Paparazzi (Lady Gaga song)
Encyclopedia
"Paparazzi" is a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga
. It was released as the final single from her debut album The Fame
(2008). Written by Rob Fusari
and Gaga, the song portrays Gaga's struggles in her quest for fame, as well as balancing success and love. Musically, it is an up-tempo dance song whose lyrics describe a stalker following somebody to grab attention and fame.
It was the album's third single in Ireland, Italy and the United Kingdom, the fourth in Canada and the United States and the fifth in Australia, France and New Zealand. Although released on July 6, 2009, in the United Kingdom and four days later in Australia, "LoveGame
" initially had been planned as the third single release in the United Kingdom but deeming its lyrics and music video potentially controversial, it was decided that "Paparazzi" would be released instead. "Paparazzi" was critically acclaimed for its fun-filled, club-friendly nature while and also became commercially successful when it reached top-ten positions in the music charts of Australia, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States while reaching number one in the Czech Republic and Germany.
The accompanying music video portrays Gaga as a doomed starlet, hounded by photographers, who is almost killed by her boyfriend. It shows her survival, comeback, revenge on her boyfriend, and experiences on the way to fame. The video won two MTV Video Music Awards in 2009 for Best Art Direction
and Best Special Effects
. Gaga also performed the song at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards
in a performance art piece symbolizing the negative effect of fame leading to death. Additional live performances of the song include on The Fame Ball Tour
, where it was the opening song, on an October 2009 episode of Saturday Night Live
and on The Monster Ball Tour
. On the first leg of the tour, she appeared as a Rapunzel-like character; from the second leg onwards, she performed the song alongside a giant anglerfish
("The Fame Monster") who, attempting to devour her, was killed after her leotard
shot sparks into the creature.
referred to different interpretations of the single, Gaga responded:
To the Australian Daily Telegraph
, Gaga explained that the song was also about struggling to balance success and love. Bill Lamb from About.com concurred that "the song is a tribute of sorts to the symbiotic but ultimately fake and 'plastic' relationship between stars and their trailing paparazzi [...] who, for better or worse, are there to document and, in a sense, create the stardom."
" and carries a sultry beat. The song has a moderate electro-synth groove and is in the key of C minor
with a tempo
of 115 beats per minute. It is set in common time
, and Gaga's vocal range spans from a low-note of G3 to the high-note of E5. The verses follow in the chord progression of Cm–A–Cm and the chorus uses an A–E–Fm–D progression. According to Bill Lamb of About.com
, Gaga's voice is heard above these beats, seductively as if enticing the listener to the complex world of stardom. "Paparazzi" is based on slightly langorous synth textures and incorporates percussion to convey the emotions. Emotions lying in the composition range from sexual desire, dread, and resigned acknowledgment to an insistence to have fun. The lyrics of "Paparazzi" deal with stalking and the trappings of fame.
called it the second greatest Lady Gaga song ever, praising the song's theme and beat. Jill Menze of Billboard
, while reviewing The Fame Ball Tour
, complimented Gaga's vocals on the song by saying, "The fame-obsessed ballad 'Paparazzi' showed how adept she can be with her range." Alexis Petridis
of The Guardian
said that, "You may quickly tire of hearing the album's theme constantly reiterated, but the tune of 'Paparazzi' takes up residence in your brain and refuses to budge." Stephen Thomas Erlewine
of Allmusic, called the song clever and said that it "functions simultaneously as glorious pop trash and a wicked parody of it." Ben Norman of About.com
said that the song was one of his favorite three of the album and that it was amazing. Priya Elan of The Times
thought that "even the trio of songs that provides the core of the album's celebrity theme ('Paparazzi', 'Beautiful Dirty Rich' and the title track) don't ruminate on the addictive inanity of fame, choosing instead to observe passively." Bill Lamb from About.com
felt that the song was Gaga's top artistic achievement. He went on to list the symbiotic star and paparazzi relationship, the emotion behind the words and music, and the insistent vocals by Gaga as the pros of the song.
Evan Sawdey of PopMatters
said that both "Paparazzi" and the earlier single "Poker Face
" are comparable with the musical styles of first single "Just Dance" but added that "never once does it feel like Gaga is deliberately repeating herself; instead, her faults only come from covering territory that she’s obviously not prepared for." Freedom du Lac of The Washington Post
said that even though Gaga turns somewhat serious while disapprovingly singing "Paparazzi", the song comes across as flat and faceless as well as vapid. Erika Howard of the New Times Broward-Palm Beach
called it the most telling track from the album. Jon Caramanica of The New York Times
said that "'Paparazzi' is a love letter from camera to subject but stops short of admitting that the affection runs both ways. Any notion that Lady Gaga is sketching an elaborate stunt is stopped cold at the lyric sheet, a perverse flaunting of simplicity that betrays no cynicism whatsoever." Pitchfork Media
ranked 'Paparazzi' number 83 on their list of 2009's 100 best tracks.
In the United States, the song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100
at position seventy-four on the issue dated September 12, 2009. It reached a peak of six, becoming her fourth consecutive top-ten song on the chart. With the song, Gaga joined Christina Aguilera
, Beyoncé
, and Fergie as the only women this decade to collect four Hot 100 top-tens from a debut album. It also reached the top of Billboard's Pop Songs chart, thus making Gaga the first artist in the seventeen year history of Pop Songs chart to have her first four singles from a debut album reach the top of the chart. The song also topped the Hot Dance Club Songs chart. It has sold 3,126,000 paid digital downloads in the United States to date according to Nielsen Soundscan
. It is Gaga's third song to top the three-million mark. "Paparazzi" debuted on the Canadian Hot 100
at number ninety-two and moved up to fifty seven the following week becoming the weeks greatest digital gainer. The song has reached a peak of three on the chart.
