Abbie McDougle
Period: 2
March 10, 2011
SLCC Music 1010
Lady Gaga Biography
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, also known as Lady Gaga, is not your typical artist.
She is indeed eccentric, flashy, and loves to wear outrageous clothing. Lady Gaga was born
March 28, 1986 into a good Italian family in Yonkers, NY, but grew up in Manhattan. As a little
girl she was always an entertainer. She would love to perform in restaurants, pretending that
the breadsticks were her microphone at a very young age. According to Gaga, “I was a ham as a
little girl, and I’m a ham today.”
By the time Lady Gaga was four years old, she learned how to play the piano by ear.
When she was eleven, she was accepted into the prestigious school, Julliard of Manhattan,
however she never took the offer. At age thirteen, she wrote her very first piano ballad. By the
time she was fourteen, she performed at nightclubs in New York. Once she reached seventeen,
she accepted into New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and developed her songwriting
skills there.
In the year 2005, Gaga was signed with Def Jam Records, soon they dropping her
contract after a few months. This however, only inspired Gaga to shoot for her dream of
performing. She started out by having her own performances at clubs and had the opportunity
to sing with many rock bands. This was also the time where she started try out new fashions,
which lead to her unique and head turning style today.
At age 20, Gaga had a job at Interscope Records. She was a songwriter for bands and
artists such as Brittney Spears, The Pussy Cat Dolls, Fergie and other popular artists. Lady Gaga
has composed all of her songs on her albums The Fame, The Fame Monster, and The Remix. The
other songs she has helped write for popular artists like Brittney Spears were “Quicksand”, and
“Telephone”; however that song was rejected so Gaga put it on her album, The Fame Monster.
For the Pussy Cat Dolls, she wrote “Elevator”. Akon, who is an R&B artist, discovered Gaga
when she was performing at one of her shows. Akon signed her with Interscope Records, and
she became popular and had high ratings in America. How she was discovered was not through
a typical modeling agency. She did not have connections of any kind and she didn’t know
anyone that would help her climb her way to the top of stardom. She was just a regular young
girl that fought her way to fame, and that’s what makes Lady Gaga so unique. She never once
gave up on pursuing her goals until she was content with what she was doing in her life.
During the years 2007 and 2008, she composed and recorded her first album, The Fame.
Her first song was “Just Dance,” that gained instant positive reviews in 2008. In fact, it was
nominated for a Grammy. However she lost the award to Daft Punk’s song, “Harder, Better,
Abbie McDougle
Period: 2
March 10, 2011
SLCC Music 1010
Faster, Stronger”. Her next song, “Poker Face,” also earned her popularity. The song was loved
internationally, making Gaga even more loved in the public’s eye.
Lady Gaga was influenced by some of the world’s favorite artists. They were Michael
Jackson, David Bowie, Queen, Madonna and Brittney Spears. How she gained her stage name
was from Queen’s song, “Radio Ga Ga.” How her fashion has evolved is another story. She
loves the Italian designer, Donatella Versace. Gaga claims that the designer is her “muse”.
Gaga’s mother also influenced her style. She says that her mother was “always well kept and
beautiful.” Lady Gaga has her own fashion team called, Haus of Gaga. Her team puts together
her outfits, hairdos and much more. According to Gaga, "When I'm writing music, I'm thinking
about the clothes I want to wear on stage. It's all about everything altogether—performance
art, pop performance art, fashion. For me, it's everything coming together and being a real
story that will bring back the super-fan. I want to bring that back.” For Lady Gaga, image is
everything. To her, how she looks and how she incorporates clothing into her performances
and that is what makes her popular, and why the public loves to see what crazy creative thing
she will come up with next.
All in all, Lady Gaga has true talent. She is not one of those artists that like to dress up in
funky fashions and is there just for image. She truly loves what she does, and it’s performing,
writing songs and letting the world see what she can do. Her creativity is surely one of a kind,
and is influential to her fans. Why people look up to the iconic pop star is perhaps she isn’t
afraid to get out in the world showing everybody what she can do. Perhaps it’s because she is
not afraid to be her own self, and knows how to own her signature out-of-this-world outfits and
platinum blonde hair. Lady Gaga is truly an original, and would be sorely missed if her creative
hair bows and legendary ultramodern outfits were to vanish from the public’s eye.
