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|-<!-- Not a single while only being sold [commercially released] as an ALBUM track. When sold as a single it will have a different release date than the album. -->
|-<!-- Not a single while only being sold [commercially released] as an ALBUM track. When sold as a single it will have a different release date than the album. -->
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|March 15, 2010<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/singlesreviews/|title=Music - Single REviews|last=Levine|first=Nick|date=2010-01-25|accessdate=2010-01-27|publisher=[[Digital Spy]]}}</ref>
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Revision as of 12:19, 7 February 2010

"Telephone"
Song

"Telephone" is a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga. It has been confirmed as the second single from her second studio album, The Fame Monster (2009).[1] The song features American R&B singer Beyoncé. Initially written for singer Britney Spears, the song was inspired by Gaga's fear of suffocation and the fact that she seldom found time to have fun. The lyrics portray the singer as preferring the dance floor rather than answer her lover's phone calls. Gaga explained that the telephone addressed in the lyrics of the song, is in reality a person telling her to continue working harder.

Musically, the song consists of an expanded bridge, verse-rap and an epilogue where the caller gets through to her voicemail. Knowles appears in the middle of the song with the verses being sung in a rapid-fire way, accompanied by double beats. The song was critically appreciated by contemporary critics who frequently noted it as a stand-out track from The Fame Monster. The song charted in a number of countries in late 2009 due to strong digital sales following the album's release. It officially impacted U.S. radio on January 26, 2010.[2] "Telephone" has reached the top-twenty in United States, Australia, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand and has also charted in Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Background

Gaga originally wrote "Telephone" for Britney Spears' 2008 studio album, Circus. However, after it failed to make the album's final track listing, Gaga recorded the song as a collaboration with Beyonce Knowles for The Fame Monster.[3] Gaga said, "I wrote it for her a long time ago and she just didn't use it for her album. It's fine because I love the song and I get to perform it now."[4] Additionally, the guest vocalist was originally going to be Spears, but when Spears wanted to put the song on her own greatest hits album, Gaga made alternative arrangements and made Knowles the featured vocalist instead.[5][6] The main inspiration behind the song was Gaga's fear of suffocation as she felt that she seldom found time to just letting it go loose and have fun. She further clarified,

"Fear of suffocation—something that I have or fear is never being able to enjoy myself, [...] 'Cause I love my work so much, I find it really hard to go out and have a good time. [...] "I don't go to nightclubs, [...] You don't see pictures of me falling out of a club drunk. I don't go—and that's because I usually go and then, you know, a whiskey and a half into it, I got to get back to work."[7]

Composition

"Telephone" is written by Lady Gaga, Rodney Jerkins, LaShawn Daniels, Lazonate Franklin and Beyoncé.[8] Although constructed as a duet, the song features Knowles first appearing in the middle verse and singing her lyrics through a brief interlude, and backs the chorus during the rest of the song. Essentially, Gaga's in a club and her boyfriend keeps ringing, but she can't talk right now because she's drinking and dancing to her favourite song. The chorus runs thusly: "Stop calling, stop calling, I don't want to talk anymore." The song consists of an expanded bridge, verse-rap and an epilogue where the caller gets through to her voicemail.[9]

The lyrics of "Telephone" talks about the singer preferring the dance floor rather than answer her lover's call. The verses are sung in a rapid-fire way, accompanied by double beats.[10] According to Gaga, the phone addressed in the lyrics of the song is not a physical phone but a person in her head telling her to keep working harder and harder. Gaga explained, "That's my fear—that the phone's ringing and my head's ringing, [...] Whether it's a telephone or it's just the thoughts in your head, that's another fear."[7]

Critical reception

Michael Hubbard from MusicOMH said that the song was "probably the best thing here [on The Fame Monster]." He also complimented the "brilliant bridge" and the ending of the song where the caller gets through to her voicemail.[9] Popjustice gave the song a positive review: "It's a little bit like Gwen's 'What You Waiting For?' meets Timbaland's 'The Way I Are' meets about fifty other things....The structure's quite exciting [...] there is something tumultuously brilliant about Beyonce's contribution that makes everything seem fine and as if it was the plan all along."[5] Evan Sawdey from PopMatters said that "The much talked-about Beyoncé collaboration 'Telephone', which—with its double-time beat and rapid-fire verses—proves to be one of the most adrenaline-pumped songs that Gaga has yet crafted, the whole thing feeling like it's about to veer of [sic] the tracks at any moment simply due to the giddy excitement shared between the two divas, easily turning it into the unquestioned highlight of The Fame Monster".[11]