"Paparazzi" debuted on the official Australian Singles Chart
at number seventy-three on the issue dated June 1, 2009 and leaped to twenty-seven the next week. The song has peaked at number two, giving Gaga her fourth top five single in Australia. The song was certified two-times platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA) for shipment of 140,000 copies. In New Zealand, "Paparazzi" debuted at number twenty-three on the issue of June 22, 2009 and reached a peak of five. The song was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
(RIANZ) after fourteen weeks on the chart, shipping over 7,500 copies.
The song debuted on the UK Singles Chart
at number ninety-nine in February 2009 due to digital downloads after the release of The Fame. It reached number thirteen for the issue dated June 21, 2009 after jumping from forty-three to this position from the last week. The next week the song further climbed to eight and ultimately peaked at four. The song also debuted at number thirty-eight on the Irish Singles Chart
and has peaked at number four. "Paparazzi" reached number one in Germany, making it her second chart-topper there. The song also debuted on the Dutch Top 40
at number twenty-seven on the issue dated July 18, 2009. It has peaked at number four on its sixth week on the chart. In Italy, the song debuted at number nineteen and then climbed to number three, becoming Gaga's second top three there.
, who has previously directed music videos for artists like The Smashing Pumpkins
, Madonna
, Moby
, Rammstein
, and U2
. His wife Bea Åkerlund was hired as Gaga's stylist for the video. Gaga told MTV
that she had finished shooting "[..] my video for 'Paparazzi,' which I really am very pleased with the way that turned out. It's like a short film." In an interview with The Canadian Press on May 26, 2009, Gaga cited her video as "the most amazing creative work that [she's] put together so far." She went on to describe the idea behind the video and the message it gives as,
The video was supposed to premiere on June 4, 2009, in the United Kingdom and Ireland, on Channel 4
. However, while touring in Australia, Gaga posted a message on her Twitter account on May 29, 2009 saying "Stop leaking my motherfucking videos", which referred to the video being released without the singer's consent.
as her boyfriend. It features a murderous plot line involving a doomed starlet who is constantly followed by photographers. The video opens with a shot of a seaside mansion, where Gaga and her boyfriend are shown lying on a bed talking in Swedish. They move to the balcony and start making out; however, when hidden photographers start taking pictures of them, Gaga realizes that her boyfriend has set the paparazzi to photograph her and tries to stop him. Her struggles nevertheless remain futile even when she punches him, and in a final frantic attempt at defense, she smashes a nearby bottle of liquor into his face. The enraged boyfriend throws her over the balcony. Gaga lies at the ground in her own blood as the photographers continue take pictures of her bloody body and tabloid headlines proclaim that her career is over. According to Rolling Stone
this scene pays homage to Alfred Hitchcock
's film Vertigo
.
Gaga is shown getting out of a limousine, being carried by male dancers to a wheelchair. It is during this scene, that the song starts. As the dancers gyrate around her, she starts walking down the carpet with the help of a pair of crutches while wearing a metallic bustier and a matching helmet. The metallic outfit is a reference to the film Metropolis. These scenes are interspersed with scenes of dead models lying around the mansion. We later learn that the dead housekeeper is actually the very same one that brings Lady Gaga and her "boyfriend" their coffee/tea, implying Gaga killed her next (and maybe the other girls?). Next Gaga is shown on a golden couch where she makes out with a trio of hair metal rockers during the line "Loving you is cherry pie". The trio, known as Snake of Eden, are from reality television dating program Daisy of Love
. According to MTV
this scene is a reference to the song "Cherry Pie
" by American glam band Warrant
. This sequence was dedicated to Gaga's initial days as a dancer at rock clubs. Right after that, the chorus starts again with Gaga wearing a white body suit and a black skirt on her right leg. The video continues through the intermediate bridge
with Gaga wearing a dress made up of film strips and a towering feathered Mohawk
headdress.
In the next scene, Gaga and her eye-patch wearing boyfriend are reading magazines on a sofa in a tea room. Gaga wears a yellow jumpsuit with circular glasses and shoulder pads. The Guardian
compared this look with that of Minnie Mouse
. She finally takes her revenge on her boyfriend by discreetly poisoning his drink with white powder concealed in her ring (like Lucrezia Borgia
is rumored to have had). As he falls dead, Gaga calls 9-1-1
and declares that she just killed her boyfriend. The police arrive at the mansion and arrest Gaga who, wearing a tall ice cream cone corkscrew wig, walks to the police car as the paparazzi surround her once again. Images flash by, with newspapers proclaiming her innocence and that Gaga is back in the spotlight and has regained her fame. The video ends with Gaga posing for mug shots like a fashion model while wearing a tulip shaped metallic dress similar to the single cover. The Daily Mail
compared this dress with a similar outfit worn by singer Beyoncé Knowles
on her I Am... Tour.
writer Daniel Kreps compared the video with the music video of "November Rain
." The scenes of the dead models were described as stomach turning while he complimented the video for "brimming with cinematic style [so] that it’s hard to take your eyes off it, though it will likely be labeled as a little self-indulgent." He also commented on the leaking of the video saying that it "warranted more than just a simple leak; it deserved a red carpet." Anna Pickard from The Guardian
complimented the video saying that "quite a lot of work has gone into it". However, she opined that the video was too long. Entertainment Weekly
gave a positive review of the video, saying it "gives us even more of the next-level cuckoo we’ve come to expect from the girl born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta." The paparazzi theme of the video was compared to Britney Spears
's 2004 video, "Everytime." Daily Mail
said of the video, "Lady GaGa certainly likes to make a statement, and her latest video is no exception." MTV News
called the video a "1940s romantic-epic-style video" that "proves once and for all that Gaga is a true original with a unique vision." The video was nominated for five VMAs
at the 2009
awards in the categories of Best Direction
, Best Editing
, Best Special Effects
, Best Cinematography
and Best Art Direction
. Along with four other nominations for "Poker Face
", she and Beyoncé
were tied for most nominations that year. The video won the award for Best Art Direction and Best Special Effects. The music video for Gaga's single "Telephone
" is a continuation of the "Paparazzi" music video, and is a short film as well. The video picks up right where "Paparazzi" left off; starting with Gaga in prison.
