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Yoü and I (song)

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"Yoü and I" is a song written by Lady Gaga in 2010. Gaga performed it publicly for the first time at The White Tie and Tiara Ball, and on July 7th, Gaga revealed during her concert that the song would be featured on her third album, Born This Way. "It's on my new album, so you better learn the words because you'll be singing it for the next 10 years." The song was registered onto BMI on February 12, 2011. On April 9, 2011, Gaga revealed that Robert John "Mutt" Lange was the producer of the song. On July 26, 2011 Gaga performed an acoustic version of the song on 97.1 Amp Radio with Carson Daly, and confirmed it as the next single from Born This Way, following "The Edge of Glory".
On July 29, 2011, Laurieann Gibson tweeted the following: @BoomKack you, madame, are a MAGICIAN!! That choreography was EPIC! #YouandI vid is gonna Rock n' Roll! /via @JairJames. It peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Writing and inspiration

During her debut of the song, Gaga said "it's a bit of a rock and roll song, so it will probably never be released as a single. So, it's ok for me to play it for you tonight".
Four days after the debut of the song, Gaga performed the song during The Monster Ball Tour, and revealed the inspiration behind the song.

"I wrote this song, out of the deepest most pure, happiest place in my heart. And I don't want nothing from you; I don't want you to buy it; I don't want you to pay me anything to listen to it; I'm not even gonna put it on iTunes. I wrote this song because I wanted to write a great record. And I wanted you to hear it, just because I love you, and I know that all you care about is music and freedom."

The song is about Lady Gaga's relationship in 2007-2008 with Nebraska Güy. The song was written in New York on her first piano, in her parents' house. According to the lyrics, the song describes Gaga's attempt to retrieve her lost love during her break from The Monster Ball Tour in June of 2010.
During her performance on The Today Show, she revealed more about the inspiration of the song.

"The most important person that [she'd] ever met, and all [her] friends downtown. Lady Starlight, and Brian, who's here today, playing [the] trumpet, and all [her] friends. They're so wonderful, and they stood by [her] this whole time. So it's for them."

While on the show, Gaga also stated that the song is a completely different sound than the rest of the album. On May 5, 2011, Gaga appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and performed the song, afterwhich she tweeted that she had just performed the album version of the song. The performance featured electric guitars accompanied by Gaga on the piano rather than just Gaga on her piano. During this version Gaga sung new lyrics of the song:

We got a whole lot of money, but still pay rent,
'Cause you can’t buy a house in Heaven.
There’s only three men I served my whole life,
It’s my dad and Nebraska and Jesus Christ

Fernando Garibay discussed the song with The Hollywood Reporter stating "It was near the end of the album and we were on such a time deadline. But she was so busy starting to promote the album, the concerts, still being on tour, doing press, it was insane, so she literally had to record the vocal with a piano live backstage. We sent whatever parts we had to Mutt Lange and there was no time for her to fly out or anything like that. I remember Mutt writing us back and saying, "The vocal's perfect." Considering Mutt Lange is one of the best vocal producers on the planet…"[1]

Gaga pays homage to Bruce Springsteen - who performed with Clarence Clemons during the days of the E Street Band - by referencing the song "Born to Run", and either the album or the song Nebraska.[2] Some radio stations in the United States edited out the word 'Nebraska' and instead had Gaga re-record the lines with the name of the state the song was being played in.[3]

Reference in popular culture

  • The song was used in December, 2011 as in a commercial for CBS.

Commercial release

Gaga announced on July 22, 2011 that "Yoü and I" will be released as the fourth single from Born This Way.

Artwork

The single cover for "Yoü and I" was released on August 5, 2011, via TwitPic, accompanied with the line: "You will never find what you are looking for in love, if you don't love yourself." It features two black-and-white images of Gaga's male alter ego Jo Calderone, while smoking a cigarette and sporting sideburns. Previously the character of Calderone had made an appearance in June 2010, when Gaga posed as him for a series of photos in London by photographer Nick Knight and arranged by stylist Nicola Formichetti. One shot features him wearing a blazer and white T-shirt with his head down and smoking a cigarette. The other image is of Jo Calderone in silhouette puffing out a cloud of smoke.



