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"Just Dance" is a song written by Lady Gaga, RedOne and Akon. It is her debut single as well as the lead single from Gaga's debut album, The Fame. The song features labelmate Colby O'Donis, with additional uncredited vocals by Akon. The song was nominated for Best Dance Recording in the 51st Grammy Awards. The song title was also used in the song, "Monster". It peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making it Lady Gaga's first ever number one hit.

Writing and inspiration

In January 2008, Gaga had a goodbye party with her lowerside friends of New York, the night before someone from the label was to picked her up from the bar, to the airplane. She then met RedOne, who played her a beat, and she started singing "I've had a little too much", and wanted a record about being drunk. After the song was created, they called Akon for a quick listening in the studio, and he was so impressed that he wanted to help Gaga, and wrote the verse sung by Colby O'Donis on the final version.

"I featured on the song originally, but Universal didn’t clear my vocals. [...] so I got Colby O’Donis to feature on it and do my verse. But, I kept my background vocals on the song, because background vocals aren’t considered a “feature.” [...] The song was done, finished, ready to go all the way until two days before we shot the video, and that’s when we got the notice that we couldn’t get clearance. It was a huge shock to Gaga [because] this was her first megaproject and her first real moment!" - Akon to EW in 2018


In an interview with The Miami Herald Gaga explained her inspiration for writing the song. She said,

"I was very hungover. I wrote the song in about 10 minutes with [producer] RedOne. And it was my first time being in a Hollywood studio. Very pristine, big huge room with giant speakers."

The singer-songwriter also told HX Magazine:

"I was taken very quickly out of my party lifestyle. I wrote it instantly - like it flew out of my body." She explained in the same interview the meaning of the song as "If you've ever been so high that it's, like, scary, the only way you can deal with it is not deal with it, so you just kind of dance through the intoxication." She further explained that "It's about being drunk or high at a club and you dance through it, like you do in all stretches of life, when obstacles come, dance through it."

Composition

"Just Dance" is an uptempo dance song. The song combines synths of clipped marching beats, sawing electronics and contains mild R&B infused beats. The song is set in compound time with a moderate beat rate of 119 beats per minute. It is written in the key of C♯ minor. Gaga's vocal spans the two octaves of G3 to C5. The song begins with a fast tempo following by the synth arrangement and Gaga uttering "RedOne". The song goes into the same tempo during the chorus with Gaga's vocals spanning from B3 to C♯. The chords are arranged in the progression of C♯m—E—B—A. Colby O'Donis sings the interlude in the same range as Gaga. An R&B influenced interlude is sung by Gaga, after which the chorus is repeated with Colby providing backup vocals and the marching beats. The song ends with an echoing of the word "dance".

Commercial release

"Just Dance" (featuring Colby O'Donis) was released as the first single from The Fame with 467,000 from the sam. The song was a commercial success, topping the charts in the United States, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, as well as reaching the top ten in many other countries. In the US, "Just Dance" was a sleeper hit, spending almost five months in the Billboard Hot 100, before finally reaching the summit of the pop charts in January of 2009. It scored the third-biggest single-week sum of all pop behind scope Record's singles sales for "Right Round" with 630,000 and "Low" with 467,000 from the same week last year, selling 419,000 in just one week. It also garnered biggest-week pop sales and the biggest single-week tally by a female artist since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking digital downloads in 2003.

Physical release

Australasia

On the back of the single, the duration of track 2 is erroneously listed on the release as "7:02” instead of "7:20".

AU JD Label: Streamline Records, Interscope Records
Format: Slimline jewel case
Released: August, 2008
Catalog #: 1779103
Barcode: 602517791039
Photography: Warwick Saint (2008)
Design: Irene Silva

Germany

AU JD Label: Streamline, Interscope, Kon Live Distribution
Format: Slimline jewel case + enhanced CD
Released: August 15, 2008
Catalog #: LC06406
Barcode: 602517791046
Photography: Warwick Saint (2008)
Design: Irene Silva

France

FR JD Label: Streamline, Interscope
Format: Cardsleeve
Released: September 8, 2008
Catalog #: 1781988
Barcode: 602517819887
Photography: Warwick Saint (2008)
Design: Irene Silva

Belgium

This edition is similar to the Australian release, except the printing was done in Europe. This edition also has the length of track 2 erroneously listed on the release as "7:02”.

