"Fun Tonight" is a song by Lady Gaga from her sixth studio album, Chromatica. The track was written by Gaga, Michael Tucker, Matthew Burns and Rami Yacoub, and produced by BloodPop® and Burns.
Background
In an interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music's Beats 1, Lady Gaga told what she felt listening to "Fun Tonight":
| “ | [...] every time I listened to [the song], I get choked up because I can't tell you how many nights that people that really love me were trying to get me to smile or laugh or be optimistic, and I just had no ability to be happy. It just wasn't there. But then I would write this music... ...and I would listen back and I'd go, "Why, why is that so fun? Why is that so happy? | ” |
—Lady Gaga on Apple Music | ||
In an interview for American Songwriter, Lady Gaga revealed that "Fun Tonight" is "one of the saddest songs" on Chromatica and then explained why she thinks so:
| “ | So, that song in particular – that song, oh gosh I love that song. It’s almost impossible for me to listen to it, though. I think it’s one of the saddest songs on the album. I think it might be the saddest song on the record. Because I’m really singing to myself. I was kind of incapable at certain moments of being happy for other people when they were having fun. And I would sit with myself and think, “I don’t care how many people I see dancing or smiling right now. I cannot have fun.” Then after I wrote the record, I listened back to it and I said, “I’m singing to myself.” You know, I said, “I’m feeling the way that I’m feeling with you / I stare at the girl in the mirror / she talks to me too.” That girl’s me, right? Then I said, “I can see it in your eyes,” which means my eyes! “I can see it in your eyes, which are looking for alright / I’m just sick of acting like I’m having fun tonight. I can see it in your face.” That means my face. I can see it in my face – “You don’t think you pull your weight.” I mean, that’s just the truth. I was very hard on myself. I hope that when people listen to that song and they relate to it that they know shaming yourself for feeling down is not helpful. It happens but it’s not helpful. Because you’re just kicking yourself when you’re already down. You wouldn’t do that to a friend would you? If they were sad, you wouldn’t say, “Oh, you suck for being sad!” Right? You would give them a hug. You would cheer them on. I think that our biggest enemies are ourselves. I say that in “911” – my biggest enemy is me. I say mean things to myself in my head all the time. And I have to turn away and I remind myself that’s a “me” voice in my head. But that’s not the real me. The real me would never say that to anyone else. So, why on earth am I saying it to myself? |
” |
—Lady Gaga on American Songwriter | ||
Performances
| Tour | Dates | Performances |
|---|
| The Chromatica Ball | July 21 - September 13, 2022 | 18 |
| Total of performances | 18 |
Spotify
Lyrics
Feelin' something that I can't explain (Oh)
Think it's a wound I still entertain (Oh)
I'd do anything to numb the flame (Oh)
I guess I'm just on fire these days (Oh)
I can't see straight, I can't see me
There's too much hurt caught in between
Wish I could be what I know I am
This moment's hijacked my plans
I'm feelin' the way that I'm feelin', I'm feelin' with you (Ooh, ooh)
I stare at the girl in the mirror, she talks to me too
Yeah, I can see it in your face
You don't think I've pulled my weight
Maybe it's time for us to say goodbye 'cause
I'm feelin' the way that I'm feelin', I'm feelin' with you
I'm not havin' fun tonight
You love the paparazzi, love the fame
Even though you know it causes me pain
I feel like I'm in a prison hell
Stick my hands through the steel bars and yell
What happens now? I'm not okay
And if I scream, you walk away
When I'm sad, you just wanna play
I've had enough, why do I stay?
I'm feelin' the way that I'm feelin', I'm feelin' with you (Ooh, ooh)
I stare at the girl in the mirror, she talks to me too
Yeah, I can see it in your face
You don't think I've pulled my weight
Maybe it's time for us to say goodbye 'cause
I'm feelin' the way that I'm feelin', I'm feelin' with you
I'm not havin' fun tonight
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
I'm not havin' fun tonight
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
I'm not havin' fun tonight
Yeah, I can see it in your face
You don't think I've pulled my weight
Maybe it's time for us to say goodbye 'cause
I'm feelin' the way that I'm feelin', I'm feelin' with you
I'm not havin' fun tonight
Trivia
- The lyric line "You love the paparazzi, love the fame" make subtle references to Gaga's debut album, The Fame, the title track and one of it's singles, "Paparazzi".
Credits
| Written by | Lady Gaga, Michael Tucker, Matthew Burns and Rami Yacoub |
| Produced by | BloodPop® and Burns |
| Vocal Produced by | Benjamin Rice |
| Recorded by | Benjamin Rice at Henson Recording Studios and Conway Recording Studios, Los Angeles 
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| Mixed by | Benjamin Rice and Tom Norris at Henson Recording Studios, Los Angeles Assisted by E. Scott Kelly |
| Mastered by | Randy Merrill at Sterling Sound, New York, NY
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| Track Participants | Drums, Bass, Keyboards, Guitar(s) & Percussion by Bloodpop® and Burns |
| Published by |
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