Physical releases

Germany

YoüAndI-CDSingleCover Label: Labels2011
Format: Slimline jewel case
Released: September 30, 2011
Barcode: 602527836348
Photography: Inez and Vinoodh
Design: N/A
# Name Time
1. "Yoü and I" (Radio Edit) 4:07
2. "Yoü and I" (Mark Taylor Remix Radio Edit) 3:56

Europe

Y&I-Vinyl Label: Labels
Format: Limited 7" picture disc vinyl
Released: September 9, 2011
Barcode: 60252783309
Photography: Inez and Vinoodh
Design: Stewart Armstrong
# Name Time
1. "Yoü and I" (Wild Beasts Remix) 3:51
2. "Yoü and I" (Metronomy Remix) 4:20

Digital releases

The Remixes

Lady-GaGa-Yoü-And-I-The-Remixes Label: Interscope
Format: Digital
Released: September 18, 2011
Barcode: None
Photography: Inez and Vinoodh
Design: Uncredited
# Name Time
1. "Yoü and I" (Wild Beasts Remix) 3:51
2. "Yoü and I" (Mark Taylor Remix) 5:02
3. "Yoü and I" (10 Kings Remix) 4:29
4. "Yoü and I" (ATB Remix) 8:08
5. "Yoü and I" (Metronomy Remix) 4:20
6. "Yoü and I" (Danny Verde Remix) 7:48
7. "Yoü and I" (Hector Fonseca Remix) 8:03

Remixes

  • 10 Kings Radio Edit — 3:43
  • 10 Kings Remix — 4:29
  • ATB Remix — 8:08
  • Danny Verde Remix — 7:48
  • Hector Fonseca Remix — 8:03
  • Mark Taylor Radio Edit — 3:56
  • Mark Taylor Remix — 5:02
  • Metronomy Remix — 4:20
  • Wild Beasts Remix — 3:51

Performances

Dates Location Channel Country

Dates Location Station Country

Dates Location City Country
2010
Jun 24 The White Tie and Tiara Ball London Gb
2011
Feb 13 Grammy's after party Los-Angeles Us
May 9 Robin Hood Gala New York City
May 12 Annabel's London Gb
July 13 Gaga Live At Sydney Monster Hall Sydney Au
Jun 15 Little Monsters Video Awards Paris Fr
Jul 3 Lady Gaga Day Taichung Tw
Jul 7 Singapore Showcase Singapore Sg
Oct 18 William J. Clinton Foundation Los Angeles Us
Dec 3 KISS FM's Jingle Ball
Dec 9 Z100's Jingle Ball New York City
2013
Jan 22 White House Washington Us
2015
Mar 20 Arianne's Wedding at Park City Botanical Garden New Orleans Us
Mar 22 Geffen Playhouse Los Angeles Us
2016
Apr 13 Parker Institute Foundation Los Angeles Us

Tour Dates Performances

Lyrics

Album version

It’s been a long time since I came around,
Been a long time but I’m back in town,
This time I’m not leaving without yoü.
You taste like whiskey when you kiss me, oh,
I'd give anything again to be your baby doll,
This time I’m not leaving without yoü.

He said "Sit back down where yoü belong,
In the corner of my bar with your high heels on.
Sit back down on the couch where we,
Made love the first time and yoü said to me,"
There’s,

(Something), something about this place.
(Something), something, ‘bout lonely nights,
And my lipstick on your face.
Something, something about,
My cool Nebraska guy.
Yeah, there's something about,
Baby, yoü and I.

It’s been two years since I let yoü go,
I couldn’t listen to a joke or a Rock and Roll.
Muscle cars drove a truck right through my heart.
On my birthday yoü sang me "Heart of Gold",
With a guitar humming and a no clothes,
This time I’m not leaving without yoü.

"Sit back down where yoü belong,
In the corner of my bar with your high heels on.
Sit back down on the couch where we,
Made love the first time and yoü said to me,"
There’s,

(There's something), something about this place.
(Something), something, ‘bout lonely nights,
And my lipstick on your face.
Something, something about,
My cool Nebraska guy.
Yeah, there's something about,
Baby, yoü and I.

Yoü and I,
Yoü, yoü and I,
Yoü, yoü and I,
Yoü, yoü and I, I,
Yoü and I,
Yoü, yoü and I,
Oh yeah, well I'd rather die,
Without yoü and I, I.

(Come on! Put your drinks up!)

We got a whole lot of money, but we still pay rent,
'Cause you can't buy a house in Heaven.
There's only three men that I'mma serve my whole life,
It's my daddy and Nebraska and Jesus Christ.
There's,

(Something), Something, something about the chase.
(Six whole years) I'm a New York woman Born to Run yoü down,
Still want my lipstick all over your face.
Something, something about,
Just knowing when it's right
So put your drinks up, for Nebraska,
For Nebraska, Nebraska, I love ya'.

