"Brooklyn Nights" is an unreleased song by Lady Gaga. It was considered to be released on her fourth studio album, ARTPOP (2013). She revealed the song title on September 20, 2013 via Twitter, but the song did not make the final track list. The song was competing with "Mary Jane Holland" for track number twelve on ARTPOP. "Mary Jane Holland" won because Gaga "wanted to spend more time" working on "Brooklyn Nights". During a Twitter Q&A on October 13, Gaga confirmed that the song would be available instead through the ARTPOP application. However, plans for the app were shelved and the song remained unreleased.
Writing
The song was possibly written about Nebraska Güy due to the lyrics "Off of seven years / Of our bad luck dating". The two dated on and off from 2004/5 until 2011.
Charlotte Nights
When she was in Charlotte, North Carolina on September 18, 2010 during The Monster Ball Tour, Gaga talked about having written a new song and referenced it as "Charlotte Nights". Before she played "Yoü and I". At the show, she said "I did write another song today while I was here in North Carolina," which she called "An impressive and interesting place" because of an "adult shop" she visited where "the pornography was staggering... Congratulations on your tripple-X stores!" She later said she got really inspired to write a "hit song". It is unknown if "Charlotte Nights" is indeed "Brooklyn Nights" as there is no reference to "adult shop" in the lyrics.
Unofficial Release
Though never receiving an official release, the song was temporarily made available for download on iTunes, as well as streaming on Apple Music, Google Play Music, and Spotify on April 15, 2018. The track was taken down 3 days later as it was an illegally licensed post credited under the copyright name, '℗ 2018 Stefani Germanota (sic)'. The song managed to reach the Top 40 on the US iTunes Pop Songs.
Performance
Gaga sang an acapella of the song at the artRAVE: The ARTPOP Ball in Melbourne on August 24, 2014, following a fan mentionning the song. Prior to the tour, the full song was planned to be performed at the artRAVE: the ARTPOP ball and a backdrop directed by Ruth Hogben was made. Some of the visuals for the song were later used for the tour program and the 2015 official calendar.
Lyrics
I always thought it was you
You always thought it was me
We always thought we were it
Seemed like a real perfect fit
Those Brooklyn nights set us free
I always thought even though
We were so young, we could grow
Up in the end it'd be us
We'd take the F or the bus
Where Brooklyn nights set us free
It's not that I don't wanna love you (wanna love you)
It's not that I'm really over it, you know (you know)
It's just that I can't watch us bleed to death
When we used to be Brooklyn nights happy
I miss our cheap chandelier
'Member when dad hung it there?
And we would watch Rocky IV
The one where the Russian scored
I loved Brigitte Nielsen's hair
I'd call you my champion
Thought we had already won
And cracked open our last beer
Falling asleep in our tears
Those Brooklyn nights set us free
It's not that I don't wanna love you (wanna love you)
It's not that I'm really over it, you know (you know)
It's just that I can't watch us bleed to death
When we used to be Brooklyn nights happy
I found an old pair of
Keys in my purse that opened
The lockup we shared
How did they get there, jerk?
I wanna see you there
I wanna make it work
I didn't brush my hair
And my lashes are falling
Off of seven years
Of our bad luck dating
I want one last night there
A Brooklyn night affair (a Brooklyn night affair)
It's not that I don't wanna love you (wanna love you)
It's not that I'm really over it, you know (you know)
It's just that I can't watch us bleed to death
When we used to be Brooklyn nights happy
It's not that I don't wanna love you
'Cause I really tried and I
Just wanna hang with the old you
For just one Brooklyn night adieu
Have a drink with your former self
We both won't act like someone else
Maybe then we'd both tell the truth
For just one Brooklyn night adieu
Credits
Writers | Lady Gaga, DJ White Shadow, Nick Monson and Dino Zisis. |
Producers | DJ White Shadow and Lady Gaga |
Co-producers | Nick Monson and Dino Zisis |
Recording | Dave Russell and Bill Malina at Record Plant, Hollywood, CA |
Assistant recording | Benjamin Rice |
Additional recording | Dustin Capalong |
Additional programming | Rick Pearl |
Mixing | Tony Maserati at Mirrorball Sudios, North Hollywood, CA |
Mixing engineer | Jon Castelli |
Assistant mixer | James Krausse |
Additional mixer | Dino Zisis at Record Pant, Hollywood, CA |
Additional mixing assistant | Benjamin Rice and Ghazi Hourani |
Mastering | Gene Grimaldi at Oasis Mastering, Burbank, CA |
Publishers |
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References
- BMI | Repertoire Search
- ASCAP Work ID: 886386439