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Government Hooker

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"Government Hooker"
Song by Lady Gaga
from the album Born This Way
ReleasedMay 23, 2011
Recorded2010
StudioStudio at the Palms (Las Vegas)
GenreSynth-pop
Length4:14
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Audio video
"Government Hooker" on YouTube

"Government Hooker" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga from her second studio album, Born This Way (2011). Gaga co-wrote and co-produced the song with Fernando Garibay and DJ White Shadow, with additional production of DJ Snake. "Government Hooker" was a previously unused demo track Shadow had produced with DJ Snake. Recording sessions took place in 2010 at the Studio at the Palms in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The song is a synth-pop track with techno, trance, post-disco, and industrial influences. "Government Hooker" explores themes of female sexual empowerment, manifested as a metaphor referencing US president John F. Kennedy's alleged affair with Marilyn Monroe. Critics praised the song's production and dark, risqué subject matter. Though never released as a single, "Government Hooker" charted in South Korea and peaked at number sixteen on the US Hot Dance/Electronic Digital Songs. The song was performed majorly in Gaga's Born This Way Ball concert tour (2012–2013); it was also part of the setlist of her Las Vegas residency, Enigma (2018–2020).

Background

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"Government Hooker" is a collaborative effort between Gaga, Fernando Garibay and DJ White Shadow. Recording sessions took place in 2010 at the Studio at the Palms in Las Vegas, Nevada.[1] "Government Hooker" was a previously unused demo recording DJ White Shadow had produced with DJ Snake. After Shadow edited the song's tempo, he played the demo for Vince Herbert at a recording session, which he enjoyed more so than the other tracks presented at that time. Gaga began writing verses for "Government Hooker" immediately after being sent the recording. While writing, the production team recruited her bodyguard Peter van der Veen to sing lyrics aloud rather than use processed vocals. Shadow noticed van der Veen's thick, distinctive Dutch accent as he sang the verses.[2] Alongside "Scheiße" and a remix of "Born This Way", "Government Hooker" premiered at a Thierry Mugler fashion show in Paris, France, on March 2, 2011, as Gaga made her runway debut.[3]

Composition

[edit]
Monroe's alleged romance with US president John F. Kennedy (pictured) was referenced in the song.

"Government Hooker" is an uptempo[4] synth-pop[5] song with elements of trance,[6] techno,[7] post-disco,[8] and industrial music.[9] Los Angeles Times columnist Randall Roberts heard it as an homage to the German electronic group Kraftwerk, and noted "weird Casio-tone circuit-bending".[8] To Evan Sawdey of PopMatters, the song contained amalgamated elements of Britney Spears' "Gimme More" (2007) and the New Order song "Blue Monday" (1983).[10] According to the music sheet published by Sony/ATV Music Publishing on Musicnotes.com, "Government Hooker" is written in the time signature of common time, with a moderate tempo of 120 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of F♯ minor. Gaga's voice spans the tonal nodes of F♯3 to C♯5. The song has a basic sequence of D–F♯m–D–F♯m during the verses, B–D–A–E during the bridge and Bm–F♯m–Bm–F♯m during the chorus, as its chord progression.[11] The song primarily explores themes of female sexual empowerment.[6][10]

"Government Hooker" begins as Gaga sings in a dramatic, operatic style—backed by industrial synthesizers—before progressing to a Gregorian chant.[12][13] The song then descends into the chorus: "I can be good / I can be sex / I can be anything / I can be everything / Just touch me baby."[10] A supporting male vocalist responds, "Unless you want to be man / Unless you want to hold hands / I don't wanna be sad."[10] After Gaga sings "I'm gonna drink my tears and cry / 'cos I know you love me baby" during the techno-inspired bridge,[10][14] she alludes to the alleged affair between Marilyn Monroe and John F. Kennedy with the lyrics "Put your hands on me / John F. Kennedy / I'll make you squeal baby", singing in a monotonous, yet seductive tone.[14]

Reception

[edit]
A woman, sporting a ram-horned headpiece, stands behind a man sitting in a chair.
Gaga performing "Government Hooker" on the Born This Way Ball tour