Yoü and I,
Yoü, yoü and I,
Baby, I'd rather die,
Without yoü and I, I.
Yoü and I,
Yoü, yoü and I,
Nebraska, I'd rather die,
Without yoü and I, I.

It's been along time since I came around,
Been along time but I'm back in town,
And this time I'm not leaving without yoü.

Live version

It's been a long time since I came around.
It's been a long time but I'm back in town.
And this time I'm not leaving without yoü.

You taste like whiskey when yoü kiss me, oh
I'll give anything again to be your baby doll.
Yeah, this time I'm not leaving without yoü.

You said "Sit back down where yoü belong;
In the corner of my bar with your high heels on."
Sit back down on the couch where we
made love the first time and you said to me,
"There's something, something about this place."
Something 'bout lonely nights and my lipstick on your face.
Something, something about my cool Nebraska guy.
Yeah, something 'bout, baby, yoü and I.

It's been two years since I let yoü go.
I couldn't listen to a joke or rock and roll.
Your muscle cars drove a truck right through my heart.
On my birthday yoü sang me a Heart of Gold
with a guitar humming and no clothes.
This time I'm not leaving without yoü.

You said "Sit back down where yoü belong;
In the corner of my bar with your high heels on."
Sit back down on the couch where we
made love the first time and yoü said to me,
"There's something, something about this place."
Something 'bout lonely nights and my lipstick on your face.
Something, something about my cool Nebraska guy.
Yeah, something 'bout, baby, yoü and I.

Yoü and I.
Yoü, yoü and I.
I'd rather die
Without Yoü and I.
Yoü, yoü and I.
Yoü and I.
Yoü, Yoü and I.
Yoü, yoü and I.
Yoü, yoü and I.

You said "Sit back down where yoü belong;
In the corner of my bar with your high heels on."
Sit back down on the couch where we
made love the first time and yoü said to me,
'There's something, something about this place.
Something about lonely nights and my lipstick on your face.
Something, something about my cool Nebraska guy.
There's something about, baby, yoü and I.

Yoü and I.
Yoü and I.
Yoü, yoü and I.
Yoü, yoü and I.
Yoü and I.
Yoü, yoü and I.
Yoü, yoü and I.
Yoü, yoü and I.

It's been a long time since I came around.
It's been a long time but I'm back in town.
And this time I'm not leaving without yoü.

A Very Gaga Thanksgiving version

It’s been a long time since I came around
Been a long time but I’m back in town
This time I’m not leavin’ without yoü

Yoü taste like whiskey when yoü kiss me awe
I'd give anything again to be your babydoll
This time I’m not leaving without yoü

He said, sit back down where yoü belong
In the corner of my bar with your high heels on
Sit back down on the couch where we made love the first time
And yoü said to me

There’s somethin’, somethin’ about this place
Somethin’ ‘bout New York nights and my lipstick on your face
Somethin’, somethin’ about my cool American guy
Yeah somethin’ about baby yoü and I

America America I love yoü
Yoü and I, yoü yoü yoü and I
Yoü yoü and I, yoü yoü and I, I
Yoü and I, yoü yoü yoü and I
America I’d rather die
Without yoü and I, I, I


We gotta whole lotta money but we still pay rent
'Cause you can't buy a house in heaven
There's only three men that Ima serve my whole life
It's my daddy, and America and Jesus Christ

(Happy Thanksgiving)

Somethin’, somethin’ about the chase, 6 whole years
(So put your drinks up)
Put your drinks up for America,
 for America, America I love yoü
But yoü and I, yoü yoü and I
Babaay I'd rather die, without yoü and I

Music video

Yoü_And_I
Premiere date August 16, 2011
Director(s) Laurieann Gibson, Lady Gaga
Fashion director Nicola Formichetti at Haus of Gaga
Choreographer Laurieann Gibson, Richard Jackson
Director of photography Maz Makhani

Development

The music video for the song was filmed in Springfield, Nebraska. In the video, Gaga walks from New York City to Nebraska to get her boyfriend back. According to Gaga: "I'm walking with no luggage and no nothing and it's just me and my ankles are bleeding a little bit and there's grass stuck in my shoes and I've got this outfit on and it's real sort of New York clothing and I'm sprinting... And the [video is about the] idea that when you're away from someone you love, it's torture," she continued. "I knew I wanted the video to be about me sprinting back and walking hundreds of thousands of miles to get him back." Lady Gaga posted on twitter that the music video will be her 1000th tweet.