on February 14, 2009 as promotion for The Fame
. The song was performed at Capital Radio 95.8 FM in an acoustic piano version on May 1, 2009. On June 26, 2009, Gaga performed the song at the Glastonbury Festival
emerging from a silver case on stage. The song was a major part of Gaga’s performance in her first headlining Fame Ball tour
as the opening number of the setlist. The show started with a video intro called "The Heart" where Gaga played an alternate persona called Candy Warhol. She wore a silver and black short skirt like a tutu
and shaped like peplum
on both sides. She was surrounded by her dancers holding plates which were encrusted with crystals and completely hid them. The stage was surrounded by mechanical fog and heavy lighting was being emitted from the background.
It was also performed at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards
. The performance began with Gaga lying on the floor, on a set that was described as an ornate mansion. Gaga staggered across the stage and pirouetted behind a dancer in a lily-white wheelchair. She made her way to a white grand piano which she played by placing one foot up on the keyboard. Once again, she staggered across the stage, with theatrical blood dripping from her ribcage. She collapsed on the stage wailing in agony as one of the dancers gently lifted her. Gaga then hung liflessly with one hand rising above her dancers and blood smeared on her face with a golden halo being projected on the screen behind her. She later commented that the performance was for her fans: "I wanted to say something honest and real and not just give a performance where I was jacking off on stage the whole time about my record," [...] It was really for my fans, who I knew would be at home cheering and swooning." In a poll conducted by Billboard
, the performance was ranked as the third best in the history of MTV Video Music Awards
.
The song was performed by Gaga in a similar choreography at the thirty-fifth season
of American comedy show Saturday Night Live
. It was also present on the set list of Gaga's The Monster Ball Tour
. She wore multiple donned braided extensions and was perched atop a railing. From each of her braids, a dancer was attached on the stage. A backdrop of stars were shown during the performance. During the revised shows of The Monster Ball, Gaga changed the concept and the performance of the song. She wore an emerald green dress by Thierry Mugler, and was attacked by a giant, mechanical Angler fish. Gaga then removed the dress to reveal a leotard of the same color and during the bridge she is lowered beneath the stage to acquire her pyro-technic bra. In the final chorus of the song Gaga returns and kills the monster with the sparks from the bra .
Credits adapted from The Fame 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...
. It was released as the final single from her debut album The Fame
The Fame
The Fame is the debut studio album by American recording artist Lady Gaga. It was released on August 19, 2008 through Interscope Records. After joining Kon Live Distribution and Cherrytree Records in 2008, Gaga began working on the album with different producers, primarily RedOne, Martin...
(2008). Written by Rob Fusari
Rob Fusari
Rob Fusari is a record producer and songwriter, possibly best known for his work with American recording artist Lady Gaga.-Early life:Born and raised in Livingston, New Jersey, Fusari began studying classical piano at age eight, and became so skilled as a pianist, that he started performing in...
and Gaga, the song portrays Gaga's struggles in her quest for fame, as well as balancing success and love. Musically, it is an up-tempo dance song whose lyrics describe a stalker following somebody to grab attention and fame.
It was the album's third single in Ireland, Italy and the United Kingdom, the fourth in Canada and the United States and the fifth in Australia, France and New Zealand. Although released on July 6, 2009, in the United Kingdom and four days later in Australia, "LoveGame
LoveGame
"LoveGame" is an electropop song by American recording artist Lady Gaga from her debut album, The Fame . Produced by RedOne, the track was released as the album's third single in North America and Europe and the fourth single in Australia, New Zealand and Sweden after "Eh, Eh "...
" initially had been planned as the third single release in the United Kingdom but deeming its lyrics and music video potentially controversial, it was decided that "Paparazzi" would be released instead. "Paparazzi" was critically acclaimed for its fun-filled, club-friendly nature while and also became commercially successful when it reached top-ten positions in the music charts of Australia, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States while reaching number one in the Czech Republic and Germany.
The accompanying music video portrays Gaga as a doomed starlet, hounded by photographers, who is almost killed by her boyfriend. It shows her survival, comeback, revenge on her boyfriend, and experiences on the way to fame. The video won two MTV Video Music Awards in 2009 for Best Art Direction
MTV Video Music Award for Best Art Direction
The following is a list of MTV Video Music Award winners for Best Art Direction in a Video. The Red Hot Chili Peppers are the biggest winners in this category with three wins in 1992, 2000, and 2006....
and Best Special Effects
MTV Video Music Award for Best Special Effects
The following is a list of MTV Video Music Awards winners for Best Special Effects in a Video....
. Gaga also performed the song at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards
2009 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards took place on September 13, 2009, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, honoring the best music videos from June 19, 2008, to June 29, 2009. Comedian Russell Brand hosted the event for the second time in a row. The awards were held a few months after Michael...
in a performance art piece symbolizing the negative effect of fame leading to death. Additional live performances of the song include on The Fame Ball Tour
The Fame Ball Tour
The Fame Ball Tour was the debut concert tour by American recording artist Lady Gaga, in support of her debut studio album, The Fame . North American shows began in March, followed by dates in Oceania and a solo trek through Europe. Dates in Asia soon followed, as well as two performances at...
, where it was the opening song, on an October 2009 episode of Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
and on The Monster Ball Tour
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...
