Way Down
"Way Down" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley. Recorded in October 1976, it was his last single released before his death on August 16, 1977. The song was written by Layng Martine Jr. and recorded by Presley at his home studio in Graceland on 29 October 1976.
Released as a single (with "Pledging My Love" on the B-side) on June 6, 1977, it was his latest single at the time of his death. It initially peaked at No. 31 on the "Billboard" Hot 100 chart dated August 6, 1977 and had fallen to No. 53 on the chart for the week ending August 27, 1977. Thereafter, it reversed direction and reached an even higher peak at No. 18 on 24 September – 1 October 1977. "Way Down" reached No. 1 on the American Country chart the week he died. The single was certified platinum in the U.S. by the RIAA in 1999.
On the UK Singles Chart, after having climbed only four places to number 42 the week before Presley's death, the track rose to number four the following week and then hit number one in the week ending 3 September and stayed there for five weeks, just over seven years after his previous 16th UK number one single, "The Wonder of You", in August 1970. His previous single, "Moody Blue", had been a number one hit on the US Country charts earlier in 1977. "Way Down" was reissued in April 2005 and reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart.
The recording also featured J.D. Sumner singing the words "way on down" at the end of each chorus down to the note low C (C2). At the end of the song, this phrase is octaved, reaching a double low C (C1, three octaves below middle C). This note was first accomplished by Sumner in a 1966 recording of the hymn "Blessed Assurance".
Chart performance.
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Live in Las Vegas (Elvis Presley album)
Live in Las Vegas is a four-disc box set by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released in July 2001 on RCA Records, catalogue 07863 69354-2. It comprises live recordings from shows given by Presley in Las Vegas through every decade of his career.
Content.
Disc one comprises a complete show from August 24, 1969, and disc two a complete show from August 11, 1970. Discs three and four present recordings from shows over a time span from 1956 through 1975, not in chronological order.
In his review of the album, music critic Lindsay Planer stated:
A vibrant and overwhelmingly energetic Presley is the focus of the first two discs - containing complete performances from August 24, 1969, and August 11, 1970, respectively. As one may well anticipate, the sets feature a healthy sampling of Presley's voluminous back catalogue. "Hound Dog", "Heartbreak Hotel", "Love Me Tender", and "I Got a Woman" are given a workout during each performance. As were the more current hits such as "Suspicious Minds", "In the Ghetto", and "Can't Help Falling in Love". Presley's knack for inimitable remakes is also displayed as he gains inspiration from concurrent chart-toppers such as "Hey Jude", "Bridge over Troubled Water", and "Polk Salad Annie". Unlike the first two discs, the final pair do not contain complete performances and likewise are not presented chronologically. For the sake of contrast, the four song mini-set documenting the final performance of Presley's first Vegas stand on May 6, 1956, begins disc four. What remains consistent - in both the brief 1956 set as well as on the remainder of the mid-'70s recordings - is Presley's impeccable taste in cover material.
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Northtown (EP)
Northtown is the first EP by the American singer-songwriter Shamir Bailey, better known by his stage name, Shamir. The EP has elements of R&B, house and dance music. It was produced by Nick Sylvester, the founder of New York's Godmode label, and was released on June 6, 2014. It was rated as one of the best releases by a new artist in 2014.
Production.
The "Northtown" EP was produced by Nick Sylvester, founder of the Godmode label. Shortly after graduating from high school, Shamir emailed a demo tape to Godmode, hoping to find a label to release the demo tape. Sylvester called the music "kind of like an R&B 'Yeezus'". He contacted Shamir the day after hearing the tape and invited Shamir to New York City to make some "real music" as opposed to just releasing the demo tape.
Critical reception.
"Northtown" has received generally positive reviews from music critics.
"NME", rated "Northtown" as "one of 2014's most essential new EP's." In a review of the EP for NME, Rhian Daly wrote, "The disco-worshipping, androgynous teen might hail from Las Vegas but on the strength of these five songs (three funky-house stompers, one stupendous ballad and a heart-rending cover of Lindi Ortega) it's fair to say his spiritual homeland is late-'80s Detroit and his god an ill-behaved hybrid of Grace Jones and Frankie Knuckles... If this is the house that Shamir built, I'm moving in."
