Hair (Lady Gaga song)
Encyclopedia
"Hair" is a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga
, from her second studio album
Born This Way
(2011). Written and produced by Gaga and RedOne
, "Hair" was released worldwide digitally on May 16, 2011, as the only promotional single from the album, as part of the iTunes Store
's "Countdown to Born This Way" release. This was after the previous promotional release, "The Edge of Glory
", was made the third single from the album. Nevertheless, Gaga explained that "Hair" was not planned to be a single, but may be released as one if it sells well at the iTunes Store, like "The Edge of Glory".
According to Gaga, the melody of "Hair" resembles the work of metal bands Kiss
and Iron Maiden
, and is also influenced by Bruce Springsteen
. The song is an uptempo club record inspired by Gaga's experience as a teenager, when her parents forced her to dress in a certain way. Gaga found that the only way to express herself was through her hair, and she described it as a song about liberation and her ability to change her ways. The lyrics talk about embracing one's hairstyle as their ultimate expression of freedom. "Hair" was recorded while Gaga was on tour with The Monster Ball
throughout Europe. The song features a saxophone
solo performed by saxophonist Clarence Clemons
, a prominent member of The E Street Band. She personally wanted Clemons to play saxophone on the song, which he did by recording his part at a Manhattan studio at midnight, after he had just flown there from his home in Florida.
"Hair" has been critically appreciated for its message of self-liberation, individualism and empowerment, though some felt that the usage of the term hair to express these messages was not particularly new. "Hair" charted in most musical markets, reaching the top-ten in New Zealand and Scotland, while in other nations, it charted within the top-twenty, including the Billboard Hot 100
of the United States. Gaga performed the song on Good Morning America
as part of their "Summer Concert Series", on Paul O'Grady Live
in the United Kingdom, and on The Howard Stern Show.
, and the name of the song was revealed through an interview with Vogue
magazine in February 2011. On The Graham Norton Show
, Gaga explained the origin of the song, which involves the analogy of her hair with freedom, and how that is the only part of her body she can change without anyone judging her. According to a press listening in February, "Hair" draws inspiration from Pat Benatar
's '80s classic "We Belong
", while thematically focusing on empowering lyrics similar to those of "Born This Way
". Gaga elaborated on the song's inspiration further with a video posted on her Twitter
account: "When I was a kid, I used to always come down the stairs of my parents' house, and they would say, 'Go back upstairs and brush your hair, change your clothes, you can't go out wearing that', and I felt like it was stifling my identity... My hair was my glory. It was the only thing that I could change about myself."
Initially "Hair" was supposed to be released as the second promotional single from Born This Way
, following "The Edge of Glory
", on May 16, 2011. However, after its release to the digital stores, "The Edge of Glory" started selling considerable amount of digital downloads, prompting Gaga to make it the third single from Born This Way. Hence, "Hair" became the first promotional release from the album. Gaga noted that although "Hair" was not planned to be an official single, it could be released as such, if it was to sell well at the digital outlets like "The Edge of Glory". Gaga also revealed her artwork for "Hair" on May 13, 2011, on her Twitter account. The black and white cover features a pink-haired Gaga lying upside down on the floor in a sharp-edged leather outfit, which consists of protruding nipple spikes. It was photographed by her longtime collaborator and friend Nick Knight
. Later on in the same day, Gaga tweeted the line: "The Born This Way Itunes Countdown will release my song HAIR 2moro 1pm PST." She also tweeted the line "I'll dye living just as free as my Hair!", then adding that the correct word in the line should be "die", instead of "dye".
on his radio program On Air With Ryan Seacrest
, Gaga described "Hair" as an up-tempo club record, with Bruce Springsteen
overtones to it. She also revealed the involvement of Clarence Clemons
playing sax on the record. Other influences included metal bands like Kiss
and Iron Maiden
on the melody. She revealed some of the lines of the song on Seacrest's show, "This is my prayer, that I'll die living just as free as my hair", adding that the composition of "Hair" was interesting since it was juxtaposing saxophone with a dance record. In an interview with radio station Z-100
she added, "Some of those themes are explored more on this album. To put my money where my mouth is." Gaga's references for the saxophone solo was the music of E Street Band
and Bruce Springsteen
; to her they represented a different genre of music, at the same time encompassing all the different elements of it. She ultimately decided to ask Clemons from E Street Band to play the instrument.
With Rolling Stone
, Clemons described how he recorded the saxophone solo with Gaga. In January 2011, Clemons was putting together an exercise machine in his Florida house when his wife told him that Gaga's representatives were on the phone, and they wanted him to play on her upcoming album. Since the call was on a Friday, Clemons replied that he would be able to record it on the coming week, but Gaga was adamant to have him at the New York recording studio on that day itself. After accepting her request, Clemons went to New York and reached the recording studio in Manhattan at midnight. Gaga wanted him to play saxophone on multiple tracks, one of them being "Hair". Before Clemons started work on the song, she explained the lyrics to him. "It made so much sense," he said. "It's a story about growing up." She gave him few instructions about how to play on the song, saying "'We'll put the tape on and you just play. Play from your heart. Play what you feel.'". The recording was finished by 3:00 am, after a few takes. Clemons added that he was surprised for "getting paid for this. I would have done it for free. I can never believe something that feels so good earns me money." According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing
, the song is written in the time signature of common time
. It is composed in the key
of F major
, with a tempo
of 135 beats per minute. Gaga's vocals span from F3 to F5, and the song follows a basic sequence of F–C–Dm–B as its chord progression
.