. On the first leg of the tour, she appeared as a Rapunzel-like character; from the second leg onwards, she performed the song alongside a giant anglerfish
Anglerfish
Anglerfishes are members of the teleost order Lophiiformes . They are bony fishes named for their characteristic mode of predation, wherein a fleshy growth from the fish's head acts as a lure; this is considered analogous to angling.Some anglerfishes are pelagic , while others are benthic...
("The Fame Monster") who, attempting to devour her, was killed after her leotard
Leotard
A leotard is a skin-tight one-piece garment that covers the torso but leaves the legs free. It was made famous by the French acrobatic performer Jules Léotard ....
shot sparks into the creature.
Writing and inspiration
When Ron Slomowicz from About.comAbout.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
referred to different interpretations of the single, Gaga responded:
Well I'm so glad there are a few different interpretations, that was the idea. The song is about a few different things – it's about my struggles, do I want fame or do I want love? It's also about wooing the paparazzi to fall in love with me. It's about the media whoring, if you will, watching ersatzes make fools of themselves to their station. It's a love song for the cameras, but it's also a love song about fame or love – can you have both, or can you only have one?
To the Australian Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph (Australia)
The Daily Telegraph is an Australian tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, by Nationwide News, part of News Corporation.The Tele, as it is also known, was founded in 1879. From 1936 to 1972, it was owned by Frank Packer's Australian Consolidated Press. That year it was sold to...
, Gaga explained that the song was also about struggling to balance success and love. Bill Lamb from About.com concurred that "the song is a tribute of sorts to the symbiotic but ultimately fake and 'plastic' relationship between stars and their trailing paparazzi [...] who, for better or worse, are there to document and, in a sense, create the stardom."
Composition
"Paparazzi" has a similar up-tempo composition to the previous singles "Just Dance" and "Poker FacePoker Face (Lady Gaga song)
"Poker Face" is a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga from her debut album, The Fame. Produced by RedOne, it was released as the album's second single in late 2008 for some markets and in early 2009 for the rest of the world...
" and carries a sultry beat. The song has a moderate electro-synth groove and is in the key of C minor
C minor
C minor is a minor scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. The harmonic minor raises the B to B. Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with naturals and accidentals as necessary.Its key signature consists of three flats...
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 115 beats per minute. It is set in 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...
, and Gaga's vocal range spans from a low-note of G3 to the high-note of E5. The verses follow in the chord progression of Cm–A–Cm and the chorus uses an A–E–Fm–D progression. According to Bill Lamb of About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
, Gaga's voice is heard above these beats, seductively as if enticing the listener to the complex world of stardom. "Paparazzi" is based on slightly langorous synth textures and incorporates percussion to convey the emotions. Emotions lying in the composition range from sexual desire, dread, and resigned acknowledgment to an insistence to have fun. The lyrics of "Paparazzi" deal with stalking and the trappings of fame.
Critical reception
The song has been critically acclaimed by music critics. In 2011, Rolling StoneRolling 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 the second greatest Lady Gaga song ever, praising the song's theme and beat. Jill Menze of 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...
, while reviewing The Fame Ball Tour
The Fame Ball Tour
The Fame Ball Tour was the debut concert tour by American recording artist Lady Gaga, in support of her debut studio album, The Fame . North American shows began in March, followed by dates in Oceania and a solo trek through Europe. Dates in Asia soon followed, as well as two performances at...
, complimented Gaga's vocals on the song by saying, "The fame-obsessed ballad 'Paparazzi' showed how adept she can be with her range." Alexis Petridis
Alexis Petridis
Alexis Petridis is a British journalist, head rock and pop critic for UK newspaper The Guardian, as well as a regular and contributor to the magazine GQ.Petridis began his career writing for Varsity whilst a student at the University of Cambridge...
of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
said that, "You may quickly tire of hearing the album's theme constantly reiterated, but the tune of 'Paparazzi' takes up residence in your brain and refuses to budge." Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
of Allmusic, called the song clever and said that it "functions simultaneously as glorious pop trash and a wicked parody of it." Ben Norman of About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
said that the song was one of his favorite three of the album and that it was amazing. Priya Elan of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
thought that "even the trio of songs that provides the core of the album's celebrity theme ('Paparazzi', 'Beautiful Dirty Rich' and the title track) don't ruminate on the addictive inanity of fame, choosing instead to observe passively." Bill Lamb from About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
felt that the song was Gaga's top artistic achievement. He went on to list the symbiotic star and paparazzi relationship, the emotion behind the words and music, and the insistent vocals by Gaga as the pros of the song.
Evan Sawdey of PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
said that both "Paparazzi" and the earlier single "Poker Face
Poker Face (Lady Gaga song)
"Poker Face" is a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga from her debut album, The Fame. Produced by RedOne, it was released as the album's second single in late 2008 for some markets and in early 2009 for the rest of the world...
" are comparable with the musical styles of first single "Just Dance" but added that "never once does it feel like Gaga is deliberately repeating herself; instead, her faults only come from covering territory that she’s obviously not prepared for." Freedom du Lac of The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
said that even though Gaga turns somewhat serious while disapprovingly singing "Paparazzi", the song comes across as flat and faceless as well as vapid. Erika Howard of the New Times Broward-Palm Beach
New Times Broward-Palm Beach
New Times Broward-Palm Beach is an alternative weekly newspaper; it is part of the Village Voice Media chain. The paper split off from the Miami New Times in 1997, under the auspices of then editor-in-chief Tom Walsh. Walsh was succeeded by Chuck Strouse, who was replaced in 2005 with Tony Ortega...
called it the most telling track from the album. Jon Caramanica of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
said that "'Paparazzi' is a love letter from camera to subject but stops short of admitting that the affection runs both ways. Any notion that Lady Gaga is sketching an elaborate stunt is stopped cold at the lyric sheet, a perverse flaunting of simplicity that betrays no cynicism whatsoever." Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
ranked 'Paparazzi' number 83 on their list of 2009's 100 best tracks.
