A little over a week ago the queen herself dropped her newest album. Joanne by Lady Gaga is a true work of art and is the reason for my life this past week. The songs are so raw and so unapologetically true to her. She tapped into something completely different for this album and it is shown throughout the entire thing.
Here I'm gonna take you track by track and tell you what i think of each amazing one.
1. Diamond Heart
Gaga you are in fact flawless. This song is basically her telling the world that even though she isn't perfect she is who she is and that's all that matters. She's also talking about how heart break can make you stronger and that just because one person says they don't love you anymore doesn't mean you are worthless.
2. A-YO
A-YO was the third single released off of the album. It is by far one of my favorites because of the amazing beats it creates and the good vibes it gives off. Not to mention the amazing vocals on this song. Especially the last chorus.
3. Joanne
This track is what gives the album its name. If you watched any of the Dive-Bar Tour Live Streams or attended any of them in person, you would have heard Gaga explain exactly why she wrote this song and who Joanne is. Gaga explained that Joanne was a friend of hers who was sexually assaulted and that the trauma she went through after flared up a preexisting illness that ultimately led to her death. Lady Gaga has always been very opinionated when it comes to sexual violence against women and in general, she has spoken out many times about what needs to be done to prevent things like these from happening again.
4. John Wayne
Gaga took many people by surprise with her new album and all the differences that it has with her old stuff. This song especially. Although it is classic Gaga in the content, the style feels almost country/rock: two genres not normally associated with her. I don't care whether it's pop, jazz, or country. If Lady Gaga is singing it, I will listen.
5. Dancin' In Circles
I was playing this song and my mom happened to hear it and sort of enjoyed it. She thought it sounded a lot like Madonna and listening to it again right now, I realize she was right. It has that classic Gaga flavor but has the same sort of rhythm that Madonna brought to her songs. All in all this song makes me want to dance like no one is watching.
6. Perfect Illusion
This was the first single released and was the first of new music we had gotten from the queen in over two years! It satisfied me only a little but. It made me want more and made me create a whole new Spotify playlist of everything Lady Gaga from The Fame all the way to ARTPOP. Yet it wasn't until this entire album was released that I truly was satisfied. Not to mention the vocals in this song are so amazing I cry everytime I hear them.
7. Million Reasons
Never has a song more accurately, in my opinion, described a difficult relationship than this one. Honestly this song can be applied to any relationship that's having problems whether its a friendship, romantic relationship or even a familial one. Gaga highlights how although there are a million reasons for wanting to leave that one person if they just gave you one good one you would stay, because that's how much you love them.
8. Sinner's Prayer
Listens to "Sinner's Prayer" once and immediately becomes a cowboy.
Just another example of how Gaga is crossing genre lines to bring us some amazing content!
9. Come To Mama
Never in the history of the world did we need a song like this. This song reminds us all that we need to come together and not push each other apart. That we need to accept everyone for who they are and that differences are okay. We need to remember that we are all brothers and sisters in this world and that the only way things are going to get better or change for the better is if we work together.
10. Hey Girl
Not only has it been a long time since we have heard from Lady Gaga but it has been just as long since we have heard from Florence Welch. These two amazing voices make for an equally amazing song! Not to mention that this song is basically the new feminist anthem. Its basically saying that why do we need to keep knocking each other down when we can build each other up.
11. Angel Down
This song is very powerful for many reasons. The vocals are one but the biggest reason is the message behind the song. During an interview Gaga explained that this song was heavily inspired by the shooting of Trayvon Martin, a young unarmed black teenager that was shot and killed on the street in his neighborhood in Florida. Gaga acknowledged the fact that as a white woman of privilege she can't really relate to what the black community is going through because she herself has never lived it. She does however state how she feels she can't just say nothing especially with the state the country is currently in. She says how she was overwhelmed by how people just stand around and do nothing while innocent people are being shot in the street. Read the full article here: http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/20/entertainment/lady-gaga-trayvon-martin-song/
12. Grigio Girls
This song makes me want to hang out and just drink an entire bottle of Pinot Grigio and just relax. It also makes me want to dye my hair red and listen to the Spice girls.
13. Just Another Day
This song just makes me happy. Its the song you listen to when you've had a bad day and need to be reminded that just because its been bad doesn't mean it is the last. It makes you remember to always be happy and to surround yourself with people you love.
Let's just say I can not wait to hear more from Lady Gaga and that I will in fact be saving up to get tickets for when she inevitably goes on tour. I will also be right in front of the TV when she is performing in the Halftime Show this February.
Let me know what you thought of the new album. Did you like it? What do you feel about each song?