Bill Lamb from About.com listed it among the top tracks on the album and said: "The Beyonce assisted 'Telephone' is a club stomper that will draw in R&B and Hip Hop fans as well on the radio."[12] Mikael Woods from Los Angeles Times felt that "Telephone" is " a carefully considered meditation on how annoying it is when a dude keeps calling you while you're throwing down at the club."[13] Nicki Escuerdo from Phoenix New Times listed "Telephone" as a stand-out track from the album.[14] Sarah Hajhbagheri from The Times was not impressed with the song and said "The appearance of Beyoncé’s vocal alongside ringtones on Telephone adds to the sense of utter chaos."[15]

Chart performance

In November 2009 due to strong digital sales, the song charted in Ireland, Australia, and the United Kingdom, debuting at numbers twenty-six, twenty-nine, and thirty respectively.[16] The song became the top debut on the Billboard Hot 100 issue dated December 12, 2009 at number thirty due to strong digital sales.[17] After a few weeks fluctuating down the charts, "Telephone" reached a peak of nineteen on the chart for the issue dated February 12, 2010.[18] The song also debuted in the Hot Dance Club Songs chart at fifty-three and has reached a peak of seventeen.[18] It debuted at fourteen on the Canadian Hot 100[16] and moved to a peak of nine.[18] In Australia, the song has reached a peak of thirteen.[19] In New Zealand, the song debuted at thirty-one, becoming the highest debut of that week.[20] On the issue dated January 18, 2010, the song reached a peak of twenty-one on the chart.[21] It also debuted at thirty-three on the Swedish charts.[16]

Music video

The music video was filmed in January 2010 by director Jonas Åkerlund.[22][23] New York magazine reported that the concept of the video involved Beyoncé bailing Gaga out of jail. Published photos from the set portrayed Gaga and Beyoncé shooting for scenes of the video in the truck that Uma Thurman's character drove in Quentin Tarantino's 2003/2004 epic-film Kill Bill, called the "Pussy Wagon". The video was shot outside Los Angeles on January 28, 2010 in Lancaster, California.[24] Other concepts of the video involves scenes at a diner, a cameo from singer Tyrese Gibson, and a prison shower scene. Gaga and Beyoncé will wear "destroyed denim pieces" by designers Frank Fernández and Oscar Olima.[25]

On February 5, 2010, Gaga had an interview on KIIS-FM with Ryan Seacrest. She explained that the video is a continuation of the video for "Paparazzi", and like "Paparazzi", it will be a short film. The video picks up where "Paparazzi" left off, she's in jail for killing her boyfriend, but she's actually having a good time behind bars and doesn't want to leave. She is constantly getting phone calls, but refuses to take any until she gets the call she wants. The video will premier on 11th February, 2010. [26]

Credits and personnel

Source: [8]

Charts

Chart (2009–2010) Peak
position
Australian Singles Chart[19] 13
Canadian Hot 100[18] 9
Dutch Top 40[27] 25
Hungarian Singles Chart[28] 3
Irish Singles Chart[29] 26
New Zealand Singles Chart[21] 21
Swedish Singles Chart[16] 33
UK Singles Chart[16] 30
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[18] 19
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs[18] 9

Release history

Region Date
United States January 26, 2010 United Kingdom March 15, 2010[30]