Abbie McDougle
Period: 2
March 10, 2011
SLCC Music 1010
Listening Guide: “Telephone” by Lady Gaga
Time
00:23-00:31
Text
K-kinda busy K-kinda
busy Sorry, I cannot
hear you, I'm kinda
busy.
Musical Elements
-Bridge one
Word painting
-Duple
-Lady Gaga’s voice
duplicated into two
layers of vocals
-homophonic
-Verse two
-Duple
-Lady Gaga singing
-homophonic
00:32-00:46
Just a second,
it's my favorite song
they're gonna play
And I cannot text you
with a drink in my
hand, eh… You shoulda
made some plans with
me, you knew that I
was free. And now you
won't stop calling me;
I'm kinda busy.
Time
00:00-00:06
Text
Musical Elements
Introduction
00:007-00:22
Hello, hello, baby;
You called, I can't hear
a thing. I have got no
service in the club, you
see, see… Wha-WhaWhat did you say?
Oh, you're breaking up
on me… Sorry, I cannot
hear you, I'm kinda
busy.
-Lady Gaga sings
-Word painting
-Some echoing
-First Verse
-Duple
-Polyphonic
Instrumentation
-Vocals
- Synthesized techno
sound
-Vocals
-Synthesized techno
sound
Instrumentation
Synthesized dulcimer or
sitar
-Synthesized dulcimer
or sitar still playing in
background
-Softly playing
-Vocals
Abbie McDougle
Period: 2
March 10, 2011
SLCC Music 1010
Listening Guide: “Alejandro” by Lady Gaga
Time
00:00-00:12
Text
Introduction
00:13-00:23
I know that we are
young. And I know you
may love me. But I just
can't be with you like
this anymore
Alejandro.
-Introduction 2
-ah ah ah...
00:24-00:41
Musical Elements
-Somber sounds
-Spooky
-Mezzo-piano
-Lady Gaga speaking
Instrumentation
-Synthesized wind
-Synthesized viola
-Lady gaga singing ‘ah’
-Mezzo-piano
-Duple
-Homophonic
-Synthesized techno
beat
-Synthesized viola
continues playing and
fades out
-Vocals
-Synthesized wind
-Synthesized viola
00:42-01:02
She's got both hands
in her pocket. And she
won't look at you,
Won't look at you
She hides true love
En su bolsillo. She's got
a halo 'around her
finger. Around you.
-Gaga singing
-Duple
-Different phrases of
languages
-homophonic
-Verse one
-Synthesized techno
beat
-Synthesized flute-like
instrument
-Vocals
Time
01:03-01:11
Text
Musical Elements
-Gaga’s voice layered
(one voice talking to the
beat, the other singing
a variation of the
melody).
-Polyphonic
-Bridge one
-Duple
Instrumentation
-Synthesized techno
beat
-Synthesized flute-like
instrument
-Vocals
01:12-01:51
Don't call my name.
Don't call my name,
Alejandro.
I'm not your babe.
I'm not your babe,
Fernando. Don't wanna
kiss, don't wanna
touch. Just smoke my
cigarrette and hush.
Don't call my name.
Don't call my name,
Roberto. Alejandro.
-Homophonic
-Duple
Chorus
-Synthesized techno
beat
-More synthesizers
layered on top original
beat
-Synthesized flute-like
instrument
You know that I love
you boy. Hot like
Mexico, rejoice.
At this point I gotta
choose nothing to lose.
Abbie McDougle
Period: 2
March 10, 2011
SLCC Music 1010
Alejandro. Ale-alejandro. Ale-ale-jandro.
Time
01:52-1:59
Text
02:00-02:19
02:20-02:28
Time
02:28-03:07
03:07-03:27
Musical Elements
-Gaga speaks again
-Duple
-Beginning beat repeats
without viola
-homophonic
Instrumentation
-Synthesized techno
beat
- continues playing and
fades out
-Vocals
She's not broken,
She's just a baby.
