So Happy I Could Die: Difference between revisions
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Gaga has mostly performed "So Happy I Could Die" on her worldwide concert tour [[The Monster Ball Tour]]. So Happy I Could Die was more prominently featured in the revamped shows, in which she performs the song in a mechanical gown, the "Living Dress". It is also featured in the MOCA Speechless Performance. <ref>{{cite web|title=Lady Gaga at MOCA: Ballets Russes Italian Style (The Shortest Musical You Will Never See Again)|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMfW_-JjiNU|accessdate=14 May 2012}}</ref> |
Gaga has mostly performed "So Happy I Could Die" on her worldwide concert tour [[The Monster Ball Tour]]. So Happy I Could Die was more prominently featured in the revamped shows, in which she performs the song in a mechanical gown, the "Living Dress". It is also featured in the MOCA Speechless Performance. <ref>{{cite web|title=Lady Gaga at MOCA: Ballets Russes Italian Style (The Shortest Musical You Will Never See Again)|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMfW_-JjiNU|accessdate=14 May 2012}}</ref> |
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==Background== |
==Background== |
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"So Happy I Could Die" was written by Lady Gaga, RedOne and Space Cowboy, with RedOne producing the track. The song represents Gaga's fear of what she describes as the "Alcohol Monster". The song makes many references to this fear of hers, such as the chorus, "Happy in the club with a bottle of red wine, stars in our eyes and we're having a good time." In an interview with [[MTV]], she stated that the song is about our "happy place" that we go to when we're under "the influence", and this fear is split between two songs. |
"So Happy I Could Die" was written by Lady Gaga, RedOne and Space Cowboy, with RedOne producing the track. The song represents Gaga's fear of what she describes as the "Alcohol Monster". The song makes many references to this fear of hers, such as the chorus, "Happy in the club with a bottle of red wine, stars in our eyes and we're having a good time." In an interview with [[MTV]], she stated that the song is about our "happy place" that we go to when we're under "the influence", and this fear is split between two songs. |
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==Composition== |
==Composition== |
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[[File:Pocketfulofsunshinehz7mvf9.jpg|thumb|right|The chorus has a notable similarity in melody and pace to [[Natasha Bedingfield|Natasha Bedingfield's]] 2008 song, Pocketful of Sunshine]]. |
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A [[synthpop]] and [[Dance-pop]] song,{{cn|date=May 2012}} "So Happy I Could Die" contains elements of [[europop]]<ref>{{cite web|title=The Fame Monster Review|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/fbd3|date|20 November 2009|accessdate=30 April 2012}}</ref>. It begins with Gaga saying "Eh-eh, eh-eh, ye-ha, ye-ha", a possible reference to her 2009 single, "[[Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)]]", followed by Gaga singing the lyrics. It also contains Auto-Tune, giving it an echoing effect. |
A [[synthpop]] and [[Dance-pop]] song,{{cn|date=May 2012}} "So Happy I Could Die" contains elements of [[europop]]<ref>{{cite web|title=The Fame Monster Review|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/fbd3|date|20 November 2009|accessdate=30 April 2012}}</ref>. It begins with Gaga saying "Eh-eh, eh-eh, ye-ha, ye-ha", a possible reference to her 2009 single, "[[Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)]]", followed by Gaga singing the lyrics. It also contains Auto-Tune, giving it an echoing effect. |
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The chorus is similar in melody to [[Natasha Bedingfield|Natasha Bedingfield]]'s "[[Pocketful of Sunshine (song)|Pocketful of Sunshine]]". |
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According to the sheet music published on Musicnotes.com by [[Sony/ATV Music Publishing]], the song is written in the [[time signature]] of common time, and is composed in the key of [[A minor]] with a [[tempo]] of 144 beats per minute.<ref name="Musicnotes" >{{cite web|title=So Happy I Could Die - Sheet Music |url=http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdFPE.asp?ppn=MN0086494|date|accessdate=30 April 2012}}</ref> Gaga's voice ranges from the tonal nodes of A<sub>3</sub> to A<sub>4</sub> and the song follows a basic sequence of F–G–Em–Am as its [[chord progression]].<ref name="Musicnotes"/> |
According to the sheet music published on Musicnotes.com by [[Sony/ATV Music Publishing]], the song is written in the [[time signature]] of common time, and is composed in the key of [[A minor]] with a [[tempo]] of 144 beats per minute.<ref name="Musicnotes" >{{cite web|title=So Happy I Could Die - Sheet Music |url=http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdFPE.asp?ppn=MN0086494|date|accessdate=30 April 2012}}</ref> Gaga's voice ranges from the tonal nodes of A<sub>3</sub> to A<sub>4</sub> and the song follows a basic sequence of F–G–Em–Am as its [[chord progression]].<ref name="Musicnotes"/> |
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==Critical reception== |
==Critical reception== |
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| "So Happy I Could Die" | |
|---|---|
| Song |
"So Happy I Could Die" is a song from American recording artist Lady Gaga, taken from her second major released and her third extended play, The Fame Monster. Inspired by Gaga's "Fear of Alcohol Monster", the song is about the "happy place" people go to when under "the influence". During the release of the album the track received a large amount of media attention from its strong sexual context.
