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Discussion: Pop Queens Showdown ▲ Thank you everyone!
ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 30,842
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Quote:
Originally posted by Johnny Mac
Can people actually listen to Ring The Alarm and be like, "this doesn't really deserve a 10"
Like, I can't fathom.
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Ready for your essay then!
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Member Since: 3/14/2013
Posts: 7,669
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Lemme do this.
"UpGOD U" better go Top 10!
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 4/3/2014
Posts: 18,319
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Member Since: 8/31/2013
Posts: 12,948
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Quote:
Originally posted by Johnny Mac
Can people actually listen to Ring The Alarm and be like, "this doesn't really deserve a 10"
Like, I can't fathom.
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My mind is like "this is a very good song but nothing impressive, a 8-9 is deserved"
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Member Since: 8/28/2012
Posts: 34,863
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I referred to 83 people. Please change my 11 to 94/10.
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Member Since: 2/4/2014
Posts: 14,672
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Quote:
Originally posted by Prismatic
Even the GGGB fillers got some 11s, I don't think you'll have to worry.
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This isn't about Rehab, is it?
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 30,842
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Quote:
Originally posted by Mark Rih
This isn't about Rehab, is it?
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I said GGGB fillers, not the saving grace of the album.
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 30,842
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Quote:
Originally posted by Almighty Gaga
I referred to 83 people. Please change my 11 to 94/10.
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Change your 11 to So Happy I Could Die first.
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Originally posted by complexion
When does this start
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Deadline: August 31, 11pm EST
Results reveal #1 (#47-#41): September 3, 12:30pm EST
Results reveal #2 (#40-#31): September 4, 12:30pm EST
Results reveal #3 (#30-#21): September 5, 12:30pm EST
Results reveal #4 (#20-#11): September 6, 12:30pm EST
Results reveal #5 (#10-#1): September 12, 12:30pm EST
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Member Since: 4/4/2014
Posts: 10,514
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For your rating consideration:
Quote:
It's easily her best written song. I mean, I'm hard pressed to even think of another song with a triple meaning in it, let alone another Gaga song. The entire song revolves around the concept of Gaga "touching herself." The brilliance is in the really well-constructed lyrics in which Gaga makes this a triple entendre. When we first hear "I touch myself and it's alright," we immediately think of masturbation, which Gaga herself directly references in the opening lines.
I love that lavender blonde
The way she moves, the way she walks
I touch myself, can't get enough
However, she quickly opens up another possible interpretation.
I am as vain as I allow
I do my hair, I gloss my eyes
I touch myself all through the night
Vanity is introduced as a theme, and we're now aware that Gaga's "touching herself" means fixing her hair, putting on makeup, etc. Unlike the vanity explored on The Fame, however, this brand seems much darker in the context of the song. Whereas "Money Honey" and "Vanity" mock-celebrated this institution, So Happy I Could Die paints it as a way for Gaga to keep herself together during darker times. She is the broken wannabe-starlet doing her makeup in a seedy nightclub bathroom, not the post-Fame blonde we saw in her first era.
Finally, the third and darkest interpretation of "touching herself" rears its head with multiple listens and a little help from Gaga herself, who says that the song is about addiction:
And in the silence of the night
Through all the tears and all the lies
I touch myself and it's alright
Usage of heavier drugs, such as heroin, is associated with "touching oneself." Shooting up heroin would require touching yourself in order to properly inject the drug. Gaga reinforces this idea with the line I touch myself 'til I'm on track, and gives it a much darker meaning than what we initially see. Drug injection leads to darkening of the veins which are then called "tracks," hence the term "track marks." It really makes you reconsider the line "I am as vain as I allow." Maybe "vein" is the more appropriate spelling. It is this way in that the meanings fold in on themselves that makes this song so incredible.
I touch myself, can't get enough.
Everything about the song becomes twisted and more and more complex as the meanings unfold. Gaga can't get enough of herself in her unending vanity? She can't get enough of whatever drug she's addicted to? Suddenly what initially seemed like a throwaway guffaw about masturbation reveals an undercurrent of meanings. Even "Just know when that the glass is empty, that the world is gonna bend" is left open to interpretation. Is Gaga referring to the glass of "red wine" mentioned in the chorus, or to a syringe of drugs?
Finally, we get to the chorus, which perfectly exemplifies why this song is so powerful. It's one thing to write a song about depression, addiction and vanity with lots of meanings. It's another to wrap it in the tone that Gaga chooses. She sings in an ironic, floating, pop-voice and seems genuinely thrilled as she sings
Happy in the club with a bottle of red wine
Stars in our eyes 'cause we're having a good time
Eh, eh, so happy I could die
Be your best friend and I'll love you forever
Up in the clouds, we'll be higher than ever
I know the first time I listened to this song I didn't think of the chorus as anything but sugar-sweet pop perfection, something that would make me think of good times with a friend. However, when you apply the other meanings discussed, even the bubblegum chorus is sinister. "Up in the clouds, we'll be higher than ever" seems to be extolling how happy Gaga and her friend/lover/whoever she is singing to will be, but is also talking about death by overdose. She really will be "higher than ever" if she ODs and is sent to heaven, "up in the clouds." This is a really clever but dark play on words, given all the more impact by her dreamy delivery.