Chart performance
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 position seventy-four on the issue dated September 12, 2009. It reached a peak of six, becoming her fourth consecutive top-ten song on the chart. With the song, Gaga joined Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
, Beyoncé
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
, and Fergie as the only women this decade to collect four Hot 100 top-tens from a debut album. It also reached the top of Billboard's Pop Songs chart, thus making Gaga the first artist in the seventeen year history of Pop Songs chart to have her first four singles from a debut album reach the top of the chart. The song also topped the Hot Dance Club Songs chart. It has sold 3,126,000 paid digital downloads in the United States to date 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...
. It is Gaga's third song to top the three-million mark. "Paparazzi" debuted on 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 ninety-two and moved up to fifty seven the following week becoming the weeks greatest digital gainer. The song has reached a peak of three on the chart.
"Paparazzi" debuted on the official 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...
at number seventy-three on the issue dated June 1, 2009 and leaped to twenty-seven the next week. The song has peaked at number two, giving Gaga her fourth top five single in Australia. The song was certified two-times platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA) for shipment of 140,000 copies. In New Zealand, "Paparazzi" debuted at number twenty-three on the issue of June 22, 2009 and reached a peak of five. The song was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand...
(RIANZ) after fourteen weeks on the chart, shipping over 7,500 copies.
The song debuted on the 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 ...
at number ninety-nine in February 2009 due to digital downloads after the release of The Fame. It reached number thirteen for the issue dated June 21, 2009 after jumping from forty-three to this position from the last week. The next week the song further climbed to eight and ultimately peaked at four. The song also debuted at number thirty-eight 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...
and has peaked at number four. "Paparazzi" reached number one in Germany, making it her second chart-topper there. The song also debuted on the Dutch Top 40
Dutch Top 40
The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting...
at number twenty-seven on the issue dated July 18, 2009. It has peaked at number four on its sixth week on the chart. In Italy, the song debuted at number nineteen and then climbed to number three, becoming Gaga's second top three there.
Development
The music video was directed by Swedish director, Jonas ÅkerlundJonas Åkerlund
Jonas Åkerlund is a Swedish film and music video director, and drummer. He is best known for directing music videos, which are often mock forms of movie trailers and short films...
, who has previously directed music videos for artists like The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. Formed by Billy Corgan frontman and James Iha , the band has included Jimmy Chamberlin , D'arcy Wretzky , and currently includes Jeff Schroeder Mike Byrne , and Nicole Fiorentino The Smashing...
, Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, Moby
Moby
Richard Melville Hall , better known by his stage name Moby, is an American musician, DJ, and photographer. He is known mainly for his sample-based electronic music and his outspoken liberal political views, including his support of veganism and animal rights.Moby gained attention in the early...
, Rammstein
Rammstein
Rammstein is a German Neue Deutsche Härte band from Berlin, formed in 1994. The band consists of members Till Lindemann , Richard Z. Kruspe , Paul H. Landers , Oliver "Ollie" Riedel , Christoph "Doom" Schneider and Christian "Flake" Lorenz...
, and U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
. His wife Bea Åkerlund was hired as Gaga's stylist for the video. Gaga told 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....
that she had finished shooting "[..] my video for 'Paparazzi,' which I really am very pleased with the way that turned out. It's like a short film." In an interview with The Canadian Press on May 26, 2009, Gaga cited her video as "the most amazing creative work that [she's] put together so far." She went on to describe the idea behind the video and the message it gives as,
"It has a real, genuine, powerful message about fame-whoring and death and the demise of the celebrity, and what that does to young people. The video explores ideas about sort of hyperbolic situations that people will go to in order to be famous. Most specifically, pornography and murder. These are some of the major themes in the video.
The video was supposed to premiere on June 4, 2009, in the United Kingdom and Ireland, on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
. However, while touring in Australia, Gaga posted a message on her Twitter account on May 29, 2009 saying "Stop leaking my motherfucking videos", which referred to the video being released without the singer's consent.
Synopsis
The music video is an eight minute mini-movie starring Gaga and Swedish actor Alexander SkarsgårdAlexander Skarsgård
Alexander Johan Hjalmar Skarsgård is a Swedish actor. He is best known for his roles as vampire Eric Northman on the HBO series True Blood, Meekus in Zoolander and Brad Colbert in the HBO miniseries Generation Kill.-Early life:...
as her boyfriend. It features a murderous plot line involving a doomed starlet who is constantly followed by photographers. The video opens with a shot of a seaside mansion, where Gaga and her boyfriend are shown lying on a bed talking in Swedish. They move to the balcony and start making out; however, when hidden photographers start taking pictures of them, Gaga realizes that her boyfriend has set the paparazzi to photograph her and tries to stop him. Her struggles nevertheless remain futile even when she punches him, and in a final frantic attempt at defense, she smashes a nearby bottle of liquor into his face. The enraged boyfriend throws her over the balcony. Gaga lies at the ground in her own blood as the photographers continue take pictures of her bloody body and tabloid headlines proclaim that her career is over. According 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...
this scene pays homage to Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
's film Vertigo
Vertigo (film)
Vertigo is a 1958 psychological thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring James Stewart, Kim Novak, and Barbara Bel Geddes. The screenplay was written by Alec Coppel and Samuel A...
.