But her boyfriend's like
a dad, just like a dad.
and all those flames
that burned before him.
Now he's gonna fight
your fight, gonna cool
the bad.
You know that I love
you boy.
Hot like Mexico, rejoice.
At this point I gotta
choose,
nothing to loose
-Verse 2
-Duple
-Echoing
-homophonic
-Synthesized flute
-Vocals
Synthesized techno
beat
-Bridge one repeats
-Duple
-homophonic
-Synthesized techno
beat
-Vocals
-Synthesized flute
Text
Musical Elements
-Duple
-Chorus repeats
-Homophonic
Instrumentation
-Synthesized techno
beat
-Synthesized flute-like
instrument
-Vocals
-Duple
- Bridge two
-Call –and –response
technique. (Lady Gaga
to herself).
-Homophonic
- Instruments are not as
upbeat as they usually
are throughout song
-Synthesized flute-like
instrument
-Synthesized techno
beat
-Vocals
(Just stop. Please. Just
let me go. Alejandro.
Just let me go.)
Don't call my name.
Don't call my name,
Alejandro. I'm not your
babe. I'm not your
babe, Fernando. Don't
wanna kiss, don't
wanna touch. Just
smoke my cigarette
and hush. Don't call my
name. Don't call my
name, Roberto.
Alejandro. Alejandro.
Ale-ale-jandro.
Ale-ale-jandro. [2x]
Don't bother me.
Don't bother me.
Alejandro Don't call my
name. Don't call my
name, Fernando. I'm
not your babe. I'm not
your babe, Alejandro.
Don't wanna kiss, don't
wanna touch.
Fernando. Don't call my
name. Don't call my
Abbie McDougle
Period: 2
March 10, 2011
SLCC Music 1010
name, Alejandro. I'm
not your babe. I'm not
your babe, Fernando.
Time
03:28-04:34
Text
Time
00:47-01:02
Text
Don't wanna kiss, don't
wanna touch. Just
smoke my cigarette
and hush. Don't call my
name. Don't call my
name, Roberto.
Alejandro. Alejandro.
Ale-ale-jandro.
Ale-ale-jandro. [2x]
Don't call my name.
Don't call my name,
Alejandro. I'm not your
babe. I'm not your
babe, Fernando. Don't
wanna kiss, don't
wanna touch. Just
smoke my cigarette
and hush. Don't call my
name. Don't call my
name, Roberto.
Alejandro.
Stop callin', stop callin',
I don't wanna think
anymore!I left my hand
and my heart on the
dance floor. Stop
callin', stop callin',
I don't wanna talk
anymore! I left my
hand and my heart on
Musical Elements
-Duple
-Lady Gaga acts as a
second voice as a layer
in the music
-polyphonic
-Chorus repeated twice
-Beat picks up a bit
Instrumentation
-Synthesized flute
- Synthesized techno
sound
-Vocals
Musical Elements
-Duple
-Lady Gaga singing
-Crescendo
-Bridge two
-Homophonic
Instrumentation
-Vocals
-Synthesized techno
sound
Abbie McDougle
Period: 2
March 10, 2011
SLCC Music 1010
01:04-01:17
C
01:18-01:33
01:34-01:50
Time
01:51-02:05
the dance floor.
Eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh,
eh, eh, eh… Stop
telephonin' me! Eh, eh,
eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh,
eh…I'm busy!
Eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh,
eh, eh, eh… Stop
telephonin' me! Eh, eh,
eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh,
eh…
Text
Can call all you want,
but there's no one
home, and you're not
gonna reach my
telephone!
Out in the club, and I'm
sippin' that bub,
and you're not gonna
reach my telephone!
Call when you want,
but there's no one
home, and you're not
gonna reach my
telephone! Out in the
club, and I'm sippin'
that bub,and you're not
gonna reach my
telephone!
Boy, the way you
blowin' up my phone
won't make me leave
no faster. Put my coat
on faster, leave my
girls no faster. I
shoulda left my phone
at home, 'cause this is
a disaster! Callin' like a
collector - sorry, I
cannot answer!