"Hair" was recorded mostly while Gaga was on tour in Europe, but the mixing
was done by Gene Grimaldi at Oasis Mastering in Burbank, California
. It is a disco
song and begins with Gaga singing the line "Whenever I dress cool, my parents put up a fight/ And if I'm a hot shot, Mom will cut my hair at night/ And in the morning I'm short of my identity/ I scream, 'Mom and Dad, why can't I be who I want to be?" As the music grows louder, Gaga sings the sing along chorus
of the song, gradually moving towards the breakdown
—which is inspired by retro music—talking about the different hairstyles she has had. Jocelyn Vena from MTV
described the track as a "fist-pumping, defiant disco track all about having a good time." Matthew Perpetua from Rolling Stone
called it a mixture of yearning romantic melodrama of "We Belong" with the hard industrial metal edge of Broken-era Nine Inch Nails
. Greg Kot
of the Chicago Tribune
felt that Gaga's vocals are Auto-Tune
d throughout the song. The lyrics of "Hair" talk about embracing one's hairstyle as the ultimate expression of their identity, hence it ends with Gaga triumphantly declaring "I am my hair!" at the end of the final chorus.
, Gaga sent four tracks to Rolling Stone
, including "Scheiße
", "You and I", and "The Edge of Glory
", for a preview. Matthew Perpetua wrote a positive review of "Hair", describing it as another inspirational song in the mold of "Born This Way", but felt that it was a bit weirder. Perpetua concluded the review by jokingly adding that the song will become "[a]n anthem for salons everywhere." Jody Rosen from the same publication felt that "although Gaga is not the first singer to create a connection between self-esteem and liberation to free-flowing coiffure, she seems to be the most committed to the idea." Dan Martin from NME
classified "Hair" as an empowerment anthem, using the "simple image of the wind blowing through a person’s hair to illuminate the album’s Love-Yourself-And-Let-It-All-Hang-Out message way more effectively than the title track. It trumps it once again by being quite the gayest thing you will ever hear for a long time." Tim Jonze from The Guardian
felt that the message of "Hair" was not particularly a new one, since the 60's musical Hair
also preached the same message. Although he described some of the lyrics as "trite", Jonze opined that "these weaknesses can also be strengths, and there's something admirable about the way the [track] address confused teenagers in search of their identity." Writing for The Vancouver Sun
, Leah Collins described the song as "a pumping anthem designed to pump up your follicles with pride." She added that the overall feel of the song was that of retro dance music.
Natalie Finn from E! Online was disappointed with the track, feeling that although the releases from Born This Way were not that "catchy", all of them were about the same subject of "the importance of being ourselves. Oh well, maybe we're just waiting for the next 'Bad Romance
' to sweep us off our feet. Or the next 'Speechless
' to make us cry. Or even the next 'Just Dance' to really make us want to dance." Jason Lipshultz from Billboard
felt that the track was another anthem for individualism, with Gaga's hair used as a metaphor for her wild personality. Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine
gave a mixed review stating that the song is a "derivative but perfectly serviceable club track about highlights that's turned into a dumping ground for every bad idea Gaga's had in the last 12 months: schmaltzy piano-woman melodies, overwrought choruses, inexplicable sax solos." Rick Fulton, while writing in the Daily Record
, called "Hair" a "great tune" and an "Europop
high-energy epic", while giving it four out of five points. Ian Hope from BBC Online described "Hair" as an "empowering freeway rocker about self expression." The Independent
writer Andy Gill compared the song to those by guitarist David Crosby
, and described it as a statement of rebellious individuality. According to Los Angeles Times
Randall Roberts, Gaga "celebrates her follicles" in the song.
. Along with the song, Gaga's other singles—"The Edge of Glory
", "Judas
" and "Born This Way
"—were all within the top twenty on the chart, making Gaga the first female artist since Ruby Murray
in 1955, to have four songs simultaneously within the top twenty. In Australia, "Hair" debuted at number 20 on the ARIA Singles Chart
and was present for two weeks in the top-fifty. In the Netherlands, "Hair" debuted at number 15 on the Single Top 100 chart, and at number 14 on the Irish Singles Chart
.