Gaga is shown getting out of a limousine, being carried by male dancers to a wheelchair. It is during this scene, that the song starts. As the dancers gyrate around her, she starts walking down the carpet with the help of a pair of crutches while wearing a metallic bustier and a matching helmet. The metallic outfit is a reference to the film Metropolis. These scenes are interspersed with scenes of dead models lying around the mansion. We later learn that the dead housekeeper is actually the very same one that brings Lady Gaga and her "boyfriend" their coffee/tea, implying Gaga killed her next (and maybe the other girls?). Next Gaga is shown on a golden couch where she makes out with a trio of hair metal rockers during the line "Loving you is cherry pie". The trio, known as Snake of Eden, are from reality television dating program Daisy of Love
Daisy of Love
thumb|right|Daisy de la Hoya attending the premiere of VH1's "Daisy of Love" at My House, Hollywood, CA on April 26, 2009Daisy of Love is a reality television dating show which stars Daisy de la Hoya, the runner-up of the VH1 reality dating show Rock of Love 2...
. According to 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....
this scene is a reference to the song "Cherry Pie
Cherry Pie (album)
Cherry Pie is the second music album by American heavy metal band Warrant. The record—which spawned the hits "Cherry Pie", "Uncle Tom's Cabin", and "I Saw Red"—is the band's best-known and highest-selling release. The album peaked at number 7 on The Billboard 200.- Production and marketing :Cherry...
" by American glam band Warrant
Warrant (American band)
Warrant is an American heavy metal band from Hollywood, California, that experienced success from 1989-1996 with five albums reaching international sales of over 10 million. The band first came into the national spotlight with their debut album Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich, and one of its...
. This sequence was dedicated to Gaga's initial days as a dancer at rock clubs. Right after that, the chorus starts again with Gaga wearing a white body suit and a black skirt on her right leg. The video continues through the intermediate bridge
Bridge (music)
In music, especially western popular music, a bridge is a contrasting section which also prepares for the return of the original material section...
with Gaga wearing a dress made up of film strips and a towering feathered Mohawk
Mohawk nation
Mohawk are the most easterly tribe of the Iroquois confederation. They call themselves Kanien'gehaga, people of the place of the flint...
headdress.
In the next scene, Gaga and her eye-patch wearing boyfriend are reading magazines on a sofa in a tea room. Gaga wears a yellow jumpsuit with circular glasses and shoulder pads. The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
compared this look with that of Minnie Mouse
Minnie Mouse
Minerva "Minnie" Mouse is an animated character created by Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney. The comic strip story "The Gleam" by Merrill De Maris and Floyd Gottfredson first gave her full name as Minerva Mouse. Minnie has since been a recurring alias for her. Minnie is currently voiced by actress Russi...
. She finally takes her revenge on her boyfriend by discreetly poisoning his drink with white powder concealed in her ring (like Lucrezia Borgia
Lucrezia Borgia
Lucrezia Borgia [luˈkrɛtsia ˈbɔrʤa] was the illegitimate daughter of Rodrigo Borgia, the powerful Renaissance Valencian who later became Pope Alexander VI, and Vannozza dei Cattanei. Her brothers included Cesare Borgia, Giovanni Borgia, and Gioffre Borgia...
is rumored to have had). As he falls dead, Gaga calls 9-1-1
9-1-1
9-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
and declares that she just killed her boyfriend. The police arrive at the mansion and arrest Gaga who, wearing a tall ice cream cone corkscrew wig, walks to the police car as the paparazzi surround her once again. Images flash by, with newspapers proclaiming her innocence and that Gaga is back in the spotlight and has regained her fame. The video ends with Gaga posing for mug shots like a fashion model while wearing a tulip shaped metallic dress similar to the single cover. The Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
compared this dress with a similar outfit worn by singer Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
on her I Am... Tour.
Reception
Rolling StoneRolling 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...
writer Daniel Kreps compared the video with the music video of "November Rain
November Rain
"November Rain" is a song by American rock band Guns N' Roses, written by lead singer Axl Rose and released as a single in June 1992. It appears on the album Use Your Illusion I. The music video for this song was also released in 1992, and won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Cinematography...
." The scenes of the dead models were described as stomach turning while he complimented the video for "brimming with cinematic style [so] that it’s hard to take your eyes off it, though it will likely be labeled as a little self-indulgent." He also commented on the leaking of the video saying that it "warranted more than just a simple leak; it deserved a red carpet." Anna Pickard from The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
complimented the video saying that "quite a lot of work has gone into it". However, she opined that the video was too long. 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...
gave a positive review of the video, saying it "gives us even more of the next-level cuckoo we’ve come to expect from the girl born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta." The paparazzi theme of the video was compared to Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
's 2004 video, "Everytime." Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
said of the video, "Lady GaGa certainly likes to make a statement, and her latest video is no exception." MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
called the video a "1940s romantic-epic-style video" that "proves once and for all that Gaga is a true original with a unique vision." The video was nominated for five VMAs
MTV Video Music Awards
An MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
at the 2009
2009 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards took place on September 13, 2009, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, honoring the best music videos from June 19, 2008, to June 29, 2009. Comedian Russell Brand hosted the event for the second time in a row. The awards were held a few months after Michael...
awards in the categories of Best Direction
MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction
The following is a list of MTV Video Music Awards winners for Best Direction in a Video. In 2007, the award was briefly renamed Best Director, but it returned to its original name for the 2008 awards....
, Best Editing
MTV Video Music Award for Best Editing
The following is a list of MTV Video Music Awards winners for Best Editing in a Video. Five artists are tied for the record of biggest winner in this category, each having won the award twice: Peter Gabriel, R.E.M., Madonna, The White Stripes, and Gnarls Barkley. The latter two, in fact, won...
, Best Special Effects
MTV Video Music Award for Best Special Effects
The following is a list of MTV Video Music Awards winners for Best Special Effects in a Video....
, Best Cinematography
MTV Video Music Award for Best Cinematography
The following is a list of MTV Video Music Award winners for Best Cinematography in a Video. Madonna is the biggest Winner in this category with 3 wins....
and Best Art Direction
MTV Video Music Award for Best Art Direction
The following is a list of MTV Video Music Award winners for Best Art Direction in a Video. The Red Hot Chili Peppers are the biggest winners in this category with three wins in 1992, 2000, and 2006....