"Government Hooker" was well received by the media. Randall Roberts of Los Angeles Times asserted that the song's dynamic was a quirky exception to the contravening nature of Born This Way.[8] Chris Richards of The Washington Post chose the song as a highlight on the album commenting that "'The Edge of Glory' makes a song like 'Government Hooker' seem much more daring than it actually is".[15] Caryn Ganz of Spin said that Lady Gaga's eccentric and outlandish persona—the so-called "nutty come-ons"—were apparent in the "grimy doom disco" of "Government Hooker".[16] Christian Blauvelt of Entertainment Weekly described the song's chorus as "an infectious raver with a killer hook [and it] is pretty irresistible."[13]

Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine described it as "filthy-fabulous",[17] while Jocelyn Vena of MTV called the song a "massive club track".[6] Rolling Stone journalist Jody Rosen felt that the production of the "requisite kinky song" was captivating, including its "shape-shifting assemblage of buzzes, beeps and clattering beats".[7] Dan Martin of NME wrote that "Government Hooker" is inimical to the campy nature of the album, and felt that as the track starts, Born This Way effectively transcends into "claustrophobic" techno beats. "This is freeform and industrial and quite mad", Martin noted.[9] Billboard writer Kerri Mason said that the track has "opera vocalizing, minimal techno bleeps, a JFK reference, and conflicting definitions of self as seductive product".[18] To Ian Wade of BBC Music, the eerie operatic entrance of "Government Hooker" gives way to a "Casiotone throb".[19] Evan Sawdey of PopMatters commended the sexual lyrics of the song, and insisted that the "gender-bending" chorus was the best since The Killers' "Somebody Told Me".[10]

Despite not being released as a single, "Government Hooker" entered the charts in two countries: In South Korea, the song debuted at number fifteen on the Gaon Digital Chart selling 13,976 copies,[20] while in the United States, "Government Hooker" debuted and peaked at number sixteen on the Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Digital Songs.[21]

Live performances and media usage

[edit]

In October 2011, Gaga performed "Government Hooker" at the Clinton Foundation's Decade of Difference celebration at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California.[22][23] The song was featured in a promotional video for the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards on August 18, 2011.[24]

"Government Hooker" was included on the setlist of the Born This Way Ball, Gaga's third headlining tour (2012–2013). The song was performed as the second song in the setlist, after "Highway Unicorn (Road to Love)". Following a brief interlude, Gaga appeared from one of the doors of the big castle prop on the stage, wearing an Alien-esque outfit,[25] and walked down the steps. She then appeared to take part in a sexual routine with one of her dancers. During the breakdown, Gaga pulled a gun out of a drawer and pretended to shoot the dancer. She performed the song's chorus one more time before telling the crowd, "welcome to the Born This Way Ball", and 'shooting' the castle gates open.[26]

Gaga later performed "Government Hooker", for the first time in nearly six years, during Las Vegas residency show, Enigma (2018-2020).[27] The track followed a medley of fellow Born This Way tracks, "Scheiße" and "Judas", and showed Gaga wearing an illuminated armor-like bodysuit with a blue, anime-inspired wig. She performed vogue-like choreography before segueing into a cover of David Bowie's 1997 single, "I'm Afraid of Americans". During "Government Hooker", Gaga changed the song's lyrics to address the Trump administration ("I’ll make you squeal baby/Donald Trump, if you pay me.")[28][29]

Credits and personnel

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Credits adapted from the liner notes of Born This Way.[1]

  • Lady Gaga – vocals, songwriter, producer, background vocals
  • Fernando Garibay – songwriter, co-producer, programming, keyboards; recording at Studio at the Palms, Las Vegas, Nevada
  • DJ White Shadow – songwriter, producer, programming, keyboards, guitars
  • DJ Snake – co-producer, bass guitar, drums, keyboards
  • Kareem "Jesus" Devlin – guitars
  • Peter Van Der Veen – background vocals
  • Josh Thomas – background vocals, co-producer
  • Brian Lee – background vocals
  • Bill Malina – additional recording
  • Dave Russell – audio mixing at The Mix Room, Burbank, California
  • Gene Grimaldi – audio mastering at Oasis Mastering, Burbank, California
  • Paul Pavao – assistant

Charts

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Weekly chart performance for "Government Hooker"
Chart (2011) Peak
position
South Korean International Singles (Gaon)[20] 15
US Dance/Electronic Digital Songs (Billboard)[21] 16

