Lady Gaga’s “Fame Monster” Leaves Us “Speechless”

A Track-by-Track of Gaga’s Newest Album

Lady Gaga’s new album, “The Fame Monster,” has the pop icon delving into her inner “monsters:” that which she fears the most, and that which she has discovered about herself while travelling across Eastern Europe after the release of her breakout album, “The Fame.” An anemic eight tracks in length, Gaga’s sophomore effort, which has already sold over 350,000 copies since its debut last week, pulls no punches, giving us some creative, catchy, and occasionally creepy tunes. With roots in electronic dance music akin to what you would hear in nightclubs across the pond, “The Fame Monster” gives us a fiery and fascinating blend of tracks that are as vibrant as they are vicious. Let’s dissect this monster:

“Bad Romance” – The first hit single off the new album, “Bad Romance” is tearing up the charts, dominating iTunes digital sales and Billboard’s Hot 100 alike. And with good reason – the grabbing hook, firm beat, and eclectic structure make it arguably one of the most catchy and creative pop songs of the year. Apparently a song about her fear of love, many have called it a reinvented “Poker Face.” But while slightly less danceable than Lady Gaga’s second single, “Bad Romance” will take you to a place where chaos, fury, and music collide; with lines like “Want you in my rear window, baby, you’re sick,” “Bad Romance” will have you bearing your claws à la the music video, which is incidentally also topping the iTunes charts. No promises that you’ll be kidnapped by Russian supermodels, though.


“Alejandro” – If you had any doubt in your mind that these songs were, in fact, inspired by and written in Eastern Europe, then look no further than the beauty that is “Alejandro.” Beginning with a soft violin solo while Lady Gaga laments that she “can’t be like this with you anymore,” the song explodes into something so awesome and catchy that adjectives escape me. Gaga delivers here what could very well be the lovechild of an Italian aria and a far-eastern dance smash. This is one of those songs you have to experience to believe. There’s a line that go

es “She’s not broken, she’s just a baby; but her boyfriend’s like a dad, just like a dad.” It’s just magical.

“Monster” –Clearly about her fear of sex, Gaga tells a “wolf-in-disguise” to “get your paws right off of me” in one of the best dance tracks on the album. Some have complained about the pauses in the pre-chorus caused by censoring the f-word in the lyric (Gaga says in interviews that she did this intentionally to avoid having the “Explicit” sticker on her album) but as soon as the chorus – a few drawn out “that boy is a monster”s followed by chants of “he ate my heart” – kicks in, that slight annoyance gives way to head-banging hysteria. The title track is one of the most cohesive songs on the album: everything, from the electronic glitzes in the background to the heavy beat and the light vocals, fits together perfectly.

“Speechless” – After getting used to dance track after dance track, Gaga throws us for a loop with a pop-rock, Beatles/Queen-inspired ballad. Sure to be the type of song that causes concert-goers to instinctively whip out their lighters, “Speechless” is a stunningly beautiful song for someone from whom we’ve come to expect rough beats and callous themes. Written for her father to convince him to undergo life-saving surgery, and about her fear of death in general, Gaga offers superior vocals that would make Britney wince and Fergie quake. Best line of the album: “Raise a glass to mend all the broken hearts of all my wrecked-up friends.”

“Dance in the Dark” – This is an anthem. My personal favorite song on the album, “Dance in the Dark” belongs both in a crowded East-German haunt and a sold-out stadium tour. From the horrifying opening (“Silicone, saline, poison, inject me”) to the “Vogue”-inspired bridge (“Marilyn [Monroe], Judy [Garland], Sylvia [Plath], tell ‘em how you feel, girls”), this song is just inexplicably amazing. And it doesn’t hurt that the chorus is blood-chillingly catchy. As one of my good friends put it, “I think I could appreciate this song mosttrashed at a frat party in the dark with flashing lights and general chaos. And on a stage. Obvi.” I couldn’t have said it better myself.

“Telephone [feat. Beyonce]” – You didn’t read that wrong. There is really, truly, a collaboration between Gaga and Beyonce on this album. Dreams do come true. And even better, it’s relatable for our age group: writing about her fear of suffocation, Gaga sings to her suitor, “I cannot text you with a drink in my hand.” This song was made to be a single: there are something like three different choruses, each one catchier than the next, and when Beyonce comes on, Gaga lets her do her thing, which is just to be her typical hardcore, ultra-talented self. There is also a harp. Need I say more? Pre-game to this song. Trust me.

“So Happy I Could Die” – This song intrigues me. It might be because of the lackadaisical, almost dream-like style in which it is performed. It might be because of the numerous references to touching herself. Or it might be because the chorus sounds eerily like Natasha Bedingfield’s “Pocketful of Sunshine,” to the extent that people have already posted YouTube videos comparing the two. Well, while props may have to go to Bedingfield for the melody, the better song is Gaga’s. About her fear of alcohol, this track just sounds like 3am on a Saturday morning; “So Happy I Could Die” perfectly captures that out-of-it, slightly-regretting-the-past-few-hours feeling. You know exactly what I’m talking about.

“Teeth” – My friend and I can’t agree on whether this song is a tribute to Bollywood, or if it harks back to a time when cowboys would gather around the campfire and stomp out a beat. And I think this juxtaposition perfectly describes the dramatic, atypical elements of “Teeth.” Daring you to “take a bite of my bad girl meat, show me your teeth,” Gaga chants, riffs, and grumbles her way through a song that, while not the strongest on the album, has an uncanny ability to make you move. Fairly different from the songs that precede it (although this could arguably be said about half of the songs on the album), “Teeth” proves that Gaga will unapologetically go anywhere – and we’re happy to follow.

With eight tracks that tackle different themes in different ways, “The Fame Monster” shows us that Lady Gaga is a force to be reckoned with, and one that will always keep us on our toes. Each song is a hit if you open your mind to something a bit different. And with Lady Gaga being the rising star that she is, embracing that which is new and exciting seems to be the way of the future of pop music. I for one can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.