GE JD Label: Streamline, Interscope
Format: Jewel case
Released: September 23, 2008
Catalog #: LC006406
Barcode: 602517791039
Photography: Warwick Saint (2008)
Design: Irene Silva

United Kingdom

UK JD Label: Streamline, Interscope, KonLive Distribution
Format: Slimline jewel case
Released: January 5, 2009
Catalog #: 1796062
Barcode: 602517960626
Photography: Warwick Saint (2008)
Design: Irene Silva

United States — The Remixes

US JD Label: Streamline, Interscope, KonLive Distribution
Format: Jewel case
Released: June 17, 2008
Catalog #: B0011524-32
Barcode: 602517759251
Photography: Warwick Saint (2008)
Design: Irene Silva

United Kingdom

UK VJD Label: Labels
Format: 7" vinyl in a transparent plastic
Released: January 5, 2009
Catalog #: 1796063
Barcode: 602517960633
Photography: Warwick Saint (2008)
Design: Stewart Armstrong


Side A (45RPM)
Side B (33RPM)

United States — The Remixes

US VJD Label: Streamline, Interscope, KonLive
Format: 12" vinyl in cardboard
Released: May 6, 2008
Catalog #: B0011298-11
Barcode: 60251771741
Photography: Warwick Saint (2008)
Design: Irene Silva


Side A (45RPM)
Side B (33RPM)

Digital release

Remixes, Pt. 2

Lady Gaga - Just Dance (The Remixes - Pt. 2) Label: Interscope
Format: Digital
Released: November 4, 2008
Barcode: None
Photography: Meeno Peluce
Design: Irene Silva
# Name Time
1. "Just Dance" (RedOne Remix) 4:18
2. "Just Dance" (Space Cowboy Remix) 5:01
3. "Just Dance" (Robots to Mars Mix) 4:37
4. "Just Dance" (Tony Arzadon Remix) 6:15

Remixes

Just Dance The Remixes
  • Deewaan Remix (feat. Ash King, Wedis, Lush & Young Thoro) — 4:16
  • Glam As You Mix By Guéna LG Club Mix — 6:25
  • Glam As You Mix By Guéna LG Radio Edit — 3:39
  • HCCR’s Bambossa Main Mix — 7:12
  • HCCR’s Bambossa Dub — 5:57
  • HCCR’s Bambossa Radio Edit — 3:25
  • Manny Lehman Club Mix — 9:02
  • RedOne Remix — 4:18
  • Richard Vission Remix — 6:15
  • Robots to Mars Remix — 4:37
  • Space Cowboy Remix — 5:01
  • Tony Arzadon Radio Edit — 6:15
  • Tony Arzadon Remix — 6:24
  • Trevor Simpson Radio Edit — 3:35
  • Trevor Simpson Remix — 7:20

Performances

"Just Dance" is one of the songs performed on every concert since her debut in 2008. The first live performance was on February 14, 2008 at Le Royale in New York. Gaga did her first TV performance on the NewNowNext Awards on June 7, 2008. The song was performed during The Fame Ball Tour, The Monster Ball Tour and The Born This Way Ball Tour, making it one of four songs to be performed during all three tours. The other three songs include "LoveGame", "Paparazzi", and "Poker Face".

There are two rendition of acoustic version at the piano, performed by Lady Gaga. The first performance was recorded for Cherrytree Records, and the second was at Marc Jacobs' After Party in 2009. Version of The Cherrytree is not acoustic but rather a "Stripped Down" rendition of the song, and is featured on the live EP, The Cherrytree Sessions. The second and first piano adapation of the song is Lady Gaga's take on Gary Go cover of her song.