Meanwhile, the entire song is decorated with "Eh, eh, aha, ahas" clearly meant to sound euphoric, but something is off about them, as if Gaga is faking the entire song. She is pretending to be happy and cheerful, but is depressed, alone and addicted to drugs. She puts on her makeup and does her hair and projects an outward joy, but has demons on the inside.
Meanwhile, who is she talking to? The object of "Be your best friend and I'll love you forever" and who she's telling to "Just give in" is made incredibly vague and obscure. "The opening "lavender blonde" line may give us a clue that Gaga is talking to herself, again forcing us to reanalyze every line and watch new meanings unfold. It also reinforces the lonely, empty, echoing quality that the song has. Gaga is giving us the most unadulterated view we've ever had into her psyche.
In my opinion, So Happy I Could Die is one of her strongest songs because it shows how powerful pop music is. A lot of detractors of the genre think that pop has no deeper meaning and is just cheerful, disposable music. Gaga twists this expectation by giving us a perfect pop song: cheerful, seemingly expendable with a bubbly chorus about drinking and having fun. But underneath it all is her leviathan of drugs, sex, addiction, loneliness, fear of death, vanity and depression. "So happy I could die, and it's alright," she insists unconvincingly.
I could go on, this song is much too layered for me to ever say that there's nothing left to dissect, but I wanted to show how So Happy I Could Die is truly Gaga at her most Shakespearean. Dance In The Dark, frankly, pales in comparison to the subtlety and sheer brilliance contained in this sadly overlooked and underappreciated masterpiece. And my favorite part? You really can listen to So Happy I Could Die either way, as a happy pop song or a work of dark inner turmoil. It's a psychological experience and a true work of genius. It embodies everything that is right about The Fame Monster and everything that I love about Gaga's writing and take on pop.
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All of this and the flawfree production >>>
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 15,127
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 30,842
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Quote:
Originally posted by Moonchild
For your rating consideration:
All of this and the flawfree production >>>
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Stan for the best song of the rate!
Quote:
Originally posted by Speezy
i should start on this
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Get it on, Speezy!
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Member Since: 8/17/2013
Posts: 17,307
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Quote:
Originally posted by Moonchild
For your rating consideration:
All of this and the flawfree production >>>
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Agreed 100%. One of her best songs, and deserves to be top 5.
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 43,104
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I thought August 31 already passed and I was really confused I'll try to do this tomorrow.
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 30,842
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Listening to B'Day again and it kinda slays.
Deja Vu, Upgrade U, Ring The Alarm and Freakum Dress are bops.
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 30,842
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Quote:
Originally posted by BambiStar
Lemme do this.
"UpGOD U" better go Top 10!
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Agreed.
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Member Since: 10/5/2009
Posts: 137,162
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Sent! All 4 of these albums are amazing so I'm glad this rate is here. Though I must admit that only 1 of these is my favorite from one of the artists. Also, I pretty much have no problem with any of the songs in this whole rate, so I was a little (just a little) more tough with my scores instead of giving all 10/9.5/9, and just left my top 10-ish to get those.
My highest score: 11 + 10 (x11)
My lowest score: 7.5 (x3)
Album ratings (from highest to lowest): 98.75% - 90% - 89.3% - 87%
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 30,842
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Quote:
Originally posted by Remmy
Sent! All 4 of these albums are amazing so I'm glad this rate is here. Though I must admit that only 1 of these is my favorite from one of the artists. Also, I pretty much have no problem with any of the songs in this whole rate, so I was a little (just a little) more tough with my scores instead of giving all 10/9.5/9, and just left my top 10-ish to get those.
My highest score: 11 + 10 (x11)
My lowest score: 7.5 (x3)
Album ratings (from highest to lowest): 98.75% - 90% - 89.3% - 87%
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Yaaass Remmy! You better be here for the results!
With Remmy's write-ups, every single song now has at least one write-up!
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Member Since: 10/5/2009
Posts: 137,162
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Quote:
Originally posted by Prismatic
Yaaass Remmy! You better be here for the results!
With Remmy's write-ups, every single song now has at least one write-up!
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waiT, my impact
And that's interesting because I gave my write-ups to some of the more popular songs
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Member Since: 9/4/2012
Posts: 23,263
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idk if I want to relisten to GGGB to do writeups
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 30,842
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Quote:
Originally posted by Subomie
idk if I want to relisten to GGGB to do writeups
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Do it, I need some shady write-ups for the kiis.
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