The video was set to premiere on MTV at 7:50pm EST on Thursday, August 18th, and was to be followed by an announcement by Gaga live from New York City, but on the 16th, Gaga tweeted three lines: "FUCK", "THURS", "DAY", and released the music video via her personal YouTube account.

Synopsis and fashion credits

New York to Nebraska

“ I've talked about some of it before with all of you, but I've had some really intense experiences when I was younger. Some of which I have shared with all of you and some of which I haven't. And the ice cream truck is meant to be a representation of the destruction of my youth at a very young time in my life. So while I'm walking down this road to find love, the memories of the destruction of my youth get in the way. That's how I wanted to open the video, because I think it sets up the rest of the story. It allows you to imagine that you, yourself, are not just one person, you are so many. And that person inside of you has so many stories and memories and things to draw from and they all affect your journey profusely. So I'm battered quite brutally at the beginning of the video, and by the end I'm not battered, but I'm a bit strange. So it's not meant to be an answer, the video. It's meant to be a profuse number of questions. ”

—Lady Gaga

The music video begins with Gaga, dressed in black clothing and sunglasses with bloody feet and seemingly bionic metal features, walking through a field in Nebraska; having returned on foot after years of absence. Gaga goes to buy ice cream from an ice cream truck, but she suddenly drops it as a toothless man grins at her with a doll in his hand. She begins to then have flashbacks to her time spent in Nebraska - scenes of Gaga having a wedding, being tortured by Jo Calderone inside a barn and being inside a water tank are shown in quick succession. The song starts playing as the camera slowly zooms towards Gaga, who is standing bent forward as she begins singing.

Lady Gaga wears a jacket by Saint Laurent, pants by Chanel, shoes by Pleaser, a metal armour by Millennium FX, sunglasses by France Look, and a hat by Philip Treacy.

Flashback

The video continually switches to scenes where Gaga, with little make up, a simple gray-colored hair style and a white dress, plays a piano in the middle of a cornfield, while her male alter ego, Jo Calderone sits on top of the piano, smoking and drinking a beer. This particular scene is a flashback to the time where Gaga and Jo dated in Nebraska. She used to sing and play on the piano while he drank beers.

As Calderone pulls up his sleeves, present day Gaga is shown still walking through the desert.

Lab I

First transformation.

  • Lady Gaga — Custom dress and shoes by Jan Taminiau, hair pin sunglasses by Haus of Gaga
  • Taylor Kinney — Pants by Jaeho Choi

Inside the barn

First of the two dancing scenes. Gaga with a teal-colored hair does a dance routine with her backup dancers in a barn

Lab II

For the 2nd transformation, Gaga is seen with long brown hair. Jo had to place Gaga in a water tank as she is about to transform again

  1. Custom dress and shoes by Jan Taminiau
  2. Heels by Mugler

In the field

Synopsis

Yüyi the mermaid

“ A part of the metaphor of this scene is that you can't have sex with a mermaid. Sometimes, in love, you just can't make it work. No matter what you do, there's this giant boundary between you and someone else. So that's what it's all about; perceiving there's something magical inside of you, that you can make it work. ”

—Lady Gaga

As the chorus begins for the second time, Gaga is portrayed as Yuyi the Mermaid, with gills on her face and neck, as she lies in a tub filled with dirty water.

Wedding

“ I asked her [ Cynthia Germanotta ] if I could use it [her wedding dress] in the video because the love my mother and father have shared for almost thirty years now is what I hope to have some day. ”

—Lady Gaga

The video ends with Gaga/Yuyi and the scientist together in the bath tub, as a depiction of their dream wedding flash across, before a final shot of the barn as the screen turns black.

Haus of Ü

Main article: Haus of Ü

Credits

Song

Personnel

[1] Contains elements from "We Will Rock You" recorded by Queen and written by Brian May. Published by EMI Music Publishing/Queen Music Ltd. Used by permission. Queen appear courtesy of Hollywood Records Inc. for US its Territories and Canada, and Universal International Music B.V. for World excluding US its Territories and Canada.
[2] Brian May appears courtesy of Hollywood Records for US its territories and Canada and Duck Productions Ltd for the rest of the World.

Publishing

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

Music video

References

  1. ↑ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lady-gaga-producer-making-born-193459?page=2
  2. ↑ "http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/may/23/lady-gaga-born-this-way-review
  3. ↑ https://youtu.be/MEmA3a8SmVg
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