Bad Romance (song)

For the music video, see this page and for the single release of the song, see this page.

Bad Romance is a song sung and written by Lady Gaga, with the help of RedOne. The song also serves as first single off The Fame Monster. The song was first performed as a short acoustic version live on Saturday Night Live on October 3, 2009. The song premiered on October 6, 2009 during the finale of Alexander McQueen's Fashion Week show and on Radio One on 19 October, 2009. The digital single was released October 26th, 2009, in USA and Canada, and only one day later, the single reached the #1 spot on both the American and Canadian iTunes Top Songs Chart. The song was then released October 27th, 2009, worldwide.

Writing and Inspiration

After a concert in Russia, Lady Gaga was now in Norway and got the inspiration to write 'Bad Romance'. A demo of the song was recorded in Amsterdam with RedOne, this version has less vocal tracks, and has a different beat at the intro and has been changed slightly in the chorus. Towards three quarters into the song, the French verse of the album version is replaced with "I want your love and I want your revenge. I want your love I don’t wanna be friends". The lyrics in general talk about exploring the joys of a bad romance but this idea changes during the intermediate bridge when the lyrics talk about fashion. While being interviewed on the November 2, 2009 episode of It's On with Alexa Chung, Gaga pointed out that she was listing Alfred Hitchcock films ("Psycho", "Vertigo", and "Rear Window") in the verse, "I want your psycho, your vertigo shtick/Want you in my rear window, baby you're sick." She stated, "What I'm really trying to say is I want the deepest, darkest, sickest parts of you that you are afraid to share with anyone because I love you that much. Along with the rest of the songs from The Fame Monster, Bad Romance deals with a monster. This song represents the "Fear of Love Monster".

Composition

According to MTV, the song is similar in tempo to Gaga's previous single "Poker Face". The song opens with Gaga singing a portion of the chorus that then transitions into the "Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah/Roma-roma-mah/Gaga-ooh-la-la" hook. It is followed by the sound of drum beats and keyboard arrangement. The bridge with Gaga voicing the line "You know that I want you/And you know that I need you/I want your bad, your bad romance." It is followed by the full-throated chorus, where Gaga sings "I want your love/And I want your revenge/You and me could write a bad romance [...] Caught in a bad romance." According to About.com the music is best suited for viewing fashion designs and on the runway. Slant Magazine said that the music consists of new wave synths and a number of endless hooks. The Independent felt that the chorus has influences of the music of Boney M while The Guardian wrote that it recalled the music of Depeche Mode's fifth studio album Black Celebration (1986). The song is set in the time signature of common time with a metronome of 116 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of A minor with Gaga's vocal range spanning from the low-note of E3 to the high-note of A5. The song follows in the chord progression of Am–C–F–C–G in the verses and F–G–Am–C–F–G–Em–Am in the chorus.

Reference in popular culture

• On November 17, 2009, couple: Mollee Gray & Nathan Trasoras, did a performance to Bad Romance on So You Think You Can Dance.
  
• In the "Miami, We Have a Problem" episode of CSI: Miami, the song was used as an intro to the episode.
• The song was covered on the Fox musical comedy television series, Glee, by the Glee Cast, on the episode "Theatricality".
• Gossip Girl