In the United States, "Hair" debuted at number five on the Hot Digital Songs
chart with first-week sales of 147,000 copies. Consequently it entered the Billboard Hot 100
at number 12, becoming the highest debuting single of the week. According to Nielsen SoundScan
, "Hair" has sold 161,000 copies of digital downloads as of September 2011. In Canada, the song sold 15,000 digital downloads, and entered the Canadian Hot 100
at number 11, as the highest debut of the week. "Hair" also reached the top ten in the charts of Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Scotland and Spain, and top twenty in Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia region) and France. It's lowest position was on the Danish Singles Chart
at number 29, and in the Gaon International download chart
of South Korea, it reached a peak position of number 21.
as a part of their "Summer Concert Series". She was dressed in purple horns and a black and blond ponytail, and was placed atop a black staircase, with her leg perched on top of a black unicorn shaped piano. Dedicating the song to her mother, Gaga sang an acoustic version of "Hair", which Sheila Markar from ABC News
reviewed positively, saying that it "really brought the house down." Christian Blauvelt from Entertainment Weekly
was also impressed with the acoustic version, saying that "at a keyboard, Gaga's never better at injecting enough passion and commitment to sell even the corniest lyrics about follicular empowerment."
Gaga performed "Hair" on The Paul O'Grady Show
on June 17, 2011. The song was the first of the four performances planned, and Gaga opened the show with her sitting on the piano. She appeared bald but wore a teal colored fringed dress, and sang an acoustic version of "Hair", while staring at a teal colored wig placed in front of her. The piano on which she sang was covered with brown, curly hair and she was surrounded by flames. Halfway through the performance, Gaga took the wig and placed it on her head. Ryan Love of Digital Spy
had a preview of the recording of the show, and commented that when "it's just GaGa on the piano, you can't help but be impressed." Cynthia Robinson from The Huffington Post
theorized that Gaga pretending to be bald was not a "fashion statement", instead she was "saying something about shedding that skin, that costume, that barrier that she created with all of her vaunted costumes—at least so that people know what she is inside before putting it back on."
At French television show Taratata
Gaga appeared while hanging out of the window of her limousine. She later went on the show to perform "Hair", but changed her outfit once more. The recorded performance was released to her YouTube
channel by Gaga. Air Productions, which produces the program Taratata, detected the posting of the video and notified YouTube of supposed copyright infringement on Gaga's part. YouTube was forced to close Gaga's official channel with the statement: "YouTube ladygagaofficial account was closed, because we have received, several instances, third-party notifications informing us that many people, including the following, filed a claim for infringement of copyright: Air Productions." Later, Air Productions issued a statement that the notification was sent in error, and they had asked Google
and YouTube to rectify this; Gaga's account was re-opened, and Taratata apologized to the singer: "Really sorry for the problem with YouTube. Everything works again!" During her promotional performances of the songs from Born This Way in Taiwan
, Gaga sang "Hair" and played the piano in a black bra, against the backdrop of many red lanterns and a red arch, a set created specially for the Taiwan show. She later explained in a press conference the inspiration behind the performance: "Like the gentleman [the host] just mentioned, that lantern means prosperity and it's about the future. I'm always thinking about the future of my generation and the voice of my generation when I write music."
At the iHeart Radio Festival in Las Vegas on September 24, 2011, Gaga dedicated a performance of "Hair" to deceased teenager Jamey Rodemeyer, who had committed sucide after being constantly bullied by his peers at school for being gay. An image of Rodemeyer was shown on the backdrop as Gaga announced: "We lost a Little Monster this week. I wrote this record about how your identity is really all you've got when you're in school... so tonight, Jamey, I know you're up there looking at us, and you're not a victim... you're a lesson to all of us. I know it's a bit of a downer, but sometimes the right thing is more important than the music", after which she sang a piano version of "Hair".
Credits adapted from Born This Way album liner notes.
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
, from her second studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
Born This Way
Born This Way
Born This Way is the second studio album by American recording artist Lady Gaga that was released on May 23, 2011, by Interscope Records. The album is a follow-up to her internationally-successful albums The Fame and The Fame Monster...
(2011). Written and produced by Gaga and RedOne
RedOne
Nadir Khayat , known by the stage name RedOne, is a Moroccan producer and songwriter. Renowned for co-producing hit singles such as "Just Dance", "Poker Face", "LoveGame", "Bad Romance", "Alejandro" and "Judas", he is attributed by some as the key to Lady Gaga's success...
, "Hair" was released worldwide digitally on May 16, 2011, as the only promotional single from the album, as part of the iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
's "Countdown to Born This Way" release. This was after the previous promotional release, "The Edge of Glory
The Edge of Glory
"The Edge of Glory" is a song by American recording artist and songwriter Lady Gaga, from her second studio album Born This Way . The song was released digitally on May 9, 2011, and was added to the United States mainstream radio playlists on May 17, 2011...
", was made the third single from the album. Nevertheless, Gaga explained that "Hair" was not planned to be a single, but may be released as one if it sells well at the iTunes Store, like "The Edge of Glory".