Text
Not that I don't like
you, I'm just at a
party. And I am sick
and tired of my phone
r-ringing. Sometimes I
feel like I live in Grand
-Duple
-Lady Gaga’s voice
stacked
-Homophonic
-Bridge three
Vocals
Synthesized techno
sound
Musical Elements
-Duple
-Lady Gaga’s voice
stacked
-Soft harmony
undertones
-Polyphonic
-Chorus
Instrumentation
-Vocals
-Synthesized techno
sound
-Beyoncé’ enters and
has a solo
-Homophonic
-Bridge four
-Vocals
-Synthesized drums and
percussion
Musical Elements
-Duple
-Verse three
-Homophonic and then
changes to polyphonic
Instrumentation
-Vocals
-Synthesized strings
underneath
-synthesized techno
Abbie McDougle
Period: 2
March 10, 2011
SLCC Music 1010
Central Station.
Tonight I'm not takin'
no calls, 'cause I'll be
dancin'.
Lady Gaga’s voice
enters, then fades when
Beyonce comes in, then
they sing together
-Duple
-Bridge 1 repeats
-Lady Gaga and
Beyonce come together
with different melodies
-Polyphonic
beat comes back
02:06-02:13
'Cause I'll be dancin'
'Cause I'll be dancin'
Tonight I'm not takin'
no calls, 'cause I'll be
dancin'!
Time
02:14-02:44
Text
Chorus repeats
Musical Elements
Duple
-Lady Gaga’s voice
stacked
-Soft harmony
undertones
-Polyphonic
-Chorus
Instrumentation
-Vocals
-Synthesized techno
sound
02:45-03:00
Bridge three repeats
-Duple
-Lady Gaga’s voice
-second synthesized
voice echoing Gaga
-Polyphonic
-Vocals
-Synthesized techno
sound
Time
03:01-:03:17
Text
Chorus repeats
Instrumentation
-Vocals
-Synthesized techno
beat
03:18-03:32
Chorus
Musical Elements
-Duple
-Polyphonic
-Second voice
embellishing Gaga’s
melody
-Duple
-Different variations of
the chorus
03:33-03:40
Answering machine
-Polyphonic
-Vocals
-Synthesized techno
beat
-Vocals
-telephone sounds
underneath synthesized
techno beat
-Voices
-Synthesized dulcimer
or sitar comes back
Abbie McDougle
Period: 2
March 10, 2011
SLCC Music 1010
Listening Guide: “Just Dance” by Lady Gaga
Time
00:00-00:15
Text
00:16-00:32
I’ve had a little bit too
much, much All of the
people start to rush,
start to rush by How
does he twist the
dance? Can't find a
drink, oh man Where
are my keys? I lost my
phone, phone
00:33-00:47
Time
00:48-01:05
01:06-01:23
Musical Elements
-Introduction
- Duple
-Instruments play first,
then the singers say
their names one at a
time.
-Verse one
-Duple
-underneath voice
singing ‘ooo’
-polyphonic
Instrumentation
-Starts out as a
Synthetic techno beat
-Synthesized drums
added
-voices
What’s going on on the
floor?
I love this record baby
but I can’t see straight
anymore
Keep it cool, what’s the
name of this club?