Lyrics

Album Version Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh! Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh! Caught in a bad romance Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh! Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh! Caught in a bad romance Ra Ra-ah-ah-ah Roma Roma-ma GaGa Oh La-La Want your bad romance Ra Ra-ah-ah-ah Roma Roma-ma GaGa Oh La-La Want your bad romance I want your ugly, I want your disease. I want your everything As long as it’s free I want your love Love, love, love I want your love (Hey!) I want your drama The touch of your hand (Hey!) I want you leather studded kiss in the sand I want your love Love, love, love I want your love (Love, love, love I want your love) You know that I want you And you know that I need you I want it bad Your bad romance I want your love And I want your revenge You and me could write a bad romance I want your love And all your lover's revenge You and me could write a bad romance Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh! Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh! Caught in a bad romance Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh! Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh! Caught in a bad romance Ra Ra-ah-ah-ah Roma Roma-ma GaGa Oh La-La Want your bad romance I want your horror I want your design ‘Cuz you’re a criminal As long as your mine I want your love Love, love, love I want your love (Uhhhh) I want your Psycho Your Vertigo shtick Want you in my Rear Window Baby, you're sick I want your love Love, love, love I want your love (Love, love, love I want your love) You know that I want you ('Cuz I'm a free bitch baby!) And you know that I need you I want a bad Your bad romance I want your love and I want your revenge You and me could write a bad romance I want your love and All your lover's revenge You and me could write a bad romance Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh! Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh! Caught in a bad romance Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh! Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh! Caught in a bad romance Ra Ra-ah-ah-ah Roma Roma-ma GaGa Oh La-La Want your bad romance Ra Ra-ah-ah-ah Roma Roma-ma GaGa Oh La-La Want your bad romance Walk, walk fashion baby Work it Move that bitch crazy Walk, walk fashion baby Work it Move that bitch crazy Walk, walk fashion baby Work it Move that bitch crazy Walk, walk passion baby (Work it) I'm a free bitch baby I want your love And I want your revenge I want your love I don’t wanna be friends Je veux ton amour Et je veux ta revenge Je veux ton amour I don't wanna be friends! (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh! I want your bad romance) No, I don't wanna be friends (I want your bad romance) (Oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh! Caught in a bad romance) (I want your bad romance) I don't wanna be friends! (I want your bad romance) (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh!)(I want your bad romance) Want your bad romance! (I want your bad romance) (Oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh! Caught in a bad romance) Want your bad romance! I want your love And I want your revenge You and me could write a bad romance I want your love And all your lover's revenge You and me could write a bad romance Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh! Oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh! Want your bad romance! Caught in a bad romance Want your bad romance! Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh! Oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh! Want your bad romance! Caught in a bad romance Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah! Roma-Roma-ma-ah! Ga-Ga-ooh-la-la! Want your bad romance!

Radio Edit Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah! Roma-Roma-ma-ah! Ga-Ga-ooh-la-la! Want your bad romance Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah! Roma-Roma-ma-ah! Ga-Ga-ooh-la-la! Want your bad romance I want your ugly, I want your disease. I want your everything As long as it’s free I want your love Love, love, love I want your love (Hey!) I want your drama The touch of your hand (Hey!) I want you leather studded kiss in the sand I want your love Love, love, love I want your love Love, love, love I want your love You know that I want you And you know that I need you I want it bad, your bad romance I want your love And I want your revenge You and me could write a bad romance I want your love And all your lover's revenge You and me could write a bad romance Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh! Oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh! Caught in a bad romance Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh! Oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh! Caught in a bad romance Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah! Roma-Roma-ma-ah! Ga-Ga-ooh-la-la! Want your bad romance I want your horror I want your design ‘Cause you’re a criminal As long as your mine I want your love Love, love, love I want your love (Uhhhh) I want your psycho Your vertigo stick Want you in my rear window Baby, you're sick I want your love Love, love, love I want your love Love, love, love I want your love You know that I want you And you know that I need you ('Cause I'm a free bitch baby!) I want it bad, your bad romance I want your love And I want your revenge You and me could write a bad romance I want your love And all your lover's revenge You and me could write a bad romance Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh! Oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh! Caught in a bad romance Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh! Oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh! Caught in a bad romance Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah! Roma-Roma-ma-ah! Ga-Ga-ooh-la-la! Want your bad romance Walk, walk fashion baby Work it Move that bitch crazy Walk, walk passion baby Work it I'm a free bitch baby I want your love And I want your revenge I want your love I don’t wanna be friends Je veux ton amour Et je veux ta revenge Je veux ton amour I don't wanna be friends! (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh! I want your bad romance) I don't wanna be friends (I want your bad romance) (Oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh! Caught in a bad romance) (I want your bad romance) I don't wanna be friends! (I want your bad romance) (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh!)(I want your bad romance) Want your bad romance! (I want your bad romance) (Oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh! Caught in a bad romance) Want your bad romance! I want your love And I want your revenge You and me could write a bad romance I want your loving and all your lover's revenge You and me could write a bad romance Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh! Oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh! Want your bad romance! Caught in a bad romance Want your bad romance! Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh! Oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh! Want your bad romance! Caught in a bad romance Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah! Roma-Roma-ma-ah! Ga-Ga-ooh-la-la! Want your bad romance!