According to Gaga, the melody of "Hair" resembles the work of metal bands Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
and Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, and is also influenced by Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
. The song is an uptempo club record inspired by Gaga's experience as a teenager, when her parents forced her to dress in a certain way. Gaga found that the only way to express herself was through her hair, and she described it as a song about liberation and her ability to change her ways. The lyrics talk about embracing one's hairstyle as their ultimate expression of freedom. "Hair" was recorded while Gaga was on tour with The Monster Ball
The Monster Ball Tour
The Monster Ball Tour was the second worldwide concert tour by American recording artist Lady Gaga. Staged in support of her album The Fame Monster and comprising a set list of songs from that and her debut album The Fame , the tour visited arenas and stadiums from 2009 through 2011...
throughout Europe. The song features a saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
solo performed by saxophonist Clarence Clemons
Clarence Clemons
Clarence Anicholas Clemons, Jr. , also known as The Big Man, was an American musician and actor. From 1972 until his death, he was a prominent member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, playing the tenor saxophone. He released several solo albums and in 1985, had a hit single with "You're a...
, a prominent member of The E Street Band. She personally wanted Clemons to play saxophone on the song, which he did by recording his part at a Manhattan studio at midnight, after he had just flown there from his home in Florida.
"Hair" has been critically appreciated for its message of self-liberation, individualism and empowerment, though some felt that the usage of the term hair to express these messages was not particularly new. "Hair" charted in most musical markets, reaching the top-ten in New Zealand and Scotland, while in other nations, it charted within the top-twenty, including the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
of the United States. Gaga performed the song on Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
as part of their "Summer Concert Series", on Paul O'Grady Live
Paul O'Grady Live
Paul O'Grady Live was a British comedy chat show hosted by Paul O'Grady, that began airing on 10 September 2010 on ITV1 and ITV1 HD/STV HD/UTV HD in the United Kingdom. The show is a Friday night chat show that features a mixture of celebrity guests, airing at 21:00. The show culminates with...
in the United Kingdom, and on The Howard Stern Show.
Background and release
"Hair" was written and produced Gaga and RedOneRedOne
Nadir Khayat , known by the stage name RedOne, is a Moroccan producer and songwriter. Renowned for co-producing hit singles such as "Just Dance", "Poker Face", "LoveGame", "Bad Romance", "Alejandro" and "Judas", he is attributed by some as the key to Lady Gaga's success...
, and the name of the song was revealed through an interview with Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
magazine in February 2011. On The Graham Norton Show
The Graham Norton Show
The Graham Norton Show is a British comedy chat show that is broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom. It was originally shown on BBC Two from February 2007 to May 2009 until it moved to BBC One from October 2009...
, Gaga explained the origin of the song, which involves the analogy of her hair with freedom, and how that is the only part of her body she can change without anyone judging her. According to a press listening in February, "Hair" draws inspiration from Pat Benatar
Pat Benatar
Pat Benatar is an American singer and four-time Grammy winner. She had considerable commercial success particularly in the United States...
's '80s classic "We Belong
We Belong
"We Belong" is a 1984 single from Pat Benatar's sixth studio album Tropico. It matched the success of "Love Is a Battlefield" on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the U.S., peaking at number five, and reaching number three on Billboard's Top Rock Tracks chart and the top 40 on its Adult...
", while thematically focusing on empowering lyrics similar to those of "Born This Way
Born This Way (song)
"Born This Way" is a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga, from her second studio album, Born This Way. Written and produced by Gaga, Fernando Garibay, Jeppe Laursen and DJ White Shadow, "Born This Way" was developed while Gaga was on the road with The Monster Ball Tour...
". Gaga elaborated on the song's inspiration further with a video posted on her Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
account: "When I was a kid, I used to always come down the stairs of my parents' house, and they would say, 'Go back upstairs and brush your hair, change your clothes, you can't go out wearing that', and I felt like it was stifling my identity... My hair was my glory. It was the only thing that I could change about myself."
Initially "Hair" was supposed to be released as the second promotional single from Born This Way
Born This Way
Born This Way is the second studio album by American recording artist Lady Gaga that was released on May 23, 2011, by Interscope Records. The album is a follow-up to her internationally-successful albums The Fame and The Fame Monster...
, following "The Edge of Glory
The Edge of Glory
"The Edge of Glory" is a song by American recording artist and songwriter Lady Gaga, from her second studio album Born This Way . The song was released digitally on May 9, 2011, and was added to the United States mainstream radio playlists on May 17, 2011...
", on May 16, 2011. However, after its release to the digital stores, "The Edge of Glory" started selling considerable amount of digital downloads, prompting Gaga to make it the third single from Born This Way. Hence, "Hair" became the first promotional release from the album. Gaga noted that although "Hair" was not planned to be an official single, it could be released as such, if it was to sell well at the digital outlets like "The Edge of Glory". Gaga also revealed her artwork for "Hair" on May 13, 2011, on her Twitter account. The black and white cover features a pink-haired Gaga lying upside down on the floor in a sharp-edged leather outfit, which consists of protruding nipple spikes. It was photographed by her longtime collaborator and friend Nick Knight
Nick Knight (photographer)
Nick Knight OBE is a British fashion photographer, documentary photographer, and web publisher—as director of SHOWstudio.com.-Life and career:Knight studied at Bournemouth and Poole College of Art and Design....