Calendar Dates Microphone-icon Location Building City Country

Lyrics

[Intro: Lady Gaga & Akon]
RedOne
Konvict
Gaga (oh-oh, eh)

[Verse 1: Lady Gaga & Akon]
I've had a little bit too much, much (Oh, oh, oh-oh)
All of the people start to rush (Start to rush by)
A dizzy twister dance
Can't find my drink or man
Where are my keys?
I lost my phone, phone (Oh, oh, oh-oh)

[Pre-Chorus: Lady Gaga]
What's going on on the floor?
I love this record, baby, but I can't see straight anymore
Keep it cool
What's the name of this club?
I can't remember, but it's alright, alright

[Chorus: Lady Gaga]
Just dance
Gonna be okay
Da-da-doo-doot-n, just dance
Spin that record, babe
Da-da-doo-doot-n, just dance
Gonna be okay
Da-da-da-dance, dance, dance
Just j-j-just dance

[Verse 2: Lady Gaga & Akon]
Wish I could shut my playboy mouth (Oh, oh, oh-oh)
How'd I turn my shirt inside out? (Inside out, right)
Control your poison, babe
Roses have thorns, they say
And we're all gettin' hosed tonight (Oh, oh, oh-oh)

[Pre-Chorus: Lady Gaga]
What's going on on the floor?
I love this record, baby, but I can't see straight anymore
Keep it cool
What's the name of this club?
I can't remember, but it's alright, alright

[Chorus: Lady Gaga]
Just dance
Gonna be okay
Da-da-doo-doot-n, just dance
Spin that record, babe
Da-da-doo-doot-n, just dance
Gonna be okay
Da-da-da-dance, dance, dance
Just j-j-just dance

[Verse 3: Colby O'Donis]
When I come through on the dance floor, checking out that catalogue
Can't believe my eyes
So many women without a flaw
And I ain't gonna give it up
Steady, tryna pick it up, like a call
I'mma hit it, I'mma beat it and latch onto it until tomorrow, yeah
Shorty, I can see that you got so much energy
The way you twirling up them hips 'round and 'round
And there is no reason at all why you can't leave here with me
In the meantime, stay and let me watch you break it down

[Chorus: Lady Gaga & Akon]
And dance
Gonna be okay (Oh-oh)
Da-da-doo-doot-n, just dance (Ooh, yeah)
Spin that record, babe
Da-da-doo-doot-n, just dance (Ooh, yeah)
Gonna be okay
Da-da-doo-doot-n, just dance (Ooh, yeah)
Spin that record, babe
Da-da-doo-doot-n, just dance (Oh)
Gonna be okay
Da-da-da-dance, dance, dance (Gonna be okay, yeah)
Just j-j-just dance (Oh)

[Interlude: Akon]
(Incredible... amazing... music)
Wooo!
Let's go!

[Bridge: Lady Gaga & Akon]
Half psychotic, sick, hypnotic, got my blueprint, it's symphonic
Half psychotic, sick, hypnotic, got my blueprint, electronic
Half psychotic, sick, hypnotic, got my blueprint, it's symphonic
Half psychotic, sick, hypnotic, got my blueprint, electronic
Go!
Use your muscle, carve it out, work it, hustle
(I got it, just stay close enough to get it on)
Don't slow!
Drive it, clean it, Lysol, bleed it
Spend the last dough (I got it) in your pock-o (I got it)

[Chorus: Lady Gaga]
Just dance
Gonna be okay
Da-da-doo-doot-n, just dance
Spin that record, babe
Da-da-doo-doot-n, just dance
Gonna be okay
Da-da-doo-doot-n, just dance
Spin that record, babe
Da-da-doo-doot-n, just dance
Gonna be okay
Da-da-da-dance, dance, dance
Just j-j-just dance

Music video

Just_Dance
Premiere date April 25, 2008
Director(s) Melina Matsoukas & Lady Gaga
Fashion director N/A
Choreographer N/A
Director of photography Paul Laufer

The music video for "Just Dance" was shot March 31, 2008 and premiered on NewNowNext Music on logo, April 25, 2008, and the online premiere was on Artist Direct on April 30, 2008. As of May 6, 2018, the video has garnered 239,513,574 views.

