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"Teeth" is a song written in 2009 by Lady Gaga and produced by Teddy Riley from her sophomore album, The Fame Monster. The song represents her "Fear of Truth Monster".

Writing and recording

Before performing "Teeth" on November 27, 2009, Gaga revealed that she wrote the song during her trip to China on August 13-16, 2009. Following her trip, Gaga was also seen wearing vampire fangs for a couple of days in August. She explained in the "Book of Gaga" that the "vamp teeth represent [her] transformation as artist". The photographs included with the caption was a behind the scenes from a Ellen von Unwerth monsters (including vampire) inspired photoshoot for OUT on July 2, 2009.

In interview with MTV News (November 3, 2009), Gaga explained the meaning of the song: “It is meant to mean two things, the first one kind of juvenile sexual provocative connotation is about oral sex, but also the monster in the song is fear of the truth. "Show me your teeth" means "tell me the truth" and I think that for a long time in my life that I replaced sex with the truth.” The oral theme is found in the lyrics with the use of words such as "fangs", "bite" and "mouth".

Lady Gaga and Teddy Riley

Teddy and Gaga on Sep 29, 2009.

Gaga's management reached to producer Teddy Riley on June 30, 2009 to ask if he was interested to work with her. On September 26, Gaga shared the concept of the song entitled at the time "Show Me Your Teeth". The song was recorded in Los Angeles on September 29 of 2009. The mixing was done in North Hollywood. It is Gaga's first known song to feature a female on the background vocals other than herself. "Teeth" also includes a sample by Pete Wyoming, uncredited on the album liner notes but is listed by BMI. According to a lawsuit filed by Teddy Riley in 2013, he gave his daughter, Taja Riley, songwriting credits to which she did not earn. The lawsuit was settled in 2014 and Teddy Riley received a writer credit on the song.

During the Monster Ball in both the 2009 and 2010 versions, Gaga had a regular speech about how the thing she hates the most after money was the truth. That part was included in the DVD of the tour, "Lady Gaga Presents: The Monster Ball Tour at Madison Square Garden".

Performances

Dates Location City Country
2017
Apr 15 Coachella Indio, CA Us
Apr 22

Dates Location Channel Globe-green
2010
Feb 16 The Today Show NBC Us

Tour Dates Performances
Monster Ball: Theater & Arena 20092011 (All Dates) 201
Total of performances 201

Reference in popular culture

  • The song was used on October 27, 2010 for a commercial for the CW television series, The Vampire Diaries.
  • The song was used for a Swamp Brothers promo, airing on the Discovery Channel.
  • The song was used for a Shark Week promo, airing on TLC during July of 2011.

Lyrics

Don’t be scared, I’ve done this before
Show me your teeth
Show me your teeth
Show me your teeth

Don’t want no money (want your money)
That shit’s ugly
Just want your sex (want your sex)
Take a bite of my bad girl meat (bad girl meat)
Take a bite of me
Show me your teeth
Let me see your mean

Got no direction (no direction)
I need direction
Just got my vamp (got my vamp)
Take a bite of my bad girl meat (bad girl meat)
Take a bite of me boy
Show me your teeth
The truth is sexy

Tell me something that’ll save me
I need a man who makes me alright (man who makes me alright)
Just tell me when it’s alright
Tell me something that’ll change me
I’m gonna love you with my hands tied

Show me your teeth, just tell me when
Show me your teeth, open your mouth boy
Show me your teeth, show me whatcha got
Show me your teeth, teeth, teeth, teeth

Got no salvation (no salvation)
Got no salvation
Got no religion (no religion)
My religion is you
Take a bite of my bad girl meat (bad girl meat)
Take a bite of me boy
Show me your teeth
I’m a tough bitch

Got my addictions (my addictions)
And I love to fix ‘em (and I love to fix ‘em)
No one’s perfect
Take a bite of my bad girl meat (bad girl meat)
Take a bite of me boy
Show me your teeth
I just need a little guidance

Tell me something that’ll save me
I need a man who makes me alright (man who makes me alright)
Just tell me when it’s alright
Tell me something that’ll change me
I’m gonna love you with my hands tied

Show me your teeth, just tell me when
Show me your teeth, open your mouth boy
Show me your teeth, show me whatcha got
Show me your teeth, teeth, teeth, teeth
Show me your teeth

My religion is you,
My religion is you

Help need a man
Now show me your fangs (my religion is you)
Help need a man
Now show me your fangs (my religion is you)
Help need a man
Now show me your fangs (my religion is you)
Help need a man
Now show me your fangs (my religion is you)
Help need a man
Now show me your fangs (my religion is you)
Help need a man
Now show me your fangs (my religion is you)
Help need a man
Now show me your fangs (my religion is you)
Help need a man
Now show me your fangs (my religion is you)

Tell me something that’ll save me
I need a man who makes me alright (man who makes me alright)
Just tell me it’s alright
Tell me something that’ll change me
I’m gonna love you with my hands tied

Show me your teeth, just tell me when
Show me your teeth, open your mouth boy
Show me your teeth, show me whatcha got
Show me your teeth, teeth, teeth, teeth
Show me your teeth, It’s not how big, it’s how mean
It’s not how big, it’s how mean

Show me your teeth
Show me your teeth
Show me your teeth
Show me your teeth
(Open your mouth boy)

Show me your teeth
Show me your teeth
(My religion is you)
Show me your teeth
Show me your teeth, teeth, teeth

Show me your teeth
Show me your teeth
(I just need a little guidance)

Show me your teeth
Show me your teeth
Show me your teeth
(Show me your teeth)
Show me your teeth
(Come on)
Show me your teeth, teeth, teeth, teeth

Charts and certification

Charts Peak position
U.K. Singles Chart 107

Credits

Personnel

  • Musicians — Eric Jackson (guitar), The Regiment Horns (horn section)
  • Recording engineer — Dave Russell at Record Plant (Los Angeles, California, Us) on September 29, 2009
  • Mixing engineers — Dave Russell and Teddy Riley at Mason Sound (North Hollywood, California, Us) in 2009
    • Mixing assistant — Mike Daley of Mason Sound

Publishing

  • Sony/ATV Songs LLC / House of Gaga Publishing LLC (BMI)
  • Sony/ATV Songs LLC / Taja Music (BMI)

References

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