Americano (song)
"Americano" | |
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Song by Lady Gaga | |
from the album Born This Way | |
Released | May 23, 2011 |
Recorded | August 2010 |
Studio |
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Genre | |
Length | 4:06 |
Label |
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Songwriter(s) | |
Producer(s) |
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Audio video | |
"Americano" on YouTube |
"Americano" is a song recorded by American singer
Critical response to "Americano" was mixed, and the song charted at number 17 on the US
Writing and development
While performing in Mexico as part of
Gaga had previously experimented with
Recording and composition
"Americano" was written and produced by Gaga with Garibay and
Lyrically it talks about the Prop 8 and the immigration laws, and sounds like a pop song comparable to the work of Judy Garland,[15] with Gaga claiming that she sees influence from French chanson singer Édith Piaf.[16] The singer wanted to "go big" with the composition including genres like mariachi as well as Latin percussions. She wanted to rebuke the claim in the music industry that Latin music was "a bit cheesy" and so the song took on a full Mexican form.[4] The campy nature of the track had allusions to the disco version of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" (1964) by Santa Esmeralda.[9] The lyrics also have allusions to a lesbian-themed marriage in Mexico, with the pro-immigrant message told through a love story set in California.[7][11]
Reception
The track received a mixed response from music critics. Dan Martin from NME gave a positive review, saying that the bilingual language song proved that the overstylization of the composition worked in its favor, making it one of Gaga's best outputs.[9] Jody Rosen from Rolling Stone found "Americano" hilarious, noting it as the "campiest song Gaga's recorded yet". She deciphered the location of the song's storyline as being in East Los Angeles.[13] In their 2011 ranking of Gaga's music catalog, "Americano" was listed at number 18, with the description as "The greatest Anglo-Latina lesbian marriage story ever set to a disco-cabaret beat".[17] Billboard's Keri Mason found the composition to be Gaga's way of trying to imitate the chart success of "Alejandro".[15] Ian White from BBC Music found essences of musical theatre in the futuristic composition of "Americano".[18] Vulture, an online blog associated with New York Magazine regarded "Americano" as "an initially dizzying listen, though there’s a tenderness in the eye of the storm."[19] Prefixmag's Craig Jen deemed the "Latin-tinged" track inferior to Gaga's earlier "Alejandro".[20]
"Americano" debuted and peaked at 17 on the
Live performances and media usage
Gaga debuted the song in Guadalajara, Mexico on May 3, 2011, during The Monster Ball Tour, where she performed it in an acoustic version.[2] She later included "Americano" on the set list of her Born This Way Ball tour (2012–2013). During the performance the singer wore a modified version of her famous meat dress and sang the song while faux meat carcasses hung around her.[23] Gaga was surrounded by her dancers who were semi-nude onstage.[24] The sequence portrayed a wedding with an extended Spanish guitar intro and Gaga appearing on the meat counter as the bride in the meat dress. It ends with the singer shooting her husband onstage.[25] After finishing the song, Gaga told the audience "In 1970, women would no longer be treated like meat. On the cover of Hustler magazine or at the Born This Way Ball, meat is precisely how we treat them."[26]
American television series,
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Born This Way.[6]
- Lady Gaga – vocals, songwriter, producer, background vocals
- Fernando Garibay – songwriter, producer, background vocals, programming, instrumentation and arrangement, guitar, keyboards
- DJ White Shadow – songwriter, producer, programming
- Cheche Alara – songwriter, instrumentation and arrangement
- Mario Hernandez – guitarrón & vihuela
- Stephanie Amaro – guitar
- Andy Abad – requinto
- Suemy Gonzalez & Julio Hernandez – violin
- Harry Kim – trumpet
- Jorge Alvarez – additional background vocals
- David Gomez – additional background vocals
- Carlos Murguia – additional background vocals
- Dave Russell – recording on Studio Bus; audio mixing at The Mix Room, Burbank, California
- Rafa Sardinia – additional recording at The Mix Room, Burbank, California; additional mixing
- Gene Grimaldi – audio masteringat Oasis Mastering, Burbank, California
- Paul Pavao – assistant
Charts
Chart (2011) | Peak position |
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South Korea International Tracks ( GAON)[22]
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98 |
US | 17 |
References
- ^ ACE. "ACE Repertory". ASCAP. Archived from the original on March 27, 2017. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
- ^ a b Mapes, Jillian (May 4, 2011). "Lady Gaga Debuts 'Americano' Song in Mexico: Watch". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 10, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