In July 2014, Radio.com included "Northtown" in its "New Music To Know: Best of 2014, So Far" profile, noting that "Shamir combines the honest songwriting of Taylor Swift with the theatrics of Lana Del Rey to make something that sounds far wiser than his 19 years".
Foster Kamer of "Pigeons & Planes" rated "Northtown" as "2014's most exciting R&B Dance-Pop debut".
In July 2014, "Flavorwire named" "Northtown"'s opening track one of its "25 Best Songs of 2014 So Far".
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Shamir (musician)
American singer and songwriter (born 1994)
Shamir Bailey (born November 7, 1994) is an American singer and songwriter from Las Vegas, Nevada. His debut extended play (EP), "Northtown", was released in June 2014 to positive reviews. In October 2014, he signed to XL Recordings and released the single "On the Regular". His debut LP "Ratchet" was released on May 19, 2015 in the United States. Since then he has released seven independent studio albums, "Hope" (2017), "Revelations" (2017), "Resolution" (2018), "Be the Yee, Here Comes the Haw" (2019), "Cataclysm" (2019), "Shamir" (2020), and "Heterosexuality" (2022).
Early life.
Shamir grew up in North Las Vegas, an area that he has called "cookie-cutter suburban." He was raised as a Muslim but describes himself as "more spiritual than religious, I don't believe in god per se, I kind of feel like god is the universe." Shamir is non-binary, informing an interviewer in 2015 that "I don't identify as gay because I don't identify as male or female". Although he does not have a preferred pronoun, he is comfortable with male pronouns, and "never really got" singular they.
His aunt was in the music business and lived with Shamir and his mother. Bass players and producers were guests at the family's home, helping his aunt with her songs. His parents and aunt introduced him to a wide range of music, including hip-hop, R&B, Outkast, Groove Theory, and singers like Billie Holiday, Nina Simone and Janis Joplin. At age nine, Shamir received an Epiphone guitar, and began writing music.
At age 16, he formed a punk band with a friend, but the band ended quickly when his partner froze on stage at their first gig. During his high school years, he recorded tracks for his first EP. Shortly after graduating from high school, he sent a demo tape to the Godmode label in New York City. The label founder Nick Sylvester signed him to the label.
Music career.
Shamir's debut EP, "Northtown", was released by Godmode in June 2014 and is named for the Northtown neighborhood where he grew up. Jules Muir, writing for the music blog "Pigeons & Planes" noted that Shamir "continues to make a bigger name for himself with every new release and a unique new sound on each." Jamieson Cox of "Pitchfork" called the EP's opening track, "If It Wasn't True" "a stunning opening salvo, one that plays on the tension between Shamir's slender vocal and lyrical naiveté and grimy, threatening instrumental tones before devolving into a chaotic mess, swallowed by a haphazardly firing synth corroding in real-time." In July 2014, Flavorwire named Shamir's "If It Wasn't True" one of its "25 Best Songs of 2014 So Far". Radio.com also included Shamir in its "New Music To Know: Best of 2014, So Far" profile, noting that "Shamir combines the honest songwriting of Taylor Swift with the theatrics of Lana Del Rey to make something that sounds far wiser than his 19 years."
After signing to XL Recordings, he released the single "On the Regular" in October 2014 which went on to be used in a 2015 Android Wear commercial. In March 2015, he released "Call It Off" as a single in the debut album, "Ratchet", released on May 19, 2015. The accompanied music video was made and released as part of the 2015 YouTube Music Awards. "Darker" was the second single from "Ratchet"; the song was released in May 2015. In 2015, he toured with Years & Years, opening for their UK dates. In mid-March 2016, he served as the opening act for Troye Sivan's Blue Neighbourhood Tour. On April 17, 2017, Shamir released his second album, "Hope". He revealed he was dropped from XL Recordings and self-released the album.