A synthpop and dance-pop song, "So Happy I Could Die", along with Monster (another song from the same album), contains auto-tune. The song has received generally positive reviews from critics. Some of them found its composition similar to Natasha Bedingfield's "Pocketful of Sunshine".
Gaga has mostly performed "So Happy I Could Die" on her worldwide concert tour The Monster Ball Tour. So Happy I Could Die was more prominently featured in the revamped shows, in which she performs the song in a mechanical gown, the "Living Dress". It is also featured in the MOCA Speechless Performance. [2]
Background
"So Happy I Could Die" was written by Lady Gaga, RedOne and Space Cowboy, with RedOne producing the track. The song represents Gaga's fear of what she describes as the "Alcohol Monster". The song makes many references to this fear of hers, such as the chorus, "Happy in the club with a bottle of red wine, stars in our eyes and we're having a good time." In an interview with MTV, she stated that the song is about our "happy place" that we go to when we're under "the influence", and this fear is split between two songs.
- "My fear of alcohol. My fear of drugs... fear of addiction. [...] But alcohol is funny because it takes you down to this very happy place and just like forgetting all your problems and for just a minute you're so happy, and then all of a sudden, [your] stomach turns and go way down... And that's my relationship with consumption and abuse." [3]
The song also makes references to masturbation such as the lines, "And in the silence of the night/Through all the tears/And all the lies/I touch myself and it's alright."
Composition
.
A synthpop and Dance-pop song,[citation needed] "So Happy I Could Die" contains elements of europop[4]. It begins with Gaga saying "Eh-eh, eh-eh, ye-ha, ye-ha", a possible reference to her 2009 single, "Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)", followed by Gaga singing the lyrics. It also contains Auto-Tune, giving it an echoing effect. The chorus is similar in melody to Natasha Bedingfield's "Pocketful of Sunshine".
According to the sheet music published on Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, the song is written in the time signature of common time, and is composed in the key of A minor with a tempo of 144 beats per minute.[5] Gaga's voice ranges from the tonal nodes of A3 to A4 and the song follows a basic sequence of F–G–Em–Am as its chord progression.[5]
Critical reception
The song has received mostly positive reviews from critics. Most critics praised the melody and "icy" beats although criticized the vocals. Paul Lester of BBC Music described the song as "brazenly Auto-Tuned Europop that telegraphs Gaga’s Sapphic tendencies"[6]. Bill Lamb praised the song, saying it had a "beautiful wistful musical atmosphere" and rated it a top track[7].Simon Price of The Independent praised the song, saying "there's always a suggestion of something interesting going on behind those glitter-encrusted eyes" although called it "pop fluff" [8]
Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine described the song as a love song, but the object of her affection is herself—looking at herself, drinking with herself, dancing with herself, touching herself. Ben Patashnik from NME praised the song for evoking "the feeling of being alone in a crowded room with its icy beats, suggesting Gaga takes refuge in masturbation as the only way to retain control[9].