. Later on in the same day, Gaga tweeted the line: "The Born This Way Itunes Countdown will release my song HAIR 2moro 1pm PST." She also tweeted the line "I'll dye living just as free as my Hair!", then adding that the correct word in the line should be "die", instead of "dye".
Recording and composition
During an interview with Ryan SeacrestRyan Seacrest
Ryan John Seacrest is an American radio personality, television host, network producer and voice actor. He is the host of On Air with Ryan Seacrest, a nationally syndicated Top 40 radio show that airs on KIIS-FM in Los Angeles and throughout the United States and Canada on Premiere Radio Networks,...
on his radio program On Air With Ryan Seacrest
On Air with Ryan Seacrest (radio)
On Air with Ryan Seacrest is the name of an American syndicated radio program hosted by Ryan Seacrest. As of 2010, the daily morning radio show airs on Los Angeles top 40 station KIIS-FM and was launched at the same time as the television show with the same name, although Seacrest had hosted a...
, Gaga described "Hair" as an up-tempo club record, with Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
overtones to it. She also revealed the involvement of Clarence Clemons
Clarence Clemons
Clarence Anicholas Clemons, Jr. , also known as The Big Man, was an American musician and actor. From 1972 until his death, he was a prominent member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, playing the tenor saxophone. He released several solo albums and in 1985, had a hit single with "You're a...
playing sax on the record. Other influences included metal bands like Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
and Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
on the melody. She revealed some of the lines of the song on Seacrest's show, "This is my prayer, that I'll die living just as free as my hair", adding that the composition of "Hair" was interesting since it was juxtaposing saxophone with a dance record. In an interview with radio station Z-100
WHTZ
WHTZ — branded Z100 — is a commercial pop/contemporary hit radio radio station licensed to Newark, New Jersey serving the New York metropolitan area. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications...
she added, "Some of those themes are explored more on this album. To put my money where my mouth is." Gaga's references for the saxophone solo was the music of E Street Band
E Street Band
The E Street Band has been rock musician Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band since 1972.The band has also recorded with a wide range of other artists including Bob Dylan, Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler, Air Supply, Dire Straits, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Nicks, Tom Morello, Sting, Ian...
and Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
; to her they represented a different genre of music, at the same time encompassing all the different elements of it. She ultimately decided to ask Clemons from E Street Band to play the instrument.
With Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, Clemons described how he recorded the saxophone solo with Gaga. In January 2011, Clemons was putting together an exercise machine in his Florida house when his wife told him that Gaga's representatives were on the phone, and they wanted him to play on her upcoming album. Since the call was on a Friday, Clemons replied that he would be able to record it on the coming week, but Gaga was adamant to have him at the New York recording studio on that day itself. After accepting her request, Clemons went to New York and reached the recording studio in Manhattan at midnight. Gaga wanted him to play saxophone on multiple tracks, one of them being "Hair". Before Clemons started work on the song, she explained the lyrics to him. "It made so much sense," he said. "It's a story about growing up." She gave him few instructions about how to play on the song, saying "'We'll put the tape on and you just play. Play from your heart. Play what you feel.'". The recording was finished by 3:00 am, after a few takes. Clemons added that he was surprised for "getting paid for this. I would have done it for free. I can never believe something that feels so good earns me money." According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Sony/ATV Music Publishing is a music publishing company co-owned by The Michael Jackson Family Trust and Sony. The organisation was originally founded as Associated TeleVision in 1955 by Lew Grade. In 1957, ATV acquired Pye Records as a wholly owned subsidiary...
, the song is written in the time signature of common time
Common Time
"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
. It is composed in the key
Key (music)
In music theory, the term key is used in many different and sometimes contradictory ways. A common use is to speak of music as being "in" a specific key, such as in the key of C major or in the key of F-sharp. Sometimes the terms "major" or "minor" are appended, as in the key of A minor or in the...
of F major
F major
F major is a musical major scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has one flat . It is by far the oldest key signature with an accidental, predating the others by hundreds of years...
, with a tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
of 135 beats per minute. Gaga's vocals span from F3 to F5, and the song follows a basic sequence of F–C–Dm–B as its chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
.
"Hair" was recorded mostly while Gaga was on tour in Europe, but the mixing
Audio mixing (recorded music)
In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
was done by Gene Grimaldi at Oasis Mastering in Burbank, California
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
. It is a disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
song and begins with Gaga singing the line "Whenever I dress cool, my parents put up a fight/ And if I'm a hot shot, Mom will cut my hair at night/ And in the morning I'm short of my identity/ I scream, 'Mom and Dad, why can't I be who I want to be?" As the music grows louder, Gaga sings the sing along chorus
Refrain
A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
of the song, gradually moving towards the breakdown
Break (music)
In popular music, a break is an instrumental or percussion section or interlude during a song derived from or related to stop-time – being a "break" from the main parts of the song or piece....
