Paper Gangsta (song)

Paper Gangsta is a song written by Lady Gaga and producer RedOne for her debut album The Fame in 2008. The song relate Lady Gaga's feeling about her six months record deal with Island Def Jam in 2006-2007. In 2010, the song was used in the music video for Telephone. It is playing on a stereo set towards the beginning of the video.

Writing and background

The song was recorded with the internal microphone of Gaga's MacBook Pro and finished at the Record Plant. Lady Gaga's vocal range is B3-D5 during the song and are modified with Auto-Tune. The instruments featured are a piano layered with strong synthetic beats along with various RedOne's samples. The lyrics of the song refers to Lady Gaga being dropped by Island Def Jam and how the label let her down. Not only about her bad experience with getting signed but to have nothing to move through. The other meaning of the song is her talking about wanting a "real man", or a relationship with a guy who's "just as fabulous" as her.

Live performances

The song was performed for the first time in 2009 during the first North American leg of The Monster Ball Tour. For the performance, her voice was altered using an Auto-Tune microphone. She wore a red bra and thong, with a matching red hat while spinning on a dentist chair.

Lyrics

Midnight rush with a pen in my hand.
Dinkin', linkin', sand-script with a fan.
Remembering me before we began.
Sometimes I feel so Def in the Jam.
But the ones who loved me, told me to stop.
Like homegirl can't catch shit if it drops.
A superwoman chick, you know that I am.
Some shit don't fly by me in a man.

'Cuz I do not accept any less
than someone just as real, as fabulous.

Don't want no paper gangsta.
Won't sign away my life to
someone who's got the flavor
but don't got no follow through.
Don't want no paper gangsta.
Won't sign no monkey papers.
I don't do funny business.
Not interested in fakers.
Don't want no paper gangsta.

Uh oh
Don't want no paper gangsta.
Uh oh
Don't want no paper gangsta.

Got something really shiny to start.
Want me to sign there on your Range Rover heart?
I've heard it before
Yeah, the dinners were nice.
'Till your diamond words melted into some ice.
You should have been rapping to the beat of my song Mr. California,
Paper gangsta and I'm looking for love, not an empty page.
Full of stuff that means nothing but "You've been played."

'Cuz I do not accept any less
than someone just as real, as fabulous.

Don't want no paper gangsta.
Won't sign away my life to
someone who's got the flavor
but don't got no follow through.
Don't want no paper gangsta.
Won't sign no monkey papers.
I don't do funny business.
Not interested in fakers.
Don't want no paper gangsta.

Uh oh
Don't want no paper gangsta.
Uh oh
Don't want no paper gangsta.
Don't want no paper gangsta.

(Background vocals by RedOne)
Oh oooooooh yeah
Oh oooooooh yeah
Oh oooooooh yeah

Don't want no paper gangsta.
Won't sign away my life to
someone who's got the flavor
but don't got no follow through.
Don't want no paper gangsta.
Won't sign no monkey papers.
I don't do funny business.
Not interested in fakers.
Don't want no paper gangsta.

Don't want no paper gangsta.
Won't sign away my life to
someone who's got the flavor
but don't got no follow through.
Don't want no paper gangsta.
Won't sign no monkey papers.
I don't do funny business.
Not interested in fakers.
Don't want no paper gangsta.

Uh oh
Don't want no paper gangsta.
Uh oh
Don't want no paper gangsta.
Don't want no paper gangsta.
Don't want no paper gangsta.
Don't want no paper gangsta.

(oh oooooooh yea).