. Along with four other nominations for "Poker Face
Poker Face (Lady Gaga song)
"Poker Face" is a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga from her debut album, The Fame. Produced by RedOne, it was released as the album's second single in late 2008 for some markets and in early 2009 for the rest of the world...
", she and Beyoncé
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
were tied for most nominations that year. The video won the award for Best Art Direction and Best Special Effects. The music video for Gaga's single "Telephone
Telephone (song)
"Telephone" is a song written and performed by Lady Gaga. It was released from her third extended play and second major release The Fame Monster . The song, featuring American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles, was written by Gaga and Rodney Jerkins...
" is a continuation of the "Paparazzi" music video, and is a short film as well. The video picks up right where "Paparazzi" left off; starting with Gaga in prison.
Live performances
Gaga performed "Paparazzi" live on the UK program, The Album Chart ShowThe Album Chart Show
The Album Chart Show is a British television programme shown on Channel 4 that showcases the biggest and best album releases from the UK Top 100 Album Chart. It also gives up-and-coming talent a chance to make their mark on a 1000 strong audience by performing live...
on February 14, 2009 as promotion for The Fame
The Fame
The Fame is the debut studio album by American recording artist Lady Gaga. It was released on August 19, 2008 through Interscope Records. After joining Kon Live Distribution and Cherrytree Records in 2008, Gaga began working on the album with different producers, primarily RedOne, Martin...
. The song was performed at Capital Radio 95.8 FM in an acoustic piano version on May 1, 2009. On June 26, 2009, Gaga performed the song at the Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
emerging from a silver case on stage. The song was a major part of Gaga’s performance in her first headlining Fame Ball tour
The Fame Ball Tour
The Fame Ball Tour was the debut concert tour by American recording artist Lady Gaga, in support of her debut studio album, The Fame . North American shows began in March, followed by dates in Oceania and a solo trek through Europe. Dates in Asia soon followed, as well as two performances at...
as the opening number of the setlist. The show started with a video intro called "The Heart" where Gaga played an alternate persona called Candy Warhol. She wore a silver and black short skirt like a tutu
Ballet tutu
A tutu is a skirt worn as a costume in a ballet performance, often with attached bodice. It might be single layer, hanging down, or multiple layers starched and jutting out.There are several types of ballet tutu:...
and shaped like peplum
Peplos
A peplos is a body-lengthGreek garment worn by women before 500 BC. The peplos is a tubular cloth folded inside-out from the top about halfway down, altering what was the top of the tube to the waist and the bottom of the tube to ankle-length. The garment is then gathered about the waist and the...
on both sides. She was surrounded by her dancers holding plates which were encrusted with crystals and completely hid them. The stage was surrounded by mechanical fog and heavy lighting was being emitted from the background.
It was also performed at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards
2009 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards took place on September 13, 2009, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, honoring the best music videos from June 19, 2008, to June 29, 2009. Comedian Russell Brand hosted the event for the second time in a row. The awards were held a few months after Michael...
. The performance began with Gaga lying on the floor, on a set that was described as an ornate mansion. Gaga staggered across the stage and pirouetted behind a dancer in a lily-white wheelchair. She made her way to a white grand piano which she played by placing one foot up on the keyboard. Once again, she staggered across the stage, with theatrical blood dripping from her ribcage. She collapsed on the stage wailing in agony as one of the dancers gently lifted her. Gaga then hung liflessly with one hand rising above her dancers and blood smeared on her face with a golden halo being projected on the screen behind her. She later commented that the performance was for her fans: "I wanted to say something honest and real and not just give a performance where I was jacking off on stage the whole time about my record," [...] It was really for my fans, who I knew would be at home cheering and swooning." In a poll conducted by 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...
, the performance was ranked as the third best in the history of MTV Video Music Awards
MTV Video Music Awards
An MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
.
The song was performed by Gaga in a similar choreography at the thirty-fifth season
Saturday Night Live (season 35)
Saturday Night Live aired its thirty-fifth season during the 2009-2010 television season on NBC. This season began on September 26, 2009 and ended on May 15, 2010....
of American comedy show Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
. It was also present on the set list of Gaga's The Monster Ball Tour
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...
. She wore multiple donned braided extensions and was perched atop a railing. From each of her braids, a dancer was attached on the stage. A backdrop of stars were shown during the performance. During the revised shows of The Monster Ball, Gaga changed the concept and the performance of the song. She wore an emerald green dress by Thierry Mugler, and was attacked by a giant, mechanical Angler fish. Gaga then removed the dress to reveal a leotard of the same color and during the bridge she is lowered beneath the stage to acquire her pyro-technic bra. In the final chorus of the song Gaga returns and kills the monster with the sparks from the bra .
Track listing
- UK & Australian CD single
- "Paparazzi" (Album Version) – 3:28
- "Paparazzi" (Filthy Dukes Remix) – 5:21
- Canadian & Australian iTunes remix EP
- "Paparazzi" (Stuart Price Remix) – 3:19
- "Paparazzi" (Moto BlancoMoto BlancoMoto Blanco is an English DJ and electronic music duo consisting of Danny Harrison and Arthur Smith.They are also regularly joined by british record producer Jon Cohen.-History:...