After "Hope" was released, Shamir broke with his management team and again considered quitting his music career. After a psychotic episode, he spent time in a psychiatric hospital, where he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He returned to Las Vegas, where he wrote and recorded most of his third album, "Revelations", in two weeks. Noting that the style of the album differed significantly from his previous work, he told a journalist: "A lot of people think I'm crazy. I guess I kind of am. But I also know what's best for me, and that's more important than fame and money".
Shamir was featured on "Wussy Magazine"'s "Sex Issue" in 2018. On March 9, 2018, Shamir released his fourth album, "Resolution" without any prior announcement. "Resolution" marks a continuation of Shamir's indie rock style, similar to "Hope" and "Revelations".
In 2020, Shamir released the self-titled full length album, "Shamir." It was co-produced by Kyle Pulley, and many of the songs, including the single "On My Own" were recorded at Headroom Studios in Philadelphia. The album was met with critical acclaim and made year end lists for Rolling Stone, Pitchfork and NPR Music.
Shamir published his first book, "But I'm a Painter", with Bottlecap Press in 2021, a collection of essays about paintings he created over the previous six years.
Musical style.
Shamir is known for having an androgynous countertenor voice. Radio.com wrote that Shamir's singing voice, "like Joplin's, stops you in your tracks." He does not mind having his voice described as androgynous, but notes that "countertenor" is the correct term: "It's not feminine, it's not masculine. It's a happy medium ... I feel like if the world was more like that, our problems would be gone."
Critic Jamieson Cox, writing for Pitchfork Media, wrote: With a piercing countertenor somewhere between Prince masquerading as Camille and the cracking adolescent soul of the teenage Michael Jackson, the 19-year-old North Las Vegas native dismantles the expectations maintained for vocalists based on their gender, demanding instead that the focus be placed on their agile, fluttering performance.
Lizzie Plaugic of CMJ called Shamir's music "amazingly unclassifiable," like a "souped-up Vegas Strip disco with a self-conscious pop bent," and wrote that his voice "limbers and stretches like a wad of pink Silly Putty dipped in glitter." In a 2020 "Vulture" interview, Shamir cited Taylor Swift as an inspiration and influence on his songwriting.
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Lady Gaga Live at Roseland Ballroom
2014 residency show
Lady Gaga Live at Roseland Ballroom was the first concert residency by American singer Lady Gaga. Performed at the Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan, New York, the residency began on March 28 and concluded on April 7, 2014, after completing seven shows. It was the final event hosted by the venue after it was announced that it was being closed down and being replaced with a 42-story skyscraper. Gaga revealed that Roseland was the only venue in New York City that she had never played, although she had visited there previously to watch shows. A poster announcing the event was released, showing an old image of Gaga taken before the time she became successful as a recording artist.
As an homage to the venue, the stage was decorated with roses. The multi-leveled set-up consisted of New York City fire escape routes. Other parts of the stage had a ladder reaching the mezzanine floors and a replica of an F train carriage. Gaga's wardrobe was also rose themed, with leotards, hats and jackets, and instruments adorned with red roses. The main set list for the residency encompassed songs from "The Fame", "The Fame Monster", "Born This Way", and "Artpop". Some tracks were performed in acoustic versions.
The residency received positive reviews from music critics. Reviewers were impressed by Gaga's vocals, the choreography, and the overall presentation of the residency. The shows were sold out with ticket prices being above the average costs of tickets at the venue. "Billboard" revealed that the seven dates had sold a total of 24,532 tickets while grossing a total of $1.5 million. Two performances from the residency were transmitted on the "Late Show with David Letterman", while MTV and Logo TV collaborated to show the behind-the-scenes logistics for the residency. The final show on April 7, 2014 was live-streamed by Verizon Communications.
Background and announcement.
