i enjoy it, or not that much. If I enjoy it it will be on repeat, so Hold My Hand it's on repeat right now.

 

[Leoooo 2,249]

20 minutes ago, NeonSkeleton said:

It is good! I love this post 

But this is what I love about Gagadaily! When we have different opinions, that's when we can have really great discussions. And you're right, the fact that two people can listen to the same piece of music and have completely different opinions on it is so mad, but so fun, because variety is the spice of life!!

I think in the case it's interesting because Hold My Hand is very much Lady Gaga, but for the straights. There are enough Gaga-isms in there for us to love it, but the style is far from stereotypical Lady Gaga electropop, so this feels like it's going to be an especially divisive song amongst our community.

THIS, so much. I remember when I was 11, and at school on Friday afternoons we used to have an hour where the teacher would just put the TV on (okay, looking back, this seems like a VERY relaxed attitude to teaching). And one Friday, he put on the BBC Children in Need concert from 2011, where Gaga played. And as soon as she came on, my classmates started booing! And internally, I was like whaaaaattttt??!?!?!?!?! Because right at that time, this wonderful lady was helping me to realise that I wasn't straight, and that it was okay not to be straight. And my classmates -- my friends -- were booing my mentor, and I didn't understand why, and it felt like they were booing my identity. This is a long-winded way of saying: I feel you 

Thank you for this  I think there's so much to be said about popstars as saviours (for gay men in particular), and I really appreciate that you're thinking about this. I'm really aware that, just like Gaga taught me that it's okay not to be straight, Madonna was the blueprint for that in the 80s and 90s 

Love ya too! 

You’re brilliant!! I really enjoyed reading that, very much a similar soul and I hope you’re thriving or know that you will 💛 compassion and depth are the hallmark of any great person, and you sound like you have it!