References

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  1. ^ a b Born This Way (liner notes). Lady Gaga. Interscope Records. 2011. p. 4. B0015373-02.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ^ Vena, Jocelyn (March 4, 2011). "Lady Gaga Producer Calls 'Government Hooker' A 'Beast'". MTV News. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  3. ^ Vena, Jocelyn (March 2, 2011). "Lady Gaga Makes Runway Debut At Mugler Fashion Show". MTV News. Archived from the original on June 3, 2012. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  4. ^ "Lady Gaga Debuts 'Government Hooker,' Walks Runway at Mugler Show". Billboard. March 3, 2011. Archived from the original on June 5, 2013. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
  5. ^ Masley, Ed (May 23, 2011). "Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way:' SB 1070, Jesus, etc". The Arizona Republic. Archived from the original on June 1, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  6. ^ a b c Vena, Jocelyn (March 2, 2011). "Lady Gaga's 'Government Hooker' Makes Fashion-Show Debut". MTV News. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  7. ^ a b Rosen, Jody (May 18, 2011). "Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way': A Track-by-Track Breakdown". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 19, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  8. ^ a b c Roberts, Randall (May 20, 2011). "Album review: Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 31, 2012. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  9. ^ a b Martin, Dan (May 18, 2011). "Lady Gaga, 'Born This Way' – Track-By-Track Album Review". NME. Archived from the original on May 21, 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  10. ^ a b c d e f Sawdey, Evan (May 27, 2011). "Lady Gaga: Born This Way". PopMatters. Archived from the original on May 30, 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  11. ^ Germanotta, Stefani; Garibay, Fernando (2011). "Digital Sheet Music – Lady Gaga – Government Hooker". Musicnotes.com. Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Archived from the original on June 1, 2012.
  12. ^ Kot, Greg (May 20, 2011). "Review – Born This Way". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on April 29, 2012. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  13. ^ a b Blauvelt, Christian (March 2, 2011). "Lady Gaga previews new song 'Government Hooker' at Mugler fashion show: Listen to it here!". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
  14. ^ a b Pham, Sherisse (March 2, 2011). "Government Hooker and the Politics of Lady Gaga". American Broadcasting Company. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  15. ^ Richards, Chris (May 20, 2011). "Review – Born This Way". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 12, 2012. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
  16. ^ Ganz, Caryn (May 23, 2011). "Lady Gaga, 'Born This Way'". Spin. Archived from the original on February 25, 2012. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  17. ^ Cinquemani, Sal (May 21, 2011). "Lady Gaga: Born This Way". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on May 21, 2011. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  18. ^ Mason, Kerri (May 23, 2011). "Lady Gaga 'Born This Way': Track-By-Track Review". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 15, 2013. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  19. ^ Wade, Ian (May 19, 2011). "Lady Gaga Born This Way Review". BBC Music. Archived from the original on February 22, 2012. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  20. ^ a b "Gaon Digital Chart – 2011.05.22~2011.05.28" (in Korean). Korea Music Content Industry Association. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  21. ^ a b "Lady Gaga – Chart history: Dance/Electronic Digital Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 22, 2017. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  22. ^ Gunderson, Edna (October 17, 2011). "Bono, Gaga, Chesney perform in Bill Clinton's honor". USA Today. Archived from the original on June 26, 2012. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  23. ^ Perpetua, Matthew (October 17, 2011). "Lady Gaga, Bono Rock For Clinton Foundation". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 19, 2011. Retrieved July 12, 2012.
  24. ^ "Lady Gaga's MTV 'VMA' Promo to Air During 'Jersey Shore'". The Hollywood Reporter. August 17, 2011. Archived from the original on June 3, 2012. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  25. ^ Copsey, Robert (October 9, 2012). "Lady GaGa, The Darkness at 'Born This Way Ball' - Review". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on January 31, 2019. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  26. ^ "Lady Gaga Debuts Born This Way Ball in South Korea". Rolling Stone. April 27, 2012. Archived from the original on June 1, 2012. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  27. ^ Spanos, Brittany (December 29, 2018). "Review: Lady Gaga Maintains 'Poker Face' During Stellar Vegas Debut". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 30, 2018. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
  28. ^ Barlow, Eve (December 30, 2018). "A Star Is Born Again: Lady Gaga's Vegas Residency Dazzles". Vulture.com. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
  29. ^ Mackelden, Amy (December 29, 2018). "Lady Gaga Served so Many Epic Looks on Her Las Vegas Residency's Opening Night". Harper's Bazaar. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
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