She might have suffered a bit of a major ArtLeak this weekend, but Lady Gaga is waging on with her #ARTPOPPromo in the final few days leading up to the release of her Reverse Warholian Expedition, ARTPOP. (Spoiler Alert/Professional review: It’s very good!)
At midnight, Mother Monster dropped “Dope,” the final promo-single-but-hey-maybe-it’ll-be-a-single-if-it-does-well-single from ARTPOP. You already heard the ode once before at the iTunes Festival five million years ago, back when it was still called “I Wanna Be With You.” Well, scrap that.
Now the Rick Rubin-produced track’s called “Dope,” and the lyrics have been a bit, uh, altered: “I need you more than dope,” she cries out — as opposed to the slightly more universal “I wanna be with you.” The production is fairly stripped back to leave way for Gaga’s vocals to lead the charge, apart from some warped church organs and a spare electronic beat or two in the background. Truthfully, it’s one of my least favorite tracks from the record — but then, I’ve never been the biggest fan of Madame Gagaloo’s wailing piano ballads aside from “Speechless” (PITCHFORKS AND TORCHES, OFF WITH HIS HEAD, etc.) Still, “Dope” a well-sung song with a very touching sentiment (“I would rather be poor and happy than rich and alone”). For the Little Monster in your life, this will surely be a much-appreciated “thank you” from the woman who birthed a Koons gazing ball in your honor.
Gagaloo also beamed down to New York City last night in a plaid flannel shirt and a #DopePromo trucker hat to perform the track live once more for the apparently insane YouTube Music Awards. Her performance, which was filmed by Spike Jonze, was strong, albeit filled with a whole lot of over-the-top theatrical blubbering and tears. (She does live for the applause, after all.)
Now give us a video for “G.U.Y,” Sister Swine.
ARTPOP will be released on November 11. (iTunes)