Edit) – 4:05 - "Paparazzi" (Filthy Dukes Club Mix) – 5:21
- "Paparazzi" (James Carameta Tabloid Club Edit) – 4:27
- UK & Ireland iTunes remix EP
- "Paparazzi" – 3:27
- "Paparazzi" (Filthy Dukes Club Mix) – 5:21
- "Paparazzi" (Moto Blanco Edit) – 4:05
- "Paparazzi" (Stuart Price Remix) – 3:19
- "Paparazzi" (Yuksek Remix) – 4:47
- US iTunes Remix EP
- "Paparazzi" (Demolition Crew Remix) – 3:55
- "Paparazzi" (Moto Blanco Edit) – 4:05
- "Paparazzi" (Stuart Price Remix) – 3:19
- "Paparazzi" (Filthy Dukes Club Mix) – 5:21
- US 'The Remixes' CD single
- "Paparazzi" (Demolition Crew Remix) – 3:55
- "Paparazzi" (Moto Blanco Edit) – 4:05
- "Paparazzi" (Stuart Price Remix) – 3:19
- "Paparazzi" (Filthy Dukes Club Mix) – 5:21
- "Paparazzi" (James Camareta Tabloid Club Edit) – 4:27
- "Paparazzi" (Album Version) – 3:29
- "Paparazzi" (Instrumental Version) – 3:29
- French and German iTunes Remix EP/Germany 'The Remixes' CD single
- "Paparazzi" (Moto Blanco Edit) – 4:05
- "Paparazzi" (Moto Blanco Bostic Dub) – 6:42
- "Paparazzi" (Demolition Crew Remix) – 3:55
- "Paparazzi" (Stuart Price Remix) – 3:19
- "Paparazzi" (Filthy Dukes Club Mix) – 5:21
- "Paparazzi" (Yuksek Remix) – 4:47
- "Paparazzi" (James Camareta Tabloid Club Edit) – 4:27
- "Paparazzi" (Radio Edit) – 3:28
- US iTunes Remix EP #2
- "Paparazzi" (Chew Fu Ghettohouse Radio Edit) – 3:39
- "Paparazzi" (Yuksek Remix) – 4:47
- "Paparazzi" (James Camareta Tabloid Club Edit) – 4:27
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, songwriting, co-productionRecord 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...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones... - Rob FusariRob FusariRob Fusari is a record producer and songwriter, possibly best known for his work with American recording artist Lady Gaga.-Early life:Born and raised in Livingston, New Jersey, Fusari began studying classical piano at age eight, and became so skilled as a pianist, that he started performing in...
- songwriting, production - Calvin "Sci-Fidelty" Gaines - programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
- Robert Orton - 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...
- 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.... - Recorded at 150 Studios, Parsippany-Troy Hills, New JerseyParsippany-Troy Hills, New JerseyParsippany-Troy Hills Township, commonly called Parsippany, is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township population was 50,649. The name Parsippany comes from the Lenape Native American word parsipanong, which means "the place where...
Credits adapted from The Fame album liner notes.
Charts
| Chart (2009) | 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... |
2 |
| Austrian Singles Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
3 |
| 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) |
7 |
| 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) |
6 |
| Brazilian Hot 100 Airplay | 18 |
| 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... |
3 |
| Czech Airplay Chart Rádio Top 100 Oficiální Rádio Top 100 Oficiální is the name of the Czech national airplay chart published by the IFPI Czech Republic on a weekly basis.Besides the main Top 100 record chart, also two component charts are effective. While the Rádio CZ 50 Oficiální features songs released exclusively by Czech and/or Slovak... |
1 |
| 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... |
12 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
4 |
| European Hot 100 Singles | 3 |
| Finnish Singles Chart | 9 |
| 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... |
6 |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
1 |
| Hungarian Airplay Chart Mahasz Mahasz is the Hungarian music industry association, founded in 1992. Mahasz hands out the Hungarian Music Awards and maintains the music charts for Hungary.... |
10 |
| 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... |
4 |
| 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.... |
3 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
5 |
| Slovak Airplay Chart Rádio Top 100 Oficiálna Rádio Top 100 Oficiálna is the name of the Slovakian national airplay chart published by the IFPI Czech Republic on a weekly basis since the cancellation of the Slovakian national section on December 31, 2009.... |
5 |
| Spanish Singles Chart | 46 |
| Swedish Singles Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
22 |
| Swiss Singles Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
4 |
| 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 ... |
4 |
| 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... |
6 |
| US Adult Contemporary | 15 |
| US Hot Dance Club Songs | 1 |
| US Pop Songs Mainstream Top 40 (Pop Songs) The Mainstream Top 40 is an airplay chart from Billboard magazine, and is also known as Pop Songs on billboard.com. It was often mistaken for and confused with the now discontinued Pop 100 Airplay chart... |
1 |
Decade-end charts
| Decade-end chart (2000–09) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 78 |
Certifications
| Country | Certifications |
|---|---|
| Australia Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... |
2× Platinum |
| Germany Bundesverband Musikindustrie The Bundesverband Musikindustrie or simply BVMI represents the music industry in Germany. The association represents the interests of nearly 350 labels and music industry related enterprises.... |
Gold |
| Italy 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.... |
Gold |
| New Zealand Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
Gold |
| Switzerland | Gold |
| United Kingdom British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
Gold |
| United States Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... |
3× Platinum |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 12 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 21 |
| Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders) | 74 |
| Belgian Singles Chart (Wallonia) | 59 |
| Canadian Hot 100 | 18 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 31 |
| European Hot 100 Singles | 34 |
| French Singles Chart | 92 |
| German Singles Chart | 23 |
| Hungarian Airplay Chart | 49 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 24 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 41 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 29 |
| UK Singles Chart | 18 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 53 |
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
| European Hot 100 Singles | 45 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 64 |
| US Adult Contemporary | 38 |
Chart procession and succession
Award procession and successionRelease history
| Region | Date |
|---|---|
| Ireland | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Australia | |
| Italy | |
| United States | |
| Germany | September 11, 2009 |
| France | December 7, 2009 |
External links
- Lady Gaga "Paparazzi" music video MTVMTVMTV, 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....