The Roseland Ballroom opened in its first Manhattan location at 51st Street in 1919, after moving from Philadelphia. It moved to its current location at 52nd Street in 1956, as a converted skating rink. The venue began as a hall for ballroom dancing and orchestra groups, but later shifted its focus through various eras of popular music, including disco, grunge, and EDM. While the Roseland Ballroom has seen performances from a both up-and-coming bands and established acts, rumors have been circulating since 1996 about the venue's demise, after owner Albert Ginsberg filed plans to tear down its low-rise, three-story structure and replace it with a 59-story high-rise. It was announced on October 19, 2013 that the Roseland Ballroom would be closing in April 2014, after over 50 years of operation at its current location.
On November 19, 2013, it was revealed that Gaga would perform the final shows there with an intimate, four-night residency on March 28, March 30, March 31, and April 2, 2014. Tickets went on sale through Ticketmaster on November 25; tickets were priced at $50 for the floor and $200 for the mezzanine. Members of Gaga's fan club were able to register for first access to tickets starting on November 19. Users were selected at random to receive invitations and codes to purchase tickets on November 21. Citi card members also had access to the pre-sale starting November 22.
According to Gaga, playing at the Roseland Ballroom was always a personal dream. She explained to John Seabrook of "The New Yorker" that "It's basically the only room in the city I "haven't" played." As a young girl, she could not afford tickets, but she did manage to win free tickets to a Franz Ferdinand show during her senior year of high school. Gaga recalled that she fell in the mosh pit during the show and got her nose broken, making her parents forbid her from visiting Roseland again. After the singer's career took off with the release of debut album, "The Fame" (2008), she bypassed playing the venue.
Gaga revealed the official poster for the residency on March 18, 2014. It features an image of her taken by a stranger in 2008 in the Lower East Side of New York City. According to Gaga: "We found him and used that same photo for my Roseland poster." The poster also includes a quote from her taken when the photograph was taken, that reads: "I'm Lady Gaga. A singer/songwriter. You're going to know me one day."
Development and inspiration.
Thematically, both the stage set up and the wardrobe consisted of many roses and was an homage to the venue and the name "Roseland". Starting from arriving to the concert hall in a nude bodysuit and mask, embellished with red roses, the outfits worn on the stage included Gaga's characteristic attire from her previous live performances. One dress consisted of purple-colored hot pants, fishnets, and a mask, all covered with purple roses, along with a metallic purple jacket. Photographer Terry Richardson took photos of the backstage activities which revealed that a second purple jacket was also worn by Gaga and it was bejeweled and emblazoned with the word "Gaga" on the rear side. The instruments used by the singer, such as a keyboard, was also decked similarly with red roses. Another dress included shoulder spikes reminiscent of the singer's attire during her first studio album era, coupled with a hat made of black roses. A green colored wig was also worn by Gaga which she had introduced during the "Artpop" era. Gaga's vocal coach Don Lawrence, who began working with her when she was 13, assisted her before each show, either by being present there or through phone. Gaga practiced her vocal warm-ups one hour prior to the start of each show.
The stage was created to embody the New York City fire escapes making it multi-leveled and comparable to the self-titled album cover by rock band Grateful Dead. It had a large red curtain to hide it from the audience and was similarly decked with roses. A rose-draped ladder was placed at the left side of the stage which helped Gaga climb the mezzanine floors. A catwalk was constructed behind the stage, which was lined with more roses, and her dancers performed on them. A piano was placed in front of a window representing Gaga's old apartment in New York City. The Lower East Side of New York was represented by the replica of a F train carriage on the auxiliary platform of Roseland named as the "Artpop Zone", decked with neon lights and spelling out "176 Stanton Street", Gaga's old address. A confetti cannon was also kept for the performance of "Applause" and the giant disco ball of the venue was used.
Concert synopsis.
The main set list for the residency included songs from "The Fame", "The Fame Monster", "Born This Way", and "Artpop". The show began with Gaga appearing on top of the platforms and danced towards her piano to perform an acoustic version of "Born This Way", before proceeding to dance on the rafters with her backup troupe to "Black Jesus + Amen Fashion" in her purple leotard and jacket. A costume change ensued and Gaga performed "Monster" wearing a crimson leather body suit and roses atop her head. She played the rose-adorned keytar and gradually segued into "Bad Romance". Middle of the performance, she ran to the left of the stage to climb a ladder to the mezannine floors, where she sang the final chorus and "Sexxx Dreams" followed with energetic dance moves.