Ben Norman was more mixed with his review, saying ""So Happy I Could Die" is just waiting for contemporary hip-hop choreography in a cute party video. The track doesn't excel, but it also doesn't let down. It's an average Gaga track."[10]. However, Nick Hyman of Under the Radar criticized the song as "another example of Gaga phoning it in, with an auto-tune chorus and forgetful content, and can't be saved with her cheeky red wine references."[11] Evan Sawdey of PopMatters also criticized the song stating it as "a plodding and repetitive drone of a song that takes an interesting lyrical bent and squanders any impact it could have with the single most sedated vocal performance Gaga has yet given."[12]
"So Happy I Could Die" is also Natali Germanotta's, Gaga's younger sister, favorite Gaga song.[13]
Live performances
The song is featured in the MOCA (Museum Of Contemporary Art) Speechless Performance in Los Angeles.[14]
Lady Gaga performed the song on certain dates for the first North American leg of The Monster Ball Tour. She then later used it on the revamped version. During her first leg, she performed the song before "Teeth", wearing a black leather corset. On the revamped version, she doesn't dance. She wears the Living Dress, a white gown that moves on its own. The song is performed after the Twister Interlude. Because she has a bigger stage for the revamped version of the tour, she performs the song on runways that extend to the middle of the audience. After singing the first chorus, she gets lifted up in the air while the dress's wings open by a platform. Towards the end of the song, she is lowered down to the stage to change into her next costume for her next song.
Track Listing
- Digital download
- "So Happy I Could Die" – 3:55
Credits and personnel
- Lady Gaga – vocals, songwriter, producer, keyboards, background vocals
- RedOne – songwriter, producer, programming, keyboards
Credits adapted from The Fame Monster album liner notes.[15]
Charts
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Hungarian Singles Chart[16] | 10 |
| Swedish Singles Chart[17] | 53 |
| UK Singles Chart[18] | 84 |
References
- ^ "The Fame Monster Review". Retrieved 30 April 2012.
{{cite web}}: Text "20 November 2009" ignored (help); Text "date" ignored (help) - ^ "Lady Gaga at MOCA: Ballets Russes Italian Style (The Shortest Musical You Will Never See Again)". Retrieved 14 May 2012.
- ^ http://www.mtv.com/videos/news/458782/what-is-the-monster-in-so-happy-i-could-die.jhtml
- ^ "The Fame Monster Review". Retrieved 30 April 2012.
{{cite web}}: Text "20 November 2009" ignored (help); Text "date" ignored (help) - ^ a b "So Happy I Could Die - Sheet Music". Retrieved 30 April 2012.
{{cite web}}: Text "date" ignored (help) - ^ "The Fame Monster Review". Retrieved 30 April 2012.
{{cite web}}: Text "20 November 2009" ignored (help); Text "date" ignored (help) - ^ "Album: Lady Gaga - 'The Fame Monster'". Retrieved 6 May 2012.
- ^ "Album: Lady Gaga, The Fame Monster (Polydor)". Retrieved 30 April 2012.
{{cite web}}: Text "22 November 2009" ignored (help); Text "date" ignored (help) - ^ "The Fame Monster NME Review". Retrieved 30 April 2012.
{{cite web}}: Text "3 December 2009" ignored (help); Text "date" ignored (help) - ^ "Lady Gaga 'The Fame Monster'". Retrieved 6 May 2012.
- ^ "Lady Gaga - The Fame Monster - Review". Retrieved 30 April 2012.
{{cite web}}: Text "13 January 2010" ignored (help); Text "date" ignored (help) - ^ "Lady Gaga: The Fame Monster". Retrieved 30 April 2012.
{{cite web}}: Text "23 November 2009" ignored (help); Text "date" ignored (help) - ^ "Lady Gaga's Sister Natali Germanotta Joins Her On CFDA Red Carpet". Retrieved 20 May 2012.
{{cite web}}: Text "12 June 2011" ignored (help); Text "date" ignored (help) - ^ "Lady Gaga at MOCA: Ballets Russes Italian Style (The Shortest Musical You Will Never See Again)". Retrieved 14 May 2012.
- ^ Germanotta, Stefani (2011). Born This Way (Media notes). Manhattan, Newyork: Interscope Records. p. 4.
{{cite AV media notes}}:|format=requires|url=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help); Unknown parameter|albumlink=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|artist=ignored (|others=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|publisherid=ignored (help) - ^ "Hungarian Single (track) Top 10 lista". Mahasz. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. 2009-11-23. Retrieved 2012-05-11.
- ^ "Lady Gaga – So Happy I Could Die – Song". Ultratop 50. Hung Medien. Retrieved 2012-05-11.
- ^ "Singles Chart - 05/12/2009". Retrieved 2012-04-30.
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