I can’t remember but
it’s alright, a-alright
-Duple
-Pre-chorus
-Homophonic
-Gaga singing
-Synthetic techno beat
with multiple layers
-Synthesized drums
-Vocals
Text
Musical Elements
-Duple
-Chorus
-Polyphonic
Lady Gaga’s voice is
stacked
Instrumentation
-Vocals
-Synthetic layered
techno beat
-Synthesized drums
-Duple
-Verse three
-Homophonic
-Gaga creates a few
different voices of
herself, creating the
illusion that there is
more than just her
singing
-vocals
-Synthetic drums
-Synthetic layered
techno beat
RedOne, Konvict
GaGa, oh-oh, eh
Just dance, gonna be
okay, da da doo-doommm
Just dance, spin that
record babe, da da
doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, gonna be
okay, d-d-d-dance
Dance, dance, just, j-jjust dance
Wish I could shut my
playboy mouth, oh oh
oh-oh
How’d I turn my shirt
inside out? Inside
outright
Control your poison
babe, roses have
thorns they say
And we’re all getting
hosed tonight, oh oh
-Synthetic layered
techno beat
-Synthesized drums
-Vocals
Abbie McDougle
Period: 2
March 10, 2011
SLCC Music 1010
oh-oh
Time
01:24-01:38
Text
Musical Elements
-Pre-chorus repeats
Polyphonic
Lady Gaga’s voice is
stacked
-Duple
Instrumentation
-Vocals
-Synthetic layered
techno beat
-Synthesized drums
01:39-01:54
Just dance, gonna be
okay, da da doo-doommm
Just dance, spin that
record babe, da da
doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, gonna be
okay, d-d-d-dance
Dance, dance, just, j-jjust dance
-Duple
-Chorus repeats
-Polyphonic
Lady Gaga’s voice is
stacked
-Vocals
-Synthetic layered
techno beat
-Synthesized drums
Time
01:55-02:26
Text
Musical Elements
-Colby O’Donis sings
here
-Duple
-Bridge
-echoing happens a
little bit
-Homophonic
Instrumentation
-Vocals
-Synthetic techno
layered beat
- Synthetic drums
Time
Text
Musical elements
Instrumentation
What’s going on on the
floor?
I love this record baby
but I can’t see straight
anymore
Keep it cool, what’s the
name of this club?
I can’t remember but
it’s alright, a-alright
When I come through
on the dance floor
checkin? Out that
catalog
can’t believe my eyes,
so many women
without a flaw And I
aunt gon? give it up,
steady tryin? to pick it
up like a carI'ma hit it,
I’ma hit it and flex and
do it until tomorrow?
Yeah Shawty I can see
that you got so much
energy The way you’re
twirlin? up them hips
'round and 'round And
now there’s no reason
at all why you can’t
leave here with me In
the meantime stay and
let me watch you break
it down
Abbie McDougle
Period: 2
March 10, 2011
SLCC Music 1010
02:27-02:50
And dance, gonna be
okay, da da doo-doommm Just dance, spin
that record babe, da da
doo-doo-mmm Just
dance, gonna be okay,
da da doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, spin that
record babe, da da
doo-doo-mmm Just
dance, gonna be okay,
d-d-d-dance Dance,
dance, just, j-j-just
dance
-Duple
-Chorus repeats
-Polyphonic
Lady Gaga and Colby
O’Donis sing (Gaga sings
melody, and O’Donis
sings ‘ooo’
-Vocals
-only Synthetic techno
beat
-at 02:35, synthetic
drums come in
02:51-03:30
Half psychotic, sick,
hypnotic Got my
blueprint, its
symphonic
Half psychotic, sick,
hypnotic Got my
blueprint electronic
Half psychotic, sick,
hypnotic Got my
blueprint, its
symphonic Half
psychotic, sick,
hypnotic Got my
blueprint electronic
Go! Use your muscle,
carve it out, work it,
hustle I got it, just stay
close enough to get it
Don’t slow! Drive it,
clean it, lights out,
bleed it Spend the lasto
(I got it) In your pocko
(I got it)
-Duple
-Polyphonic
-Bridge two
-O’Donis sings under
Gaga
-Echoing layers
-Vocals
-Synthesized techno
beat
-Synthetic drums were
eliminated at this point
Abbie McDougle
Period: 2
March 10, 2011
SLCC Music 1010
Time
03:31-
Text
Just dance, gonna be
okay, da da doo-doommm Just dance, spin
that record babe, da da
doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, gonna be
okay, da da doo-doommm Just dance, spin
that record babe, da da
doo-doo-mmm Just
dance, gonna be okay,
d-d-d-dance Dance,
dance, just, j-j-just
dance
Musical Elements
-Duple
-Polyphonic
-Gaga layers voice for
illusion of multiple
voices
-echoing at the last
word, ‘dance’.
-chorus repeats
Instrumentation
-Vocals
-Synthetic techno beat
-synthesized drums