Gaga moved towards the F train stage on the right, and sang the piano ballads "Dope" and "You and I", interspersed with monologues about the venue, her beginnings as a singer in New York and addictions. The third costume change took place with the performance of "Just Dance", where she wore yellow hot pants and metallic chest plates, while being accompanied by her full troupe of nine dancers. An intermediate break was introduced with Gaga playing another keytar. "Poker Face" followed, being played by Gaga on the piano. The song was rearranged to include lyrics about the venue and New York. "Artpop" was then played as an interlude.
The final song of the set was "Applause", where Gaga wore another costume, this time the purple bikini and jacket. Towards the end of the performance, confetti rained on the audience and after a brief interlude Gaga appeared in a white jumpsuit for an encore of "G.U.Y." The singer showed provocative dance moves while straddling her backup performers, and executed choreography similar to the song's music video. The show ended with Gaga and her troupe taking a bow to the audience and thanking Roseland.
Critical reception.
Andrew Hammp of "Billboard" called the residency "electrifying" though he felt that "If SXSW served as a statement about how brands should fund artists' creative expression, Gaga's Roseland residency was about giving the people what they wanted. ... . [The] night ended rather abruptly after almost exactly 60 minutes". A writer for "The Courier" called the show "short but sweet" and praised her for never showing "signs of slowing down" throughout the show. James Montgomery of MTV News praised the overall show, calling it "heavy on the hits, sublimely sexual, suitably sentimental—both for her glory days and the iconic venue she's closing with this seven-night stand—and ridiculous in all the right ways". He noted that the abrupt ending of the show was compensated by Gaga's dancing and singing, which in turn helped counteract the negative press she had been receiving since the release of "Artpop". Glenn Gamboa from "Newsday" called the show "fierce" and "brainy", saying that the singer "fired up" from the moment she took the stage, displaying an avant-garde artistic sensibility. Jon Caramanica of "The New York Times" called the show part of the "Supernova" phase of her career and explained,
Gaga grounds this sort of spectacle with her voice. She is still a fearsome singer when she chooses to be, which is to say rarely on records but often in concert ... What she gave the faithful was easy to digest: largely bulletproof pop, swinging back and forth between brooding, panting torch songs delivered at top volume and grand-scale 1980s-style digital rock with a nightclub twist.
Adam Markovitz from "Entertainment Weekly" declared that if the "Roseland show is any indication, Gaga's not going anywhere anytime soon", in spite of the overall negative reception towards her campaigns for "Artpop". He welcomed the absence of any art-related things in the show and commended the focus on music, Gaga's vocals and abilities as an entertainer. Markovitz also complimented Gaga's rapport with the audience members and rated the performances of "Just Dance" and "Bad Romance" as highlights. Markos Papadatos from Digital Journal website declared Gaga as a "pop muse" for the performances. He complimented the choice of songs in the set list calling them "eclectic" and felt they "displayed different sides to her craft". He noticed that the singer's vocal abilities were particularly prominent during the acoustic performances on piano. Caryn Ganz from "Rolling Stone" observed that the compact space of Roseland did not allow for much choreography, but felt Gaga's performance was "magical", especially during "You and I".
Hilary Hughes from "USA Today" also noticed Gaga's vocal range, especially during the acoustic interpretation of "Dope" and "Just Dance". Hughes concluded by saying that the simplest moments of the performances were the ones featuring toned down versions of her singles like "Born This Way" and "Poker Face", rather than the extravagant choreography during "Bad Romance" and "G.U.Y." Jordan Runtagh from VH1 applauded Gaga's camaraderie with her fans, also noting that "the abundance of movie cameras reminded us that this was a special moment, one that will go down in history. And not just because these are the last performances at this storied venue. It's something more." Runtagh believed that the performances solidified Gaga as a respectable entertainer and would generate further interest for the upcoming tour. Amanda Holpuch from "The Guardian" complimented Gaga's vocals and her outfits, but felt that the show lacked "something outrageous" from the singer. She added that the most surprising incident of the night was when Gaga climbed a ladder to reach the mezzanine floors and sing from there.