—which is inspired by retro music—talking about the different hairstyles she has had. Jocelyn Vena from MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
described the track as a "fist-pumping, defiant disco track all about having a good time." Matthew Perpetua from Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
called it a mixture of yearning romantic melodrama of "We Belong" with the hard industrial metal edge of Broken-era Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
. Greg Kot
Greg Kot
Greg Kot is an American writer and journalist. Since 1990, Kot has been the music critic at the Chicago Tribune, where he has covered popular music and reported on music-related social, political and business issues...
of the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
felt that Gaga's vocals are Auto-Tune
Auto-Tune
Auto-Tune is a proprietary audio processor created by Antares Audio Technologies. Auto-Tune uses a phase vocoder to correct pitch in vocal and instrumental performances. It is used to disguise off-key inaccuracies and mistakes, and has allowed singers to perform apparently perfectly tuned vocal...
d throughout the song. The lyrics of "Hair" talk about embracing one's hairstyle as the ultimate expression of their identity, hence it ends with Gaga triumphantly declaring "I am my hair!" at the end of the final chorus.
Critical reception
An hour before starting the final leg of The Monster Ball TourThe Monster Ball Tour
The Monster Ball Tour was the second worldwide concert tour by American recording artist Lady Gaga. Staged in support of her album The Fame Monster and comprising a set list of songs from that and her debut album The Fame , the tour visited arenas and stadiums from 2009 through 2011...
, Gaga sent four tracks to Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, including "Scheiße
Scheiße (song)
"Scheiße" is a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga from her second studio album, Born This Way . The song is written and produced by Lady Gaga and RedOne, and was recorded in Europe on the tour bus during the Monster Ball Tour. "Scheiße" was first introduced as a remix during a Thierry...
", "You and I", and "The Edge of Glory
The Edge of Glory
"The Edge of Glory" is a song by American recording artist and songwriter Lady Gaga, from her second studio album Born This Way . The song was released digitally on May 9, 2011, and was added to the United States mainstream radio playlists on May 17, 2011...
", for a preview. Matthew Perpetua wrote a positive review of "Hair", describing it as another inspirational song in the mold of "Born This Way", but felt that it was a bit weirder. Perpetua concluded the review by jokingly adding that the song will become "[a]n anthem for salons everywhere." Jody Rosen from the same publication felt that "although Gaga is not the first singer to create a connection between self-esteem and liberation to free-flowing coiffure, she seems to be the most committed to the idea." Dan Martin from NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
classified "Hair" as an empowerment anthem, using the "simple image of the wind blowing through a person’s hair to illuminate the album’s Love-Yourself-And-Let-It-All-Hang-Out message way more effectively than the title track. It trumps it once again by being quite the gayest thing you will ever hear for a long time." Tim Jonze from The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
felt that the message of "Hair" was not particularly a new one, since the 60's musical Hair
Hair (musical)
Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is a rock musical with a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot. A product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960s, several of its songs became anthems of the anti-Vietnam War peace movement...
also preached the same message. Although he described some of the lyrics as "trite", Jonze opined that "these weaknesses can also be strengths, and there's something admirable about the way the [track] address confused teenagers in search of their identity." Writing for The Vancouver Sun
The Vancouver Sun
The Vancouver Sun is a daily newspaper first published in the Canadian province of British Columbia on February 12, 1912. The paper is currently published by the Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network. It is published six days a week, Monday to Saturday...
, Leah Collins described the song as "a pumping anthem designed to pump up your follicles with pride." She added that the overall feel of the song was that of retro dance music.
Natalie Finn from E! Online was disappointed with the track, feeling that although the releases from Born This Way were not that "catchy", all of them were about the same subject of "the importance of being ourselves. Oh well, maybe we're just waiting for the next 'Bad Romance
Bad Romance
"Bad Romance" is a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga. It was released as the lead single from her third extended play , and second major release The Fame Monster . Written by Lady Gaga and produced by RedOne, the track was inspired by Gaga's fear of negative love relationships and the...
' to sweep us off our feet. Or the next 'Speechless
Speechless (Lady Gaga song)
"Speechless" is a song written and performed by American recording artist Lady Gaga, from her third EP The Fame Monster. The song was written by Gaga to convince her father, Joseph Germanotta, to undergo open-heart surgery, in order to repair his malfunctioning aortic valve, and as a reminder for...
' to make us cry. Or even the next 'Just Dance' to really make us want to dance." Jason Lipshultz from Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
felt that the track was another anthem for individualism, with Gaga's hair used as a metaphor for her wild personality. Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
gave a mixed review stating that the song is a "derivative but perfectly serviceable club track about highlights that's turned into a dumping ground for every bad idea Gaga's had in the last 12 months: schmaltzy piano-woman melodies, overwrought choruses, inexplicable sax solos." Rick Fulton, while writing in the Daily Record
Daily Record (Scotland)
The Daily Record is a Scottish tabloid newspaper based in Glasgow. It had been the best-selling daily paper in Scotland for many years with a paid circulation in August 2011 of 307,794 . It is now outsold by its arch-rival the Scottish Sun which in September 2010 had a circulation of 339,586 in...