- ^ a b Sheffrin, Alexander J. (April 5, 2008). "Pro-Family Group Says Effort to Ban Calif. Gay 'Marriage' Looks 'Strong'". The Christian Post. Archived from the original on May 25, 2017. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e Vena, Jocelyn (May 24, 2011). "Lady Gaga Wanted To Go 'Full Mexicano' On 'Americano'". MTV News. Archived from the original on April 11, 2016. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
- Idolator. Archivedfrom the original on October 13, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
- ^ a b Born This Way (liner notes). Lady Gaga. Interscope Records. 2011. B0015374-72.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b Wilkinson, Matt (April 19, 2011). "Lady Gaga: 'If you want me to be a manufactured act you can fuck off'". NME. Archived from the original on July 5, 2017. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
- ^ Germanotta, Stefani (2011). "Lady Gaga 'Americano' Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. Archived from the original on July 5, 2017. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
- ^ a b c d Martin, Dan (May 17, 2011). "Lady Gaga, 'Born This Way' - Track-By-Track Album Review". NME. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
- ^ Corner, Lewis (May 4, 2011). "Lady GaGa performs new track 'Americano'". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on November 29, 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
- ^ a b McCormick, Neil (May 19, 2011). "Lady Gaga's Born This Way: track-by-track review". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on October 3, 2013. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
- ^ Jonze, Tim (May 18, 2011). "Lady Gaga: Born This Way — Review". The Guardian. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
- ^ a b c Rosen, Jody (May 18, 2011). "Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way': A Track-by-Track Breakdown". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 19, 2017. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
- ^ Wright, Joseph (July 15, 2015). "Five Good Covers: Mambo Italiano (Rosemary Clooney)". Cover Me. Archived from the original on October 20, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
- ^ a b Mason, Keri (September 14, 2009). "Lady Gaga 'Born This Way': Track-By-Track Review". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 15, 2013. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
- ^ Van Meter, Jonathan (February 10, 2011). "Lady Gaga: Our Lady of Pop". Vogue. Archived from the original on April 1, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
- ^ "'Americano'". Rolling Stone. May 25, 2011. Archived from the original on July 23, 2016. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
- ^ White, Ian (May 21, 2011). "Lady Gaga Born This Way Review". BBC Music. Archived from the original on January 9, 2016. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
- ^ "Every Lady Gaga Song, Ranked. A deep dive into a star who almost single-handedly raised the bar for pop music". Vulture. Archived from the original on May 24, 2022. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
- ^ Jenkins, Craig (May 23, 2011). "Lady GaGa Born This Way". Prefixmag. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved September 10, 2011.
- ^ Dance/Electronic Digital Songs. Archivedfrom the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
- ^ Gaon Music Chart. Archivedfrom the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
- ^ Harp, Justin (May 14, 2012). "Lady GaGa reveals new meat dress for 'Born This Way Ball' tour". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on April 12, 2016. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
- ^ Mossman, Kate (August 31, 2012). "Lady Gaga – review". The Guardian. Archived from the original on July 5, 2017. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
- ^ Cuffe, Aidan (September 17, 2012). "Lady Gaga at The Aviva Stadium Born This Way Ball". The Golden Plec. Archived from the original on July 5, 2017. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
- Heavy.com. October 2, 2012. Archivedfrom the original on December 19, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
- FOX News. Archivedfrom the original on July 5, 2017. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
- ^ Busis, Hillary (September 10, 2012). "Kate Hudson's first 'Glee' performance". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 5, 2017. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
- ^ "Americano / Dance Again – Glee Cast version feat. Kate Hudson". iTunes Store. Archived from the original on July 5, 2017. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
- ^ Beard, Lanford (October 21, 2011). "Lady Gaga's 'Americano' scores latest 'Puss in Boots' trailer". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 23, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
- ^ Vena, Jocelyn (October 28, 2011). "'Puss In Boots' and Lady Gaga's 'Americano': The Story Behind The Track". MTV News. Archived from the original on July 5, 2017. Retrieved March 5, 2016.