Commercial reception and broadcasts.
Jesse Lawrence from "Forbes" reported that the first and last shows at the venue were completely sold out, making it the two most expensive shows for Gaga's economically secondary market. The average ticket price for the secondary market ($375.89) as well as the final show ($195.80) were all above the average cost of $186.40, with the price dropping as the shows drew nearer. Since Roseland was an admission only venue, costlier tickets were kept for the "Artpop Zone" since it had better views and seating arrangement, as well as a post-show meet and greet with Gaga. In April 2014, Jesse Lawrence from "Forbes" reported that following Gaga's performance at Roseland Ballroom, the tour ticket prices for her ArtRave: The Artpop Ball tour in the secondary markets went up by 5.3%, with major increase being visible at Philips Arena of Atlanta. Tickets at Madison Square Garden rose up to $338.81, which was 42.6% higher than the average price. Other locations were ticket prices saw an increase were MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, TD Garden Arena in Boston and United Center in Chicago. In June 2014, "Billboard" revealed that the seven dates had sold a total of 24,532 tickets while grossing a total of $1.5 million. It ranked at number 41 on the list.
On April 2, 2014, Gaga appeared on the "Late Show with David Letterman" along with guest Bill Murray. After the interview, the singer invited the whole audience to come and watch the show with her; the performances of "G.U.Y." and "Dope" were presented during the broadcast. MTV and Logo TV collaborated to air various aspects of the preparation for the Roseland shows on April 4. The behind-the-scenes program would air throughout the day on both channels, including the regular programming on partner channels like MTV Hits. Sway Calloway, an interviewer working with MTV News, had access to the background logistics of the show including rehearsals. They also visited Gaga's old apartment, and looked at some of the art collection sent to the singer by her fans. The programs were streamed on MTV's website as well as Gaga's artist page, and the various social media channels owned by Logo. The final performance at Roseland on April 7, 2014, was live streamed for those not able to see the show. Verizon Communications had announced that the event would be streamed from 9 pm EST at the website GetMoreGaga.com. Gaga herself announced the news in a video posted on her Twitter account.
Set list.
The following set list is representative of the show's opening night on March 28, 2014.
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You and I (Lady Gaga song)
2011 single by Lady Gaga
"You and I" (stylized as "Yoü and I") is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Lady Gaga, taken from her second studio album, "Born This Way" (2011). She also co-produced it with Robert John "Mutt" Lange. The track samples Queen's "We Will Rock You" (1977) and features electric guitar by Queen's Brian May. Gaga debuted "You and I" in June 2010 during her performance at Elton John's White Tie and Tiara Ball. Footage of the performance appeared on the Internet, and positive response encouraged her to include the song on her setlist for The Monster Ball Tour. She later performed the song on "Today" to a record crowd in July 2010, and on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in May 2011. On August 23, 2011, Interscope Records released the song as the fourth single from the album.
"You and I" is a downtempo song featuring instrumentation from electric guitars and piano, with Gaga and Lange providing background vocals. The song received critical acclaim, with reviewers listing it as one of the highlights from "Born This Way". After the release of the parent album, "You and I" charted in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, due to digital downloads from the parent album. After being released as a single, "You and I" reached the top ten in the US, Japan, and seven additional countries. The song was also certified Triple Platinum in the US for selling three million units. Season ten "American Idol" contestant Haley Reinhart performed "You and I" in May 2011 before its release, earning positive reviews. Her studio recording was released to the iTunes Store as a single, and appeared on the compilation album, "American Idol Top 5 Season 10". "You and I" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance at the 54th Grammy Awards, which was held on February 12, 2012.
The accompanying music video for "You and I" was also met with a positive response. It was shot by Gaga's long-time collaborator Laurieann Gibson in Springfield, Nebraska, and it was released on August 16, 2011. It features Yüyi, Gaga's mermaid alter ego, and Jo Calderone, Gaga's male alter ego, who also appears on the single's cover. Gaga later performed the song dressed as Jo Calderone at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards. The song has subsequently been performed on the singer's concert tours and residencies.