References

  1. ^ "Chartifacts - Week Commencing: November 30, 2009 Issue #1031" (PDF). ARIA Charts Pandora.nla.gov.au. 2009-11-30. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
  2. ^ "R&R :: Going For Adds :: CHR/Top 40". Radio & Records. 2010-01-19. Retrieved 2009-11-18.
  3. ^ Greenblatt, Leah (2009-11-16). "New Lady Gaga, 'Telephone': Stream It HEre". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved 2009-12-01.
  4. ^ India, Press Trust (2009-11-26). "Pop princess Britney Spears snubbed Lady Gaga". Zee News. Zee Entertainment Enterprises. Retrieved 2009-12-01. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  5. ^ a b Reporter, Staff (2009-10-26). "Lady Gaga's 'Fame Monster' - it's a proper album (and a very good one at that)". Popjustice. Retrieved 2009-11-30.
  6. ^ Reporter, Staff (2010-01-09). "Lady Gaga - Telephone". Popjustice. Retrieved 2010-01-20.
  7. ^ a b Vena, Jocelyn; Calloway, Sway (2009-11-25). "Lady Gaga Explains Inspiration Behind Beyonce Collabo, 'Telephone'". MTV. MTV Networks. Retrieved 2009-12-01. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  8. ^ a b The Fame Monster (Liner Notes) Interscope Records (2009)
  9. ^ a b Hubbard, Michael (2009-11-23). "Lady Gaga: The Fame Monster, track-by-track". MusicOMH. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
  10. ^ Cinquemani, Sal (2009-11-18). "Lady Gaga: The Fame Monster". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 2009-11-19.
  11. ^ Sawdey, Evan (2009-11-23). "Lady Gaga: The Fame Monster < Reviews". PopMatters. Retrieved 2009-11-23.
  12. ^ Lamb, Bill (2009-11-23). "A Real Work of Pop Art - Not a Stopgap Release". About.com. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2009-11-23. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  13. ^ Wood, Mikael (2009-11-23). "Album review: Lady Gaga's 'The Fame Monster'". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
  14. ^ Escuerdo, Nicki (2009-11-30). "Lady Gaga Sexy, Vulnerable on 'The Fame Monster'". Phoenix New Times. Village Voice Media. Retrieved 2009-12-01.
  15. ^ Hajibagheri, Sarah (2009-11-21). "Lady GaGa: The Fame Monster". The Times. News Corporation. Retrieved 2009-11-23.
  16. ^ a b c d e "Lady Gaga and Beyoncé – Telephone – Music Charts". αCharts.us. Retrieved 2009-12-27.
  17. ^ Pietrolungo, Silvio (2009-12-03). "Jay-Z And Alicia Keys' 'Empire' Stays Put On Hot 100". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 2009-12-04.
  18. ^ a b c d e f "Billboard - Telephone - Lady Gaga Song Information". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
  19. ^ a b "Australia Singles Top 50". Australian Recording Industry Association. acharts.us. 2010-01-25. Retrieved 2010-01-17. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  20. ^ "Chart# 1701 - Top 40 Singles Chart". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. RIANZ.org.nz. 2009-12-28. Retrieved 2009-12-30. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  21. ^ a b "Chart# 1704 - Top 40 Singles Chart". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. RIANZ.org.nz. 2010-01-18. Retrieved 2010-01-19. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  22. ^ Em (2010-01-25). "Parceria com Alicia Keys e Lady GaGa: Beyoncé grava dois clipes nessa semana". MTV (in Spanish). MTV Networks. Retrieved 2010-01-27. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  23. ^ Kaufman, Gil (2010-01-27). "Lady Gaga Says She Raised $500,000 For Haiti Relief". MTV. MTV Networks. Retrieved 2010-01-28. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  24. ^ Vena, Jocelyn (2010-02-01). "Beyonce, Lady Gaga 'Telephone' Video Pics Revealed". MTV. MTV Networks. Retrieved 2010-02-02. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  25. ^ Odell, Amy (2010-02-02). "Beyoncé Will Reportedly Rescue Lady Gaga in 'Telephone' Video". New York. Retrieved 2010-02-02.
  26. ^ Lady Gaga On-Air with Ryan Seacrest at KIISfm.com
  27. ^ "Dutch Top 40". MegaCharts. Radio 538. Week 6 - 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-04. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  28. ^ "Single (track) Top 10 lista – 2009. 52. hét". Mahasz (in Hungarian). Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. 2009-12-27. Retrieved 2010-02-03. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  29. ^ "Lady Gaga - Discography Singles". Irish Recorded Music Association. Hung Medien. Retrieved 2010-02-03. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  30. ^ Levine, Nick (2010-01-25). "Music - Single REviews". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2010-01-27.
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