"Million Reasons" is a song written by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson and Nashville songwriter, Hillary Lindsey for her fifth studio album Joanne. The song was co-produced with Mark Ronson, BloodPop and Hillary Lindsey. Due to strong digital downloads and public response, the song acts as the album's second single, replacing "A-YO". A rough acoustic one-take was released as a bonus track on the Japanese CD version of Joanne dubbed "Million Reasons (Work Tape)".
The song premiered live on October 5, 2016, during The Dive Bar Tour at The 5 Spot in Nashville, Tennessee. It was subsequently released on YouTube an hour later. The song was officially sent to radio on November 8, 2016 has since peaked within the top 10 in Hungary, Slovakia, Switzerland, and most significantly number 4 in the United States.
Contents
Background
Lady Gaga performed the song live for the first time on October 5, 2016, when she kicked off her Dive Bar Tour in the US at Nashville's 5 Spot. Hillary Lindsey shared the microphone on harmonies. When Lady Gaga introduced the tune she told the crown in a country accent:
| “ | I wrote this song with a Nashville native, Hillary Lindsey. We sat on a couch together, and we were going back and forth, guitar and piano, and we were going, 'Why these men, you know?' All these men - my dad, my boyfriend, all the men in my life - they gave me a million reasons [to leave], but I just need one good one to stick around but you're giving me a million to walk away. Ladies and gentlemen, Hillary Lindsey. | ” |
—Lady Gaga | ||
The lyrics were rumored to be about Gaga's breakup with her former fiancé Taylor Kinney, but the singer told Howard Stern they were written about all the men in her life, including Kinney, her father and every other guy she's had a relationship with. "It's never just about the guy. It's always about that guy, the guy before him."
The song was also written for women all over the world.
| “ | How cool is it that it was #1 in Saudi Arabia?... I just really want women to be heard. I've dated a lot of cowboys and I just really want women to be heard... Not in a way that 'men are bad,' but I think it's time for us to heal from those wounds that divide us. In this country we are so divided. I just hope this album provides some healing. | ” |
—Lady Gaga | ||
| “ | I wanted to work with [Lindsey] because of [Underwood’s] ‘Jesus Take the Wheel’ and ‘Girl Crush’ — I think she’s just written some of the most beautiful country-pop records. I wanted to sit together, play her some of the music, and write with another woman — and write with a woman that was sort of in the center of the type of women, and men, that I wanted to speak to with this music. So what was so wonderful was when we sat down and started working, it was like this instant connection that we had. We’re two girls that are so different — she grew up somewhere so different from me, and you’d think that maybe we’d never get along, that it would never work — but somehow we created these songs together. | ” |
—Lady Gaga via Yahoo Music | ||
Work Tape
Work Tape is an alternate version of "Million Reasons" and is included on the deluxe Japanese version of Joanne. The work tape version of the track features various differences, most notably that the work tape was recorded in one take and Gaga's voice has not been edited.
Release
Digital release
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Label: Interscope Format: Digital Released: October 5, 2016 Barcode: None Photography: Collier Schorr Design: N/A |
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| # | Name | Time |
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| 1. | "Million Reasons" | 3:25 |
Remixes
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Label: Interscope Format: Digital Released: February 17, 2017 Barcode: None Photography: Collier Schorr Design: N/A |
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| # | Name | Time |
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| 1. | "Million Reasons" (KVR remix) | 3:27 |
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Label: Interscope Format: Digital Released: March 17, 2017 Barcode: None Photography: Collier Schorr Design: N/A |
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| # | Name | Time |
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| 1. | "Million Reasons" (Andrelli remix) | 4:00 |
Release history
| Country | Date | Format |
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 Worldwide
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October 5, 2016 | Digital download as promotional single |
 United States
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Contemporary hit radio | November 8, 2016 |
 Italy
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November 25, 2016 | |
| Worldwide
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February 17, 2017 | Digital download – KVR remix |
| March 17, 2017 | Digital download – Andrelli remix |
Performances
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Lyrics
You're givin' me a million reasons to let you go
You're givin' me a million reasons to quit the show
You're givin' me a million reasons
Give me a million reasons
Givin' me a million reasons
About a million reasons
If I had a highway I would run for the hills
If you could find a dry way I'd forever be still
But you're givin' me a million reasons
Give me a million reasons
Givin' me a million reasons
About a million reasons
I bow down to pray
I try to make the worst seem better
Lord show me the way
To cut through all his worn out leather
I've got a hundred million reasons to walk away
But baby I just need one good one to stay
Head stuck in a cycle I look off and I stare
It's like that I've stopped breathing but completely aware
Cuz you're givin' me a million reasons
Give me a million reasons
Givin' me a million reasons
About a million reasons
And if you say something that you might even mean
It's hard to even fathom which parts I should believe
Cuz you're givin' me a million reasons
Give me a million reasons
Givin' me a million reasons
About a million reasons
I bow down to pray
I try to make the worst seem better
Lord show me the way
To cut through all his worn out leather
I've got a hundred million reasons to walk away
But baby I just need one good one to stay
Hey...
Baby I'm bleedin' bleedin'
Stay...
Can't you give me what I'm needin' needin'
Every heartbreak makes it hard to keep the faith
But baby I just need one good one
Good one
Good one
Good one
Good one
Good one
When I bow down to pray
I try to make the worst seem better
Lord show me the way
To cut through all his worn out leather
I've got a hundred million reasons to walk away
But baby I just need one good one good one
Tell me that you'll be the good one good one
Baby I just need one good one to stay
Music video
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- [1] Lady Gaga wears shorts by Levi's customized by Chain Gang, a t-shirt by American Apparel customized by Haus of Gaga, and boots by Rag & Bone.
- [1, 2] Lady Gaga wears a vintage outfit by Chanel, and sunglasses by Ray-Ban.
- [2] Lady Gaga wears a custom tuxedo by Alexander Lewis, shoes by Casadei, and custom hats by Gladys Tamez and Harvy Santos while she plays a guitar by Gretsch.
Credits
| Written by | Lady Gaga, Hillary Lindsey and Mark Ronson |
| Produced by | Mark Ronson, Lady Gaga and BloodPop® |
| Recorded by | Joshua Blair and assisted by David "Squirrel" Covell at Shangri-La Studios, Malibu, CA Joshua Blair at Gypsy Palace Studios, Malibu, CA Joshua Blair and assisted by Barry McCready at Electric Lady Studios, New York, NY Joe Visciano & Brandon Bost at Electric Lady Studios, New York, NY
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| Mixed by | Tom Elmhirst and assisted by Joe Visciano & Brandon Bost at Electric Lady Studios, New York, NY
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| Mastered by | Tom Coyne and Randy Merrill at Sterling Sound, New York, NY
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| Track Participants | Lady Gaga — Piano Hillary Lindsey — Additional Vocals, Guitar Mark Ronson — Bass, Guitar BloodPop® — Keyboards, Rhythm Track, String Programming for GenPop Corp. |
| Published by |
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Video Credits
| Director | Lady Gaga, Ryan Hunter Phillips and Brandon Maxwell |
| Stylist | Brandon Maxwell at Haus of Gaga |
| Producer | Lauren Pistoia, The Collective Shift |
| Post production | Jose Cota at Velem and Milk |
| Director of Photography | Kai Saul at APA Agency & Taylor Scott Mason at Snap Capture LLC |
| Set | Cooper Vasquez |
| Company | Madison + Vine |
Reference
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