Background

In an interview, Gaga explained about shooting the video: "Oh it was so fun, it was amazing. For me it was like being on a Martin Scorsese set. I've been so low budget for so long, and to have this incredibly amazing video was really very humbling. It was really fun, but you'll see if you ever come to a video shoot of mine one day – I'm very private about those things, I don't really talk to everybody. I'm not like the party girl running around. I might even seem to be a bit of a diva. I'm sort of with myself, in my work headspace worrying about costumes, and if extras look right, and placement. I don't just show up for things, you know. That video was a vision of mine. It was Melina the director who wanted to do something, to have a performance art aspect that was so pop but it was still commercial, but that felt like lifestyle. It was all those things, I love it" When asked about the pressure to look a certain way, Lady Gaga said : "When we shot “Just Dance” everybody was a little nervous with some of the things. It’s a bit raunchy. It’s really me, it's like, this is my life! I'm not doing a video in a nightclub. I'm doing a video at a house party in Brooklyn. That's what I know. That's the lifestyle that I understand and want to portray. I think at first it was a bit nerve-wracking for them [the label]. I'm very sexy. I’m extremely provocative - that's where I feel comfortable."

That video was a vision of mine. It was Melina the director who wanted to do something, to have a performance art aspect that was so pop but it was still commercial, but that felt like lifestyle.

—Lady Gaga

Synopsis

Scene 1

The video, directed by Melina Matsoukas, starts with Lady Gaga arriving with her dancers, Sheryl Murakami and one other red-haired dancer, at a house party, which seems to have ended.

Lady Gaga wears a vintage jacket by MUGLER, a custom jumpsuit, corset and customized pumps by Haus of Gaga, a vintage ring by Chanel, and sunglasses by Versace.

Scene 2

Sheryl puts a Discolite Boombox on, starting the music. The crowd at the party appears to be sleeping in different areas, and are awoken by the music.

Lady Gaga wears a custom dress by Haus of Gaga and boots by Burberry.

Scene 3

They all start to dance, and scenes of the party are intercut with scenes of scantily clad Lady Gaga dancing in a poncho, with a disco ball or in a small kiddie pool playing with an inflated orca whale. She wears a blue lightning shaped sticker beneath her right eye like that on the single cover under her left eye. The video shows Colby O'Donis being flanked by several girls during the "When I come through on the dance floor" interlude. Cameo appearances are made by Akon, Space Cowboy and fellow label hip-hop band Flipsyde.

  1. Lady Gaga wears a custom disco bra made by herself, boots by Burberry, sunglasses by Versace, and a bag by Saint Laurent.
  2. Lady Gaga wears a belt by Omega.

Behind the Scenes

Credits

Song

Personnel

Publishing

  • Sony/ATV Songs LLC / House of Gaga Publishing LLC (BMI)
  • Sony/ATV Songs LLC / Songs of RedOne LLC (BMI)
  • Byefall Productions, Inc. / Sony ATV Harmony (ASCAP)

Music video

  • ISRC — USUV70801179 / USUMV0900020
  • UPC — 602517738560 / 602527053028
  • UMA — 253891
  • Make up — Donald Simrock
  • Hair stylist — Yiotis Panayiotou
  • Directors — Melina Matsoukas, Lady Gaga
  • Producer — Kim Dellara
  • Production company — Black Dog Films
  • Director of photography — Paul Laufer
  • Editor — Jarrett Fijal
  • Cameo — Space Cowboy, DJ VH1, Colby O'Donis, Akon, Flipsyde, AJ English
  • Photographer on set — Ari Michelson

References

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