, called "Hair" a "great tune" and an "Europop
Europop
Europop refers to a style of pop music that first developed in today's form in Europe, throughout the late 1970s. Europop topped the charts throughout the 1980s and ’90s...
high-energy epic", while giving it four out of five points. Ian Hope from BBC Online described "Hair" as an "empowering freeway rocker about self expression." The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
writer Andy Gill compared the song to those by guitarist David Crosby
David Crosby
David Van Cortlandt Crosby is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. In addition to his solo career, he was a founding member of three bands: The Byrds, Crosby, Stills & Nash , and CPR...
, and described it as a statement of rebellious individuality. According to Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
Randall Roberts, Gaga "celebrates her follicles" in the song.
Chart performance
"Hair" charted in most musical markets and its debut became its peak position; the song was present for a maximum of two weeks. In the United Kingdom, "Hair" debuted at number 13 on the UK Singles ChartUK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. Along with the song, Gaga's other singles—"The Edge of Glory
The Edge of Glory
"The Edge of Glory" is a song by American recording artist and songwriter Lady Gaga, from her second studio album Born This Way . The song was released digitally on May 9, 2011, and was added to the United States mainstream radio playlists on May 17, 2011...
", "Judas
Judas (song)
"Judas" is a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga, taken from her second studio album Born This Way . The song was released worldwide on April 15, 2011, four days ahead of its scheduled release, by Interscope Records. Written and produced by Lady Gaga and RedOne, "Judas" is a dance song that...
" and "Born This Way
Born This Way (song)
"Born This Way" is a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga, from her second studio album, Born This Way. Written and produced by Gaga, Fernando Garibay, Jeppe Laursen and DJ White Shadow, "Born This Way" was developed while Gaga was on the road with The Monster Ball Tour...
"—were all within the top twenty on the chart, making Gaga the first female artist since Ruby Murray
Ruby Murray
Ruby Murray was one of the most popular singers in the United Kingdom and Ireland in the 1950s. In 1955 alone, she secured seven Top 10 UK hit singles.-Child star:...
in 1955, to have four songs simultaneously within the top twenty. In Australia, "Hair" debuted at number 20 on the ARIA Singles Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
and was present for two weeks in the top-fifty. In the Netherlands, "Hair" debuted at number 15 on the Single Top 100 chart, and at number 14 on the Irish Singles Chart
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
.
In the United States, "Hair" debuted at number five on the Hot Digital Songs
Hot Digital Songs
The Hot Digital Songs chart ranks the best-selling digital singles in the United States, according to Billboard.Beginning in February 2005, digital sales have been incorporated into many of Billboards music single charts. It was decided to do so mainly because of the dramatic rise in popularity of...
chart with first-week sales of 147,000 copies. Consequently it entered the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
at number 12, becoming the highest debuting single of the week. According to Nielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan is an information and sales tracking system created by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett. Soundscan is the official method of tracking sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada...
, "Hair" has sold 161,000 copies of digital downloads as of September 2011. In Canada, the song sold 15,000 digital downloads, and entered the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
at number 11, as the highest debut of the week. "Hair" also reached the top ten in the charts of Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Scotland and Spain, and top twenty in Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia region) and France. It's lowest position was on the Danish Singles Chart
Tracklisten
Tracklisten is a Danish top 40 record chart that is presented every Thursday midnight at .The weekly Danish Singles Chart also known as Track Top-40 combines the 40 best selling tracks from legal music downloads and the sales of music singles on either CD or vinyl...
at number 29, and in the Gaon International download chart
Gaon Chart
The Gaon Chart is a national record chart of South Korea. It is complied by the Korea Music Content Industry Association and sponsored by South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism; with an aim to create a national chart for Korea similar to the Billboard charts and Oricon charts...
of South Korea, it reached a peak position of number 21.
Live performances
On May 27, 2011, Gaga performed the song on Good Morning AmericaGood Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
as a part of their "Summer Concert Series". She was dressed in purple horns and a black and blond ponytail, and was placed atop a black staircase, with her leg perched on top of a black unicorn shaped piano. Dedicating the song to her mother, Gaga sang an acoustic version of "Hair", which Sheila Markar from ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
reviewed positively, saying that it "really brought the house down." Christian Blauvelt from Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
was also impressed with the acoustic version, saying that "at a keyboard, Gaga's never better at injecting enough passion and commitment to sell even the corniest lyrics about follicular empowerment."
Gaga performed "Hair" on The Paul O'Grady Show
The Paul O'Grady Show
The Paul O'Grady Show was a BAFTA award-winning British comedy chat show hosted by Birkenhead-born comedian Paul O'Grady. The format was originally devised by Granada Television and was broadcast on ITV before moving to Channel 4...
on June 17, 2011. The song was the first of the four performances planned, and Gaga opened the show with her sitting on the piano. She appeared bald but wore a teal colored fringed dress, and sang an acoustic version of "Hair", while staring at a teal colored wig placed in front of her. The piano on which she sang was covered with brown, curly hair and she was surrounded by flames. Halfway through the performance, Gaga took the wig and placed it on her head. Ryan Love of Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
had a preview of the recording of the show, and commented that when "it's just GaGa on the piano, you can't help but be impressed." Cynthia Robinson from The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...
theorized that Gaga pretending to be bald was not a "fashion statement", instead she was "saying something about shedding that skin, that costume, that barrier that she created with all of her vaunted costumes—at least so that people know what she is inside before putting it back on."