Background and release.
"You and I", written by Lady Gaga and produced by Gaga and Robert John "Mutt" Lange, was one of the first songs previewed from the album. Gaga said she wrote the song in New York, while she was busy playing her old piano. The singer first played "You and I" at Elton John's White Tie and Tiara Ball in June 2010. She said that the song was a bit of a "rock-and-roll tune" and, as such, was unlikely to be released as a single from "Born This Way". She said that it "is very dear" to her heart. Footage of the performance appeared on the Internet soon after, and positive response encouraged Lady Gaga to perform the song during the first concert of the North American leg of The Monster Ball Tour in Montreal. Gaga told MSNBC's Meredith Vieira and Ann Curry that "'You and I' was written about the most important person that I ever met", allegedly Lüc Carl, her ex-boyfriend.
Gaga announced "You and I" as the fourth single from "Born This Way" on July 22, 2011. Its cover, released on August 5, 2011, via TwitPic, was accompanied by the line: "You will never find what you are looking for in love, if you don't love yourself." It features two black-and-white images of Gaga's male alter ego Jo Calderone smoking a cigarette and sporting sideburns. The Calderone character made a previous appearance in June 2011, when Gaga posed as him in London for a series of photos by photographer Nick Knight, arranged by stylist Nicola Formichetti. One shot features him wearing a blazer and white T-shirt with his head down smoking a cigarette. The other image is of Jo Calderone in silhouette exhaling a cloud of smoke.
A writer for Australia's "The Daily Telegraph" described the images as having a moody and scruffy look, and felt that Gaga had become "bored with being an outrageous woman and has decided to switch gender instead." "Rap-Up"'s David Jones commented that Gaga's Calderone character appearing on the cover looked similar to musician Bob Dylan. Steve Pond of "Reuters" stated about the artwork: "Lady Gaga loves herself even when she's dressed as a guy."
Composition.
"You and I" was written solely by Gaga. The song has rock, arena rock, and country music influences, and features British rock band Queen's guitarist Brian May. It was recorded by Tom Ware and Horace Ward at the Warehouse Productions Studio in Omaha, Nebraska, and Allerton Hill in the United Kingdom, respectively. Along with May, Justin Shirley Smith also played guitars; Gene Grimaldi mastered the track. Olle Romo did additional recording and programming. Gaga teased that "someone legendary" would be producing the track before production credits were announced in April 2011. Gaga, a Queen fan (even taking her stage name from the Queen song "Radio Ga Ga"), admitted to "[falling] to the floor crying and laughing" when she found out that May agreed to the collaboration. Lange asked Gaga to record a "rough lead vocal" for the track while she was touring. Gaga later recalled: "I had about 30 cigarettes and a couple of glasses of Jameson and just put on a click track and sang my face off, thinking we'd redo the vocals." However, Lange was satisfied with her recording and used it on the track. Ware recalled that the song was recorded the night after Gaga's March 17, 2011, concert for The Monster Ball Tour. She welcomed his opinions and encouraged his input which he said helped make the four-hour session the best working experience he has had with a celebrity. "She was flattering toward the studio — and Omaha, too, for that matter. She is a bright young lady with remarkable music instincts who charts her own path," he added.
According to the sheet music published by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, "You and I" is set in common time with a slow tempo of 60 beats per minute. It is written in the key of A major. During the song Gaga's voice spans from the notes of E3 to C♯5. The song begins with an A–G–A chord progression, which changes to A–Bm/A–D/A–B♯m during the chorus, and back to the former chords afterwards. The opening lyrics—"It's been a long time since I came around/ It's been a long time, but I'm back in town/ And this time, I'm not leaving without you"—describe a whiskey-breathed lover for whom she is pining. Gil Kaufman of MTV News described it as the "tune eschewed most of her dance flavor, right down to a rollicking barrel-house piano solo." Her voice