Demo Version Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah Mum-mah-Mum-mah-mah Rah-Rah-ooh-la-la Want your bad romance Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah Mum-mah-Mum-mah-mah Rah-Rah-ooh-la-la Want your bad romance I want your ugly, I want your disease. I want your everything As long as it’s free I want your love Love, love, love I want your love I want your drama The touch of your hand I want your leather-studded kiss in the sand I want your love Love, love, love I want your love Love, love, love I want your love You know that I want you And you know that I need you I want it bad, a bad romance I want your love And I want your revenge You and me could write a bad romance I want your loving, All your love is revenge You and me could write a bad romance Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh Oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh Caught in a bad romance Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh Oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh Caught in a bad romance Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah Mum-mah-Mum-mah-mah Rah-Rah-ooh-la-la Want your bad romance Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah Mum-mah-Mum-mah-mah Rah-Rah-ooh-la-la Want your bad romance I want your horror I want your design ‘Cause you’re a criminal As long as your mine I want your love Love love love I want your love I want your psycho Your vertigo stick Want you in my rear window Baby, you're sick I want your love Love, love, love I want your love You know that I want you And you know that I need you I want it bad, a bad romance I want your love and I want your revenge You and me could write a bad romance I want your loving, all your love is revenge You and me could write a bad romance Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh Oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh Caught in a bad romance Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh Oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh Caught in a bad romance Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah Mum-mah-Mum-mah-mah Rah-Rah-ooh-la-la Want your bad romance Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah Mum-mah-Mum-mah-mah Rah-Rah-ooh-la-la Want your bad romance Walk, walk fashion baby Work it move that bitch crazy Walk, walk fashion baby Work it move that bitch crazy Walk, walk fashion baby Work it move that bitch crazy Walk, walk fashion baby Work it move that bitch crazy I want your love And I want your revenge I want your love I don’t wanna be friends Cuz I want your love And I want your revenge I want your love I don’t wanna be friends Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh Oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh Caught in a bad romance Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh Oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh Caught in a bad romance I want your love and I want your revenge You and me could write a bad romance I want your loving, all your love is revenge You and me could write a bad romance Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh Oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh Caught in a bad romance Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh Oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh Caught in a bad romance Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah Mum-mah-Mum-mah-mah Rah-Rah-ooh-la-la Want your bad romance

Music All instruments played and programmed: RedOne Personnel Recorded at Record Plant (Los Angeles), FC Walvisch (Amsterdam) by RedOne Mixed by Mark "Spike" Stent Assisted by Matty Green Engineered by RedOne, Dave Russel, Eelco Bakker (FC Walvisch)

Publishing Sony/ATV Songs LLC / House of Gaga Publishing LLC (BMI) Sony/ATV Songs LLC / Songs of RedOne LLC (BMI) Reference Billboard.com The Fame Monster booklet FC Walvisch Studio

Era Discography Super Deluxe The Remix The Singles Videography Performances The Monster Ball Tour Fashion Media "Bad Romance" "Alejandro" "Monster" "Speechless" "Dance in the Dark" "Telephone" (feat. Beyoncé) "So Happy I Could Die" "Teeth"