At French television show Taratata
Taratata
Taratata is a French TV show showcasing live and pre-recorded footage of current rock acts. Presented by Nagui since its début in 1993, the show was initially shown on France 2. This show often involves surprise and unlikely duets, as well as brief interviews with the artists...
Gaga appeared while hanging out of the window of her limousine. She later went on the show to perform "Hair", but changed her outfit once more. The recorded performance was released to her YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
channel by Gaga. Air Productions, which produces the program Taratata, detected the posting of the video and notified YouTube of supposed copyright infringement on Gaga's part. YouTube was forced to close Gaga's official channel with the statement: "YouTube ladygagaofficial account was closed, because we have received, several instances, third-party notifications informing us that many people, including the following, filed a claim for infringement of copyright: Air Productions." Later, Air Productions issued a statement that the notification was sent in error, and they had asked Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
and YouTube to rectify this; Gaga's account was re-opened, and Taratata apologized to the singer: "Really sorry for the problem with YouTube. Everything works again!" During her promotional performances of the songs from Born This Way in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, Gaga sang "Hair" and played the piano in a black bra, against the backdrop of many red lanterns and a red arch, a set created specially for the Taiwan show. She later explained in a press conference the inspiration behind the performance: "Like the gentleman [the host] just mentioned, that lantern means prosperity and it's about the future. I'm always thinking about the future of my generation and the voice of my generation when I write music."
At the iHeart Radio Festival in Las Vegas on September 24, 2011, Gaga dedicated a performance of "Hair" to deceased teenager Jamey Rodemeyer, who had committed sucide after being constantly bullied by his peers at school for being gay. An image of Rodemeyer was shown on the backdrop as Gaga announced: "We lost a Little Monster this week. I wrote this record about how your identity is really all you've got when you're in school... so tonight, Jamey, I know you're up there looking at us, and you're not a victim... you're a lesson to all of us. I know it's a bit of a downer, but sometimes the right thing is more important than the music", after which she sang a piano version of "Hair".
Credits and personnel
- Lady GagaLady GaGaStefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
– vocals, songwriterSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - RedOneRedOneNadir Khayat , known by the stage name RedOne, is a Moroccan producer and songwriter. Renowned for co-producing hit singles such as "Just Dance", "Poker Face", "LoveGame", "Bad Romance", "Alejandro" and "Judas", he is attributed by some as the key to Lady Gaga's success...
– songwriter, producer, vocal editing, vocal arrangementArrangementThe American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
, background vocals, audio engineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
, instrumentationMusical instrumentA musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
, programming and recording at Tour Bus in EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... - Trevor Muzzy – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, recording, vocal editing, audio engineering, audio mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
at Larrabee, North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California - Dave Russell – recording and audio engineering
- Clarence ClemonsClarence ClemonsClarence Anicholas Clemons, Jr. , also known as The Big Man, was an American musician and actor. From 1972 until his death, he was a prominent member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, playing the tenor saxophone. He released several solo albums and in 1985, had a hit single with "You're a...
– saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846... - Gene Grimaldi – audio masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
at Oasis Mastering, Burbank, CaliforniaBurbank, CaliforniaBurbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
Credits adapted from Born This Way album liner notes.
Charts
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
20 |
| Belgian Singles Chart Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... (Flanders) |
19 |
| Belgian Singles Chart Ultratop 40 Ultratop 40 singles, often just Ultratop 40, is the weekly chart of best-selling singles in Wallonia and Brussels Capital Region, the french-speaking parts of Belgium. Its equivalent covering the Flanders region is Ultratop 50. Both charts are produced and published by the Ultratop organization... (Wallonia) |
11 |
| Canadian Hot 100 Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... |
11 |
| Danish Singles Chart Tracklisten Tracklisten is a Danish top 40 record chart that is presented every Thursday midnight at .The weekly Danish Singles Chart also known as Track Top-40 combines the 40 best selling tracks from legal music downloads and the sales of music singles on either CD or vinyl... |
29 |
| French Singles Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
16 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
14 |
| Italian Singles Chart Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... |
5 |
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Netherlands Single Top 100 | 15 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 9 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
5 |
| Scottish Singles Chart | 10 |
| South Korea Gaon Chart Gaon Chart The Gaon Chart is a national record chart of South Korea. It is complied by the Korea Music Content Industry Association and sponsored by South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism; with an aim to create a national chart for Korea similar to the Billboard charts and Oricon charts... |
21 |
| Spanish Singles Chart | 9 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
13 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
12 |
External links
- Lady Gaga: Lording It: